Architectural Heritage Fund supports Hopwood Hall Estate ‘vision’ awarding £10,000 grant to enable further viability studies

Photo: Jimmy Carter

The AHF grant money will be used to conduct further viability studies including clear identification of the objectives and preparation of reports that will support the long-term protection and re-use of Hopwood Hall.

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has awarded £10,000 for new viability studies at the historic Hopwood Hall estate.

The fund will help to take the hall to the next level of community engagement through charitable and commercial endeavours. AHF had previously awarded £5,000 to the rescue project for a 2019 initial viability study that has proven to be the basis for the significant upward trajectory the hall has experienced.

The AHF grant money will be used to conduct further viability studies including clear identification of the objectives and preparation of reports that will support the long-term protection and re-use of Hopwood Hall.

Further condition surveys of the hall will make clear any further projects for updating of the fabric:

• Conservation management plan: a conservation management plan is a tool developed to set out the significance of a heritage asset, and how to conserve and manage the asset. Opportunities, risks and policies will be established within the document that will ensure that any future development will be guided by the long term protection of the heritage asset.
• Condition survey: a condition survey is a visual inspection carried out by qualified conservation architect to provide objective information about the scope of repairs required and the prioritisation of repairs to protect the fabric for the future.
• Options appraisal: an options appraisal is based on the outcomes of the conservation management plan and conditions survey and will test various options for re-use whilst minimising harm to the heritage asset and will set clear objectives for the future re-use of Hopwood Hall.

Local architecture firm and specialist conservation architects, Seven Architecture in Manchester, will begin to conduct those studies starting now.

Annoushka Deighton, support officer for the North of England branch of AHF, said: “We believe that the regeneration and creative re-use of Hopwood Hall Estate will have a transformative effect on the community in the  Rochdale borough and beyond, which is why we are delighted to have awarded a grant towards new viability studies, further enabling the grand vision for this fantastic project."

Hopwood DePree, of Hopwood Hall Estate, added: “This grant from AHF is critical as it will enable us to continue our in-depth research to help us determine the best way forward; our goals in boosting tourism as well as expanding opportunities for the local community need to be the right balance of commercial and charitable offerings.

“Understanding how these uses can be strategically enhanced during the restoration of the hall will be key for success.

He continued: “I am determined that the efforts of the past five years are built upon with robust due diligence and consultation so that our resources and offerings makes best use of the invaluable funding from a number of grant providers.”

Lisa McFarlane from Seven Architecture said: “As a practice, we are delighted to be continuing to work with such an incredible historic project as Hopwood Hall Estate.

“Being on the Heritage at Risk Register, the building’s continual deterioration has been partially halted by recent works to stabilise the structure and to prevent water ingress.

“The AHF funding and this next stage of work allows us to assess the building in its entirety and to make sure that any future works at the hall are undertaken in line with the long-term strategy for the building. This holistic approach is essential in ensuring that the right decisions are made along the building’s continuing restoration journey.”