Since Sandwell MBC took over the park and Grade II listed house from Birmingham in November 2010, there had been a strong political impetus to protect the newly inherited heritage assets and halt the decline of the rapidly decaying building and ageing park.
In conjunction with our client, Parks and Countryside Services, Urban Design and Building Services submitted a Round 1 bid which was successful in obtaining Heritage Lottery Funding to develop restoration proposals. A ‘Round 2’ bid was submitted in 2013, with further HLF funding awarded for the delivery of the scheme to completion. Against national competition, Urban Design and Building Services was chosen to detail up and deliver this final phase
Project Details:
The award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) was £3.6million, under the Parks for People Programme. Sandwell Council contributed a further £1.6 million giving a total restoration budget of £5.2 million.
The project included bringing Lightwoods House, which dates from 1791, back into public use for community meetings, training, functions, a children’s centre and on-site offices for the park/house management and police.
The ground floor now provides public toilets, a tea room and exhibition space. The upper floors have rooms for the community, conferencing, weddings and commercial office space.
Work on the park, officially opened in 1903, included:
- restoring the original drinking fountains, bandstand, and walled Shakespeare Garden reinstating a park pool, complete with rustic bridge, to both restore the historic landscape and address the site drainage issues
- improving footpaths and boundaries
- a new children’s ‘all inclusive’ play area
Work on site began in early 2015, and is now complete.
To find out more visit: www.lightwoodspark.wordpress.com
