Cliffe Castle Park

Project overview

Following approval of a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Grant, the aim of the Cliffe Castle Park project was to regenerate the historic park with the design and construction of a new community hub by reconstructing the Glass House Café and creating a new animal sanctuary. The scheme incorporated botanical garden landscaping and the construction of new terrace areas around the café improving public access with DDA compliant ramps and steps. The parks boundary walls were also repaired and refurbished utilising local materials.

Two fountains and an existing pond were extensively restored and refurbished with repairs to the Italian Marble edged bowls and installation of new pumps, pipework, jets and nozzles. Work was carried out sensitively, under the watch of a Conservation Officer to ensure the features retained their original appearance.

Extensive hard and soft landscaping was carried out with surrounding paths and paving being resurfaced to improve the aesthetics of the park. Final works included soft landscaping to the Ballroom Garden and new lawns and flowerbeds in front of the new Glass House and Cafeteria.

 

Innovation & best practice

Reuse of Materials to Maintain Historic Links

Wherever possible we re-utilised stone from the original buildings in order to maintain Victorian aesthetics of the park. Where this was not possible, we utilised locally sourced materials to maintain the original look as much as possible whilst also presenting a modern feel to the park, aimed at attracting a younger generation of park visitors.

Successful outcomes

Value Engineering

The scheme was procured utilising a two-stage process, adopting a target cost approach to maintain budget control and meet HLF funding requirements. Working in this collaborative way, encouraging open, transparent communication and utilising the specialist knowledge of our supply chain, we were able to offer the Client potential cost savings of £192,000 through suggestions such as alternative drainage designs and alternative glasshouse specifications.

BALI Award

Testament to the high quality delivery, the scheme was awarded a BALI Landscaping Award in the Regeneration category.