WORK started this week on Newport's historic Mansion House which is being converted into the city's register office.

Newport City Council appointed White Bros and Speed, based on the Leeway Industrial Estate in the city, to complete the work.

Workers moved on to the site on Monday and work is expected to last 25 weeks.

The ground floor conversion will include demolishing some walls to create ceremony rooms and the removal of the kitchen will make way for a disabled toilet and a lift shaft.

The first floor will be modified to create offices where people can register births, marriages and deaths with the second floor providing staff rooms, a shower room and small kitchen.

The basement will be converted to store public records, floors throughout the building will be strengthened and electrical wiring is needed throughout.

A new car park will be built on part of the lawns and the driveway will be widened.

The cost of the work is still unknown with the council describing the information as "commercially sensitive" this week.

But a report to the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Forum for Resources dated January 29, 2009, gives a breakdown of estimated costs totalling £457,308.50.

Councillors at a meeting in September heard how moving the service to the Mansion House could increase income by more than £20,000 through extra services such as nationality checks and would also allow for Goldtops, the current register office, to be sold.

Respect Newport's Mansion House campaigner Sarah Dunn said she received a letter from the contractor on Friday to say when work would be starting.

But Mrs Dunn, who lives near to the Mansion House, said not all residents had received one.

She said she could not understand how the authority could justify the expenditure at a time of public cuts.

"There are now many other big issues - the retail sector is in dire straits and are appealing for help but the council is spending money on a building when they didn't need to do this.

"The house is part of our heritage."

White Bros and Speed confirmed they had sent some letters to residents out of courtesy and as part of the considerate constructors scheme.