The Grade I Beckford’s Tower, standing above the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath, was commissioned as a retreat in 1826 by William Beckford as part of an extraordinary landscape garden project, designed to provide him with an escape from his city home in Lansdown Crescent.
Prior to our appointment many features within this landscape had been lost or become detached from each other.
Our early project development work for Beckford Tower and Bath Preservation Trusts, to undertake cost planning and frame the initial investment ask for conservation works necessary to remove the tower from the Historic England at Risk Register in 2019, evolved to include conception to completion cost management and cost reporting for an ambitious scheme, funded by Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The project works included critical fabric repairs, operational decarbonisation using solar and heat pump energy, and an enhanced user experience that now generates sustainable revenue for the ongoing preservation of this historically significant landscape.
Work to open footpaths and create new parking have improved accessibility and connected the local community and surrounding landscape to the tower .
Excavation of the hidden grotto and creation of new interpretative spaces have provided visitors with unique and engaging experiences.
The step-free accessible interpretation space in the tower’s vault ensures that the museum collection is more inclusive, allowing a wider audience to appreciate the historical and cultural significance of the site.
A new education hub is supporting school-run biodiversity and environmental conservation programs, fostering a deeper understanding of these crucial topics among students.
The new mixed-use retail and hospitality space at the entrance provides an important revenue stream, ensuring the financial sustainability of the site. This has also created local job opportunities and supports the local economy.
Overall, the conservation and refurbishment works at Beckford’s Tower and Museum have not only preserved an important heritage site but have also enhanced its role as a cultural and educational treasure for the local community and visitors alike
| Procurement Route | Value | Services Provided |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | £3.9m | Cost Planning, Cost Management, Project Development, Quantity Surveying |
