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04
Feb
National Trust given go-ahead for £4.6 million Fountains Abbey scheme
The National Trust has today been given the green light for a major £4.6 million redevelopment of the Studley Royal end of Fountains Abbey.
North Yorkshire Council granted planning permission and listed building consent for the heritage charity's Studley Revealed project, which will affect the water garden area of the World Heritage Site near Ripon.
The project will see the creation of new visitor facilities, including accessible toilets, an enhanced café and an admission point, as well as new landscaping.
But the cafe, which is currently on the deer park side of the site and free to access, will be brought inside the water garden and only be accessible to those willing to pay entry.
A refreshment kiosk in the deer park car park will be available for those who do not wish to purchase a day ticket and who are not National Trust members.
How the new entrance to the building from inside the water garden will look. Pic: © NT/Feilden Fowles
The council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee approved the plans by six votes to one.
Justin Scully, the trust’s general manager for Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, said the charity was “delighted” with the decision.
Mr Scully added:
Our plans will enable us to improve the care and management of the World Heritage Site, maintaining its outstanding universal value and investing in its future, through carefully planned and sensitive development of the Studley tearoom area.
As a charity, we have a purpose to deliver benefit to the nation through nature, history and beauty, and look forward to realising our vision for Studley Revealed.
Our Ripon reporter Tim Flanagan attended today's meeting. We will publish his more detailed article tomorrow.
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