An Award Winning, energy-efficient reimagining of a visitor centre
Seven Sisters Country Park is a popular destination for local and international visitors seeking to immerse themselves in the splendour of the stunning coastal expanse stretching from Seaford to Eastbourne, with 280 hectares of chalk cliffs, meandering river valley and open chalk grassland. The project has seen significant improvements to visitor facilities through the conversion and repurposing of existing buildings and landscape enhancements at Exceat; the main visitor hub.
South Downs National Park Authority
£1.9m
Client and grant funded
Grade II Listed
Sussex Heritage Award 2023 / Aj Retrofit Award 2023
Client
Value
Funding
Designation
Awards
The main objective of the project was to encourage more visitors by improving facilities for people to experience and understand this special place and its context within the South Downs. Reflecting this, South Downs National Park Authority’s (SDNPA) overarching vision for Seven Sisters Country Park was for it to be “an outstanding place for nature and people where we work with the landscape and communities to demonstrate how to adapt to climate change”.
The project prioritised the repurposing of the existing buildings on site and included; alterations to the Grade II Listed Visitor Centre to improve the visitor experience; conversion of the Dairy Barn to provide additional office accommodation; conversion of the existing toilet building into a new ‘Grab & Go’ café, refurbishment of the Rangers Office; creation of additional public toilets, improvements to public realm and enhancing the farmstead character of Exceat. Three of the existing curtilage listed buildings (Dairy Barn, Grab & Go café, and the Public Toilets) have undergone a deep retrofit that meet high sustainability standards and set a benchmark for future development within the country park and wider South Downs National Park. The project was successfully delivered on time and budget in July 2022 and has delivered a wide range of benefits across sustainability, biodiversity, conservation, and enhancement of cultural heritage.
Credits
Structural Engineer: Marbas Consulting
Quantity Surveyor: Michael Edwards Consultants Ltd
Contractor: Baxall
“Through the intelligent, sympathetic re-imagination of the physical assets across the development site, Pritchard Architecture have unlocked the inherent value in Seven Sisters Country Park. The outcome has been a complete success and one which enables the client to accelerate in its pursuit of the Vision for the Country Park, to be an outstanding place for nature and people where we work with the landscape and communities to demonstrate how to adapt to climate change”
Mark Alden, Enterprise Development Lead, South Downs National Park Authority