Castlebank Horticultural Centre

Project Description

Castlebank Park in Lanark is a former private estate, taken into public ownership by South Lanarkshire Council in the early 1950s. The estate includes Category B listed buildings and a vast area of parkland and formal Victorian gardens.
The park fell into disrepair in the late 80s, when various areas of the parkland became neglected through lack of maintenance by South Lanarkshire Council. The former tennis courts became a dumping ground, formal gardens were fenced shut, the pond was filled in, toilets were closed, and the sawmill buildings became increasingly derelict and unsafe.
In 2009, a petition in the local newspaper received around 2,000 signatures (a quarter of Lanark’s population) stating that the local community were unhappy with the current state of the park and wanted it brought back into community use. Lanark Community Development Trust formed with the inaugural project of ‘bringing the park back to life’.
Since 2012, the Trust has been working to restore the park and establish Castlebank Horticultural Centre. Early community consultation work identified the need to develop local skills and experience by establishing a Horticultural Centre within the park, which would be the base for a volunteer programme to facilitate community gardening sessions in the park, as well as providing a variety of training, education and workshop opportunities.
EKJN architects in Linlithgow were appointed as the architectural firm leading on the Conversion and Extension of Derelict Listed Sawmill Buildings to create the Horticultural Centre. The restoration project involved the conversion and extension of the park’s derelict Category B-listed sawmill building and surrounding landscape to create a thriving Horticultural Centre including an office, kitchen, volunteer room and Classroom.
Polytunnels and raised beds were created on the park’s disused tennis courts. The area between the tennis courts and the sawmill has been landscaped as part of the project, and the works include for improving universal access throughout the site.
Sustainable construction and technologies are used throughout: the design includes for a 3.5kW photovoltaic array and solar thermal hot water. Low energy lights, high performance windows, recycled and locally sourced materials and high standards of insulation and airtightness complete the low carbon package.
Since restoration, Castlebank Park is now recognised as 1 of Scotland’s 71 Green Flag Parks. The park’s gardens have seen transformative change thanks to the volunteer programme, and the park is now a genuine community asset used daily by hundreds of local people.
Castlebank Park restoration project funders to date have included: Climate Challenge Fund, LEADER, The Renewable Energy Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund, Levenseat Trust, Tesco Bags for Help, The Stafford Trust, Border Biscuits, Grow Wild, Action Earth Volunteering Matters (Scottish Natural Heritage), The Scottish Government Community Growing Fund, SCOTMID and The Royal Burgh of Lanark Community Council.
The area of land on which the Horticultural Centre is located is leased to Lanark Community Development Trust. The Trust aspires to obtain an Asset Transfer and take ownership of the building to ensure the ongoing sustainability, growth and community development of the project.