What's New

On 18 February 2009 Horkesley Park Heritage and Conservation Centre planning application was presented to Colchester Borough Council. 

The original concept and proposals for Horkesley Park were conceived in 2000/01 and following extensive consultation and feedback over the past 8 years the proposals have been carefully and sensitively refined and improved. 

Bunting & Sons previously submitted a Planning Application in 2005 which was withdrawn to allow further studies to be completed.  The plans were refined and improved and an extensive Programme of Public Engagement and Consultation took place in 2007.  The feedback has been taken into account and this has helped the Proposals for Horkesley Park to evolve and be enhanced.

The concept behind Horkesley Park remains the same – “A Celebration of the English Countryside”.  Some of the main changes from the 2005 application are summarised below: 

·         The design of the Main Building has been improved to ensure the Main Building is not only in sympathy with the landscape but also an outstanding leading example of the principles of sustainability.

·         The main building has been designed to provide visitors with a strong  “sense of arrival”, approached by a series of gardens with one space leading to another so that the whole is not seen.  

·         There will also be exhibitions about the sustainability techniques with a Renewable Energy Centre providing a working demonstration and educational facilities to visitors of the latest renewable energy methods.

·         The sustainable techniques will include a biomass boiler (primarily using locally sourced sustainable wood chip) to photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting and much, much more…

·         The use and promotion of recyclable products.

·         Medal winning show gardens mostly created by renowned and international designers and specialists, with information available to enable visitors to adapt the designs for their own. The exhibits will change and evolve throughout the year.

·         Additional exhibition relating to the History of Colchester Engineering.

·         Additional exhibition relating to Travellers in farming.

·         Traditional entertainment such as little tractors for young children.

·         The whole site will normally be open to the general public every day from 10.00am to 6.00pm or a suitable time before dusk whichever is later. It will not be open on Christmas Day and will only open occasionally after normal closing times for special events.

·         There will be on-site public transport drop-off and collecting points during opening hours.  The site including the car parking areas will be gated.

·         There will be numerous ticket options for admission to the whole site or just specific elements of it, ranging from individual day tickets to annual memberships with family, group and other concessions.

·         There will be free of charge ticketed admission into The Chantry Fine Art Gallery. Entry to it will be on a controlled flow basis (similar to systems operated by the National Trust, e.g. at Chartwell).

·         Admission for the general public to everything on the site (including the Specialist Garden Centre) will be through the Entrance Rotunda and by ticket only.

·         On the first floor of the Main Building there will be a Lecture Theatre (250 seater) and an Exhibition Area.  These facilities will specialise in educational and recreational programmes relating to elements on the site and the local region: particularly suitable for schools, excursion groups, coach parties, etc.

·         Several eating, drinking and resting places (to suit different tastes and budgets) will provide choice and variety: The Suffolk Punch Restaurant (132 seater) with three different “fast and slow food” Cafés (each 30 seaters) and a lounge.  The Food Experience coffee and tasting bars (75 standing places/bar stools), The Chinese Garden Tea House (80 seater), The Chantry’s “Old Kitchen” Tea Room (64 seater) and The Warren Café (96 seater) with outside seating when the weather permits.

Although this totals 537 “seats” different areas will be more suited to different times of the year and not all will be used at once.

·         Over 100,000 plants, shrubs and trees will be planted in the various gardens. 

·         The Specialist Garden Centre element has been reduced and will not have any retailing outside.

·         About 50,000 indigenous trees, shrubs and hedging plants will be planted in the parkland and other “green” areas.  New ponds will be created and existing ones rejuvenated.  Many other wildlife habitats will also be created.  

·         The Public Footpaths crossing the parkland will be much improved by being grassed and made into 6m wide Green Lanes flanked by low-hedged stock proofing (wildlife corridors).

·         As a result of the changes estimated visitor numbers have reduced and will be in the region of 485,000 annually, (comparable to the visitor numbers at Colchester Zoo and without such high seasonal peaks).

·         226 jobs will be created on the site itself (a mix of part and full time 155+ full-time equivalent), plus a further 45 full-time equivalent indirectly off site in the local area.

·         Cycle hire “office”/shop to provide information about cycle routes and local Landowners will be encourage to collaborate in opening up new cycle links.

·         Horkesley Park mini/hopper bus linking to National Trust properties (eg: Flatford Mill) and other places/areas of particular interest.

·         Carter’s Vineyards will be under Horkesley Park ticketing with no public access to the vineyard other than by a Horkesley Park mini/hopper bus.

·         Inclusion of Exhibition ring (Suffolk Punch show ring).

·         Red Poll cattle and Suffolk sheep will join Suffolk Punches, creating the Suffolk Trinity.

·         Photography workshops and display areas, bead work/jewellery making workshop/viewing/lecture area.

·         Additional features within the Parkland including archery demonstration and tuition area.

·         Special educational program for young peoples’ groups.

·         An area for local school children to grow vegetables.

This is not an all inclusive list but details some of the refinements and improvements that have been made.

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