A glimpse behind the fencing: part of the interior of the ruined Broomfield House (photo by David March - for more pictures see this Facebook post)
Enfield Council is inviting local people to help develop ideas for improving Broomfield Park and "memorialising" Broomfield House ahead of submitting an application for lottery funding in August.
The public consultation, entitled "Unlocking Broomfield Park for the Community", is being held online with a deadline of Sunday 6th August.
The initial funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund would be used "to resolve on a shared vision for the house and landscape around it in consultation with the local community and determine the project costs, required resources, and timeline for its delivery".
If successful, the council envisage a further application for funding in 2025 and a start to work on the remains of the fire-devastated mansion in 2026. This would involve dismantling the unsafe parts of the derelict shell and "reconnecting the park and house through memoralisation, interpretation and landscaping". See below for the full text of an update posted to the council website.
"A possibility that elements of the house's fabric could be retained"
Commenting on the news, the chairman of the Broomfield House Trust, Colin Younger, said:
"The intention is to restore the relationship of Broomfield House to the historic park and to the archaeological and horticultural heritage of the Baroque gardens.
"There is therefore a possibility that elements of the house's fabric could be retained, giving some sense of the size and position of the original house, incorporated into a whole designed to give the viewer a feel for the House's significance in the park."
Inside the ruins of Broomfield House
The video footage below was recorded in 2017. Yet another fire occurred in 2018, further damaging the house remains.
Broomfield House: Latest news
We are currently preparing a grant funding application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for improvements to the heritage parts of Broomfield Park which includes proposals on the House ruins.
If successful in obtaining funding, this project will kick-start the rejuvenation of Broomfield Park by dismantling the unsafe parts of the derelict shell of Broomfield House, and reconnecting the park and house through memoralisation, interpretation and landscaping.
This application is due to be submitted in August 2023 and we will be notified by the National Lottery Heritage Fund of whether our bid has been successful in the first quarter of 2024.
If successful, we will receive an initial award to resolve on a shared vision for the house and landscape around it in consultation with the local community and determine the project costs, required resources, and timeline for its delivery.
To secure funding to implement the works to the house and park necessary to deliver this vision, another funding application will be made to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2025. If that final stage is successful, works to the house would commence in 2026.
In the lead-up to submitting a bid, we are testing some initial ideas and a programme of activities with residents and park users. We would welcome your ideas and feedback by completing a short survey by Sunday August 6 2023.
Complete the 'Unlocking Broomfield Park for the Community' survey.
Source: www.enfield.gov.uk/services/planning/broomfield-house#latest-news
