A £3.5 million restoration project of a historic landscape designed by Marnock, focussing of the relationship between historic buildings and landscape, delivered on behalf of an independent trust.
Client and Contract Period
Avenue House Estates Trust
April 2012 – May 2017
Project Objectives
The restoration of the Avenue House Estate in Finchley, North London created for the ink magnate Henry Stephens by leading ‘gardenesque’ landscape designer Robert Marnock. The Grade II landscape was a much-loved open space asset that had suffered from under-investment for decades and the aim of the project was to restore the principal features of the Marnock design: the terrace, pond, rockery and wet garden and Bothy Garden.
The project aimed to restore elements of the Stephens irrigation system to provide an enhanced supply for the wet elements of the landscape and restore the Water Tower, a listed built asset that was on the ‘at risk’ register. The project aimed to introduce an exciting programme of activities, centring on a new activity space and new cafe bistro in the stable block to make this an even more fantastic local facility and to support the long-term financial sustainability of the site.
Issues Challenges and Outcomes
Arkwood delivered this complex project within a very tight time frame and involved complex negotiations through the planning process.
The quality of the 10-year Management and Maintenance Plan helped secure the successful Round 2 HLF submission. This document detailed and costed maintenance activities for buildings, hard and soft landscape across the Estate and linked this to the Trust’s income and expenditure projections detailed in the Site Business Plan. The Water Tower was removed from the ‘at risk’ register.
The Bothy Garden provides a quality setting for the Terpia Charity that trains child and adolescent psychotherapists and the Estate is a popular resource for the local community.
Services
• Preparation of Round 1 and 2 submissions to the HLF
• Fund raising strategy to secure significant match funding for the project
• Landscape design – historic Bothy Garden
• Lead Consultant for the implementation phase
• Management and Management Plan
• Public Consultation and Engagement
• Preparation of the Conservation Plan
