| Client | Tunbridge Wells District Council |
|---|---|
| Turley office | London |
| Status | Complete |
| LPA | Tunbridge Wells District Council |
Securing funding to complete a cultural and learning centre
Our role
- We supported a successful £1.4 million bid to the South East LEP (SELEP) to address the negative financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the project.
- For the business case, Turley developed the options appraisal framework, completed an assessment of employment, wellbeing, skills and multiplier impacts, undertook sensitivity testing and reviewed the consistency of the overall case.
- A landmark project, it is a collaboration between Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Kent County Council, with funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the South East LEP.
Results
- The £21 million Amelia Scott project involved the redevelopment and expansion of grade II listed buildings into a museum and art gallery, library and adult learning centre expected to attract 400,000 visitors each year. It opened in April 2022.
- The centre will offer a range of adult education courses with 3,000 enrolments each year.
- With sustainability at its core, the inefficient listed buildings were converted into a BREEAM rated Very Good building.
- The centre supports the ambition within Kent’s Growth and Infrastructure Framework to build on Tunbridge Wells’ role as a cultural centre for West Kent and East Sussex.