DEVELOPMENT OF GISBOROUGH PRIORY VISITOR ATTRACTION

REDCAR & CLEVELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL

BACKGROUND

The ruins of Gisborough Priory occupy an important site close to Guisborough town centre, adjacent to the historic Parish Church of St Nicholas. The Priory was a house of Augustinian canons founded around 1119 by Robert de Brus, a local baron of wealth and influence. The Priory is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade I listed building within a conservation area.

d3associates was commissioned to undertake a feasibility study to develop the grounds. The aim of the study was to create a significant visitor attraction and events venue for the Tees Valley. In order to achieve this the team undertook a range of tasks including; a strategic context review, landscape appraisal, interpretation appraisal, consultation with key agencies, organisations and local community groups, establishment of a development plan and programme, and the production of a 5 year Management Plan.

d3associates brought together a strong multidisciplinary team to provide an integrated and innovative design led approach to capitalise on the sites potential and ensure that an enhanced visitor experience could be realised.

The team combined an in-depth understanding of historic environments with the promotion of tourism, marketing and interpretation. This was backed by strong project management and cost consultancy, enabling the project to run smoothly and to budget.

The team ensured that the solutions for all key areas were intrinsically linked and captured the essence of Gisborough Priory as a unique visitor destination.

OUTCOME

d3associates worked closely with the client, in developing options for the Priory liaising with English Heritage, the local community and stakeholders throughout the process. The final report was well received and set out a series of phased options to take the project forward.