It is with great delight that Greendale Construction Limited announce the procurement of a £3.9m contract to refurbish Durlston Castle near Swanage.
The works are scheduled to commence on 19th April 2010 with the castle due to re-open in the summer of 2011. The renovation will bring the Victorian castle back to full public use as a world class visitor centre at the eastern gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The refurbished castle will then house the 280-acre park’s visitor services, gift shop and catering facilities. As well a wide range of exhibitions and displays based around the area’s world-renowned natural heritage, the rejuvenated castle will be fully equipped to host everything from conferences to weddings overlooking the Jurassic Coast.
More than half of the Durlston Project’s funding, £3.1m, has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with significant contributions from the Friends of Durlston, the county council, the South West of England Regional Development Agency and many other charitable trusts, organisations, businesses and individuals.
Director of Greendale Construction Ltd, Robert Hooker, added:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this major contract. For us, this is the satisfactory culmination of many months of hard work. The Durlston Project is an interesting challenge involving both traditional and modern construction processes. We look forward to working in association with the design team and Dorset County Council to deliver a world class amenity for the local community and visitors to enjoy for many years to come.”
Dorset County Council countryside ranger service manager, Hamish Murray, said:
“After several years at the development stage it will be fantastic to finally see this exciting project taking shape on the ground and we are particularly pleased that Greendale Construction, a local firm, will be doing the work. The newly restored castle will be a great asset to the whole area and we look forward to a successful opening in 2011.”