Forum topic: Broomfield House Trust update on the restoration project

Colin Younger, Chair of the Broomfield House Trust, updates us on the progress of efforts to restore the House.

Broomfield House Trust members met with Enfield Council officers on 23 August to discuss thinking on a way ahead on the reconstruction of the House and stableyard.  This follows structural engineers' re-examination of the House's remains and further cost estimates for potential work.

There's more life in the standing structure than might be thought.  80-90 per cent of the masonry is capable of being refurbished and retained, though only 25-30 per cent of the timber can be. Questions remain about how much of the footprint can be reconstructed, to what degree of fitting out, and at what cost. In addition there are issues over the stableyard and whether it should or could be exploited as enabling development or stand on its own.

Taking in to account advice from Historic England, the next step will probably be for Enfield Council to carry out an open market exercise seeking "expressions of interest" in the work needed to rebuild Broomfield House and stableyard.  The form of this approach is still under consideration and the Trust expects to be able to comment on it before too long. This will then be discussed at the next Broomfield House Partnership Board in October under its new chair, Councillor Dinah Barry, who replaces Bambos Charalambous MP. This exercise, complying with public tendering rules, could take up to six months to complete.  Following a report to the Cabinet in October, there could be a press release on the Council position.

After this, but possibly delayed by next year's council elections on 3 May, the resulting options will the subject of public consultation.  English Heritage has also recommended that the Council carry out a new community engagement exercise.  The last one was in November 2015, and showed strong support for community/heritage use but little for residential development or a "preserved ruin". However the feeling is that the profile of those who responded was not fully representative. So more work is underway on how a wider response might be generated.

The Murals

Information on the latest state of play on the Lanscroon murals project can be found on the Broomfield House & the Lanscroon Murals Facebook page and the Broomfield House Trust website.The Trust is awaiting the report from Arte Conservation which will be a key to drafting any application for support  from the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are still seeking help in generating material for schools using the House and murals to tie in with Key Stage targets.

The Lanscroon Murals Lecture

In support of the mural restoration project, Dr Mark Banting will be giving a talk on the work of Gerard Lanscroon, the murals from Broomfield House, and those which still adorn the entrance hall of Southgate Beaumont. This will be at 2.30 on Saturday 16 September at Southgate Beaumont (15 Cannon Hill, Arnos Grove, London N14 7DJ), whose permission to hold this event is much appreciated. Since space is limited, those wishing to attend should email the Trust at .