Lambeth council and supporters of Brockwell Park have been granted £3.3m by the National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a project to restore the Grade II* listed Brockwell Hall and its stables and coach house for community and commercial use.
The council said today (24 May) that the sum will be part an overall £6.3m investment to allow the site to be used for community events, weddings and corporate bookings, food and drink, exhibitions, and film/photo-shoots.
In early 2019 the National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded the council £387,500 to develop detailed designs and proposals for the project.
These include a new community event space in the disused yard, enhanced community and commercial use of the building, improvements to accessibility, and landscaping.
The project is designed to ensure a sustainable future for the site.
Main changes to the hall and stables will be:
- A new cafe and flexible community exhibition space to celebrate the history of the hall and those who used and who continue to use it, and to provide opportunities for local people and artists to showcase their work
- A new community events space for up to 200 people, created by building a permanent roof between the current hall and the under-used stables and coach house buildings
- New stairs and and an accessible path to the main entrance
- A new lift to the basement and first floor of the hall
- A volunteer hub in the basement and more rooms in the hall open for community use
- Dedicated Brockwell Hall staff, including two new apprenticeships in business administration and cultural interpretation.
Work is due to start in winter this year with the new hall open to the public in spring 2023.
Cllr Sonia Winifred, Lambeth council cabinet member for equalities and culture, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to work with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, our residents and stakeholders on this exciting project.
“It will bring new life to an underused, overlooked heritage building, with the project plans delivering real benefits for local people.”
Ann Kingsbury, chair of Brockwell Park Community Partners (aka Brockwell Park MAC) the stakeholder forum for Brockwell Park, said: “We are very excited about this project.
“The initiative came from the community in the first instance and there is widespread support for it.
“The hall will be self-sustaining, but there will be community access.
“It has been achieved by partnership working with the council that we hope will ensure the future of the hall and the park.”
Stuart McLeod, National Lottery Heritage Fund director London & South, said: “We are thrilled to support Lambeth Council in restoring the important Grade II* listed manor house.
“At the heart of the Brockwell Park community since 1813, the manor house, coach house and stables remain largely underused due to their current conditions.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, a substantial grant of over £3m will help restore the hall’s architecture, celebrate its history, and open it up to greater public access.
“Furthermore, establishing it as a venue for exhibitions, community meetings and events, weddings and corporate bookings will secure Brockwell Hall’s future through sustainable and long-term revenue.”
For further information visit the Brockwell Hall Restoration Project website where you can sign up for a newsletter to follow progress.
