Gunnersbury Park regeneration plans received another huge investment boost as Hounslow councillors approved almost £2.2million towards the project.
This is on top of the £2.6 million already committed to the project, and will be added to the £8.8 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund announced earlier this year, plus the £5 million from Ealing council who jointly own the site.
They also agreed on plans to create a new social enterprise otherwise known as a community interest company (CIC), which would be jointly owned by Hounslow and Ealing councils, to manage the estate from 2017.
Councillor Sachin Gupta, cabinet member for leisure and public health at the council, said: “We’ve got ambitious plans to make Gunnersbury a standout London attraction park that residents can be proud of and visitors to the borough will be able to enjoy for years to come.
“We are – along with Ealing and the Heritage Lottery Fund – are investing significant amounts of money to improve the estate over the next few years, but there is still more we want to do to create a park of real value to the local community.
“Both Hounslow and Ealing have been jointly managing the house and park for some time, but we both recognise this isn’t ideal if we want it to have a sustainable future.
“The new management arrangement will help make sure plans for the park are sustainable in the long term, whilst giving both councils the oversight local people would expect for this important public asset.”
Work on making the site a London attraction has been moved forward and is due to begin in spring next year and is due for completion two years later.
Funding will be used to restore the park and museum to its former glory and once completed visitor numbers are expected to rise from 600,000 to more than one million a year.
Among planned improvements to the park are a new cafe and display gallery, boating on the pond will be brought back and restoration works will take place in the orangery and at horseshoe lake.
Funding will also go towards repair works to the Mansion with more areas open to the public, display rooms to showcase museum collections and be made available as event spaces, renovation of the house quarters from the drawing room and dining area to the historic kitchen and servants rooms.
The reception area and gift shop will undergo a makeover, new learning spaces are to be built and lifts will be installed to provide better public access.
