Plans include new café and restoration of the conservatory

English Heritage has submitted a planning application this week to Hounslow Council on behalf of the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust to gain approval for a range of improvements to Chiswick House Gardens as part of the overall plan to regenerate this internationally famous site.

These include approval for the proposed new café designed by award winning architects Caruso St John, the restoration of the conservatory and a series of buildings in the area behind the conservatory to provide storage, education, horticultural and workshop space for both staff and the local community.

The plans also include the restoration of many character areas within the gardens such as the forecourt in front of the house, the rosary and the amphitheatre as well as the upgrading and resurfacing of paths and access routes.

Commenting on the planning application, Martin Clayton, Project Director for the regeneration scheme said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to be submitting this application to the Planning Department at Hounslow Council. A huge amount of work has gone into drawing up the proposals for regenerating the gardens by the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust. We are extremely grateful for all the input that we have received from the many groups and local people who have fed their views and comments into the overall plan.

‘We were also very encouraged by the positive feedback that we received in response to the new café designs at a series of briefing sessions held back in early July.’

The application represents the final piece in the jigsaw for the Chiswick House Garden Restoration Project prior to the Stage 2 Bid being submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund by the end of September. A decision on whether the HLF bid has been successful is expected in January.

August 22, 2007