January Newsletter

View this email in your browser

Newsletter: January 2017

Happy New Year! We wish you all a wonderful and peaceful 2017.
January has developed into a busy and exciting time for the Trust. We’re still working towards submitting our Stage 1 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund in March. The deadline is looming, there’s a lot of work to be done before then but we are still on track.

Landscape Design

The CHT is very pleased to announce the appointment of a Landscape Architects - Liz Lake Associates. The practice has worked on over fifty heritage landscape schemes. Andrew Cottage will head up the project which will incorporate archival research, a thorough assessment of existing features, evaluation of the significance of heritage assets and the appropriate management of the historic landscape at Highbury. Andrew has already looked around the grounds and is progressing with his evaluation of the landscape.

Building Survey
A building survey on the house has now been completed and the CHT has received a condition report. Not surprisingly, the building is showing signs of wear and tear. A major future cost was flagged - the overhaul of all service elements including a complete rewiring. Some have been kept up-to-date but overall the systems need a complete renewal, which could cost in the region of £2million.

Fundraising Strategy

The CHT is developing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to raise the required £7 million or more to help restore the house and grounds. Potential funding sources have been identified, along with the level of funding from each source. Our first approach will be to the Architectural Heritage Fund. Further applications will follow. The campaign is being headed up by Trustee Jo Smith, who is Development Manager at Birmingham Museums Trust and has plenty of experience in this area.

VAT

Value Added Tax will have a major impact on restoration costs and on the future running of Highbury. The CHT has now obtained VAT registration so that it can manage these effects.

Key Stakeholders

We are lucky to have some dedicated support from organisations that are active on the estate. The Friends of Highbury Park, the Birmingham Beekeepers Association, the Highbury Orchard Community CIC and the Four Seasons Garden Project are all welcome colleagues in the management of Highbury. We have recently drawn up arrangements to keep us informed about everyone’s plans and activities so that these can be coordinated with the Trust’s future plans for Highbury.

This is our third newsletter to keep you up-to-date with the work of the Chamberlain Highbury Trust. If you have any questions or wish to get in touch, please contact Rachel on chamberlainhighburytrust@outlook.com

This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
The Chamberlain Highbury Trust · 4 Yew Tree Rd · Birmingham, West Midlands B13 8QG · United Kingdom