Regeneration

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Northumberland has reopened to the public after a major two-year conservation and revival project carried out by English Heritage.

Partially funded by a £3.4m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, as well as support from Garfield Weston Foundation and the Foyle Foundation, the project included work to conserve the venue’s historic hall, castle and coach house and a rejuvenation of the property’s 30-acre gardens.

“The Belsay that visitors see today comprises three distinct but related elements: a medieval castle, a Greek-Revival country house, which superseded it as a family residence at the beginning of the 19th century, and a beautiful garden linking the two buildings,” said Mark Douglas, English Heritage’s Properties Curator.

The property, designed by Sir Charles Monk, is one of the earliest Greek Revival houses in Britain.

The restoration addressed problems including a leaking roof and gutters that had been causing damp issues for over two hundred years and the loss of much of the original planting material in the venue’s Grade I-listed gardens.

The original roof has now been replaced and the castle’s medieval stonework repaired. The gardens have been restored by landscape designer and gardener Dan Pearson, who planned a new scheme that maintained its historic character.

Pearson and his team planted more than 80,000 new plants, with 35,000 alone in the hall’s woodland area. The project also restored previously lost historic views on Crag Wood’s scenic walk.

Pearson’s “plantsmanship and painterly eye have helped to bring out the individual character of the extensive garden areas,” said John Watkins, English Heritage’s Head of Gardens and Landscapes.

The upgraded site includes a new projected animation and soundscape centring on the story of The Wildman, a medieval mythical figure which features on the coat of arms of the Middleton family, who owned Belsay for over 700 years.

It also includes new family-friendly spaces, a children’s woodland play-and-learn area with an outdoor classroom and a café with renewable energy and rainwater harvesting located in the historic coach house.

A museum charting the history of glass production has reopened following a £1m refurbishment.

The World of Glass in St Helens celebrates the Merseyside town's "proud history" of glass production, executive director Pete Frost said.

Originally opened in 2000, the museum has been refurbished as part of wider investment in the town from the government's Town Deal Fund.

The museum is built alongside the town's Sankey canal and around a Grade II-listed tank house on a network of tunnels originally used for heat and airflow.

The refurbishment includes updated, interactive exhibits designed to add "a layer of hands-on engagement" for visitors.

As well as exhibits telling the story of glass making, the museum holds a collection of thousands of glass objects from around the world.

Curator Hannah Billinge said: "It is an important collection that is one of a kind."

Entry to the museum is free.

Dulwich Picture Gallery has received planning permission for its biggest redevelopment in over 20 years.

The £4.6m transformation will include the addition of a interactive sculpture garden and a new building for families, both located in previously inaccessible areas of the gallery’s three-acre garden.

Architects Carmody Groarke will design the new pavilion building and an extension for the site’s existing cottage, which will both be constructed with lightweight timber frames to ensure low embodied carbon construction.

The new structures will be used to provide activities focused on art and creative play for school groups and young children.

Leading landscape artist Kim Wilkie has been selected to design the new outdoor gallery and to transform an underutilised field into a meadow and ‘art forest’, which will host a new biennial sculpture competition. The addition of 150 new trees and the sowing of wildflowers will enhance biodiversity by an estimated 17%.

As part of the gallery’s push towards environmental sustainability, a new ground source heat pump will be installed to decarbonise the existing gallery’s heating systems and to supply new buildings.

The gallery will remain open throughout the construction period, which is scheduled to start this winter and to finish in early 2025.

“The vision for Open Art is grounded in the principles of innovation and inclusion which have defined the gallery since we first opened to the public in 1817,” said Jennifer Scott, Director of Dulwich Picture Gallery.

“This exciting project will transform our green spaces into London’s only gallery-based sculpture garden, providing new creative experiences for everyone and inspiring the artists of the future.”

A major expansion of 3 Mills Studios in East London has been completed.

The £6m redevelopment includes upgrades to several historic buildings and the creation of more than 10,000 square feet of creative workspace.

The overhaul also included boosting the site’s environmental sustainability and climate resilience and ensuring the economic viability of its heritage assets.

The project was funded by a £3m grant from City Hall, with a further £1.9m provided by the London Legacy Development Corporation. It is intended to support more than 1,000 local jobs.

The studio has historically provided staging for numerous well-known TV series and films. The renovations will allow it to expand its offering to film, TV and theatre.

“London is a global hub for film and television and 3 Mills has been pivotal in the success of the industry,” said Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London.

“The restoration of these historic buildings not only offers much needed space for more industry production to take place in the capital, but also supports over a thousand jobs in the heart of east London. 

“It will enable the studios to play a major role as the capital’s film and TV industries support our economy and we build a better London for everyone.”

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, added: “London and the UK’s film and TV industry continues to drive significant economic growth, supporting thousands of new jobs each year through production hubs in the capital and across the UK regions and nation”. 

“It is because of first class facilities like 3 Mills Studios, as well as our world class talent and crew, that the UK is a leading global centre for production.’

“Upgrading our studio facilities is essential to maintaining the UK’s attractiveness to domestic and international productions, helping to future-proof our creative industries in the process.’’

Ipswich Regent Theatre will begin charging a restoration levy of £1.50 per ticket to fund a planned £3m refurbishment.

The additional cost will be added to all tickets priced over £10, with the money raised going towards funding the theatre’s improvement and upkeep. 

Plans for the refurbishment include improving disabled access and modernising and increasing the venue’s toilet provision, including the installation of a new onsite changing places facility.

The bar area will be extended and the Circle Lounge fully refurbished. The project also aims to restore some of the almost century-old building's original art deco features.

“The investment is required to ensure that the facilities are modernised so that customers receive the very best experience,” said Sophie Connelly, Ipswich Borough Council portfolio holder for culture and customers.

The theatre last underwent an upgrade in 2014. Permission was granted for new dressing room facilities, catering and wardrobe space in 2022. 

Trafalgar Entertainment has been awarded the contract to operate Fareham Live by Fareham Borough Council. 

The company, which launched its Trafalgar Theatres division in 2021, now operates a total of 18 venues.

Currently under construction on the site of Ferneham Hall, Fareham Live will launch next year as part of the council’s multi-million-pound plans to redevelop the civic quarter and regenerate the Town Centre.

The new venue will feature a larger main auditorium with seating for around 800 people. A secondary performance space, new bar and cafe area, and studio space supporting community groups and organisations will also form part of the new building. 

Sue Walker, Executive Member for Leisure and Community at Fareham Borough Council, said: “I am very pleased that Trafalgar Theatres has been selected as the new operator at Fareham Live. 

“They bring with them a wealth of experience and they pride themselves in gathering an in-depth understanding of the locations in which they operate, respecting local priorities while delivering innovation and adding value. We are really looking forward to working together.”

Dame Rosemary Squire, Joint Co-Founder and CEO of Trafalgar Entertainment, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Fareham Borough Council has awarded Trafalgar Entertainment the contract to operate Fareham Live in this beautiful part of the country. 

"We admire the council’s ambitions for the town and look forward to working in partnership with the Leisure and Community team on the future development of Fareham Live.”

A contemporary arts organisation has become the guardian of a vacant-four storey building in Nottingham’s city centre.

OTOKA, which translates to island in Croatian, is located in the home of a former Clarks shoe shop.

The new space launched a programme of events last Thursday (18 May), set to feature art exhibitions and creative projects.

Working in partnership with East Street Arts, OTOKO will be working towards taking on as many empty spaces in the city as possible to help provide new opportunities for artists in the area.

Director Candice Jacobs said the latest project will “re-enliven the High Street with exhibitions, events, performance and public art works that show what can be possible when artists take on these empty spaces to nurture the inclusivity, diversity & the ambition of its communities”.

“In this new space OTOKA will be supporting the work of local, national & international artists, local businesses, students and graduates,” Jacobs added.

“As well as putting on exhibitions and events, we’ll be providing studios and taking advantage of the building’s cornered frontage to curate window displays and public art projects for the area.”