Mote Park Restoration Project

BIG/Heritage Lottery Fund Bid

Gallagher, one of Kent’s best known building contractors, is the main contractor for the Mote Park Regeneration Project.

The park is one of the largest in the South East of England, with the scale and character of a country park. Its proximity to the centre of Maidstone makes it a very popular place for local

people as well as others from much further away. The regeneration project has won funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) under their Parks for People scheme.

Improvements have or will include:

• Formalising inner and outer path circuits.
• Main car park improvements - marking and planting shrubs and trees.
• Improving the Boat House Area - installing a hard surface promenade area
• with new seating, tree planting and a new model boat platform.
• Refurbishing the refreshment kiosk.
• Restoring the 1840s waterfall.
• Restoring the neoclassical Volunteers Pavilion dating from the 1800s.
• Replacing the ramp and small bridge across the lake with a new 20m span timber and steel bridge.
• Improving access from Willington Street with car parking and a natural play area for teenagers, and from School Lane with improved parking, a separate pedestrian access and relocating the play area.

Timeline of events

2007 - Heritage Lottery Fund gives a grant of £50,000 for the council to prepare the first stage of the lottery bid.

September 2008 - Stage one of the application submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund Parks for People Scheme.

July 2009 – A grant of £124,900 awarded.

July 2010 – A second stage application submitted following consultation with parks users and potential users.

September 2010 – A grant of £1,897,680 awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The total project cost is set at £2,672,331 including a 25% contribution from the council.

October 2010 - Tender documents produced for forestry and main contracts.

November 2010 – Alan Frith, Audience Development Manager,

appointed.

Autumn 2011 - Work begins in Mote Park, including construction of paths and the causeway over the lake.

Winter 2011 – Main car park construction, Volunteers Pavilion, kiosk refurbishment, lake overflow remodeling, boat house boulevard improvements, improvement to café area and new School Lane and Willington Street visitor centres.

Spring 2012 – Restoration of historic waterfall, installation of new bins, benches, signage and cycle stands, and tree planting

Summer 2012 – Work due to be completed.