Green light for Botanical Gardens revamp

A project to rejuvenate a popular tourist and event destination in Birmingham has been handed the green light.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston is planning to carry out a major overhaul of its glasshouses and has already received grant and lottery funding.

The 15-acre site has four Victorian glasshouses which will be restored to reflect their original form and adapted to serve contemporary horticultural needs.

Other planned work includes a low-carbon, sympathetic reinterpretation of the existing gardens and structure and will deliver a long-term sustainable future for the attraction. The project is called 'Growing our Green Heritage'.

The grade-II* listed venue is home to more than 10,000 botanic species but is also a popular choice for events. It opened in 1832 and welcomes around 220,000 visitors and 19,000 school children every year.

Chief executive Sara Blair-Manning said: "We are delighted that planning has been granted for the capital project.

"The gardens offer a rich, uniquely biodiverse natural environment and we know, through consultation, they are hugely treasured by the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands.

"The gardens need urgent and extensive restoration and repairs and are considered at risk by Historic England. A successful project will mean they can continue to connect people with culture, heritage and nature in a large urban metropolis.

"We are grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for the development monies and look forward to being able to deliver a successful project."

Birmingham architecture practice Howells and heritage consultancy Donald Insall Associates are also working on the scheme.

Sandeep Shambi, a partner at Howells in Digbeth, said: "We are delighted to have received the go ahead for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens which is one of the last independent botanical gardens in the UK and so it’s vitally important this heritage asset is conserved but also given space to develop.

"We are working in collaboration with their talented team, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, stakeholders and Donald Insall Associates, to help preserve the gardens for future generations and create jobs and opportunities for people in Birmingham."

Matthew Vaughan, practice director at Donald Insall Associates, added: "Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a landmark, not just for its historic buildings but its living collection of rare species from across the globe.

"Conservation of the glasshouses to respond to these particular heritage considerations will be a key challenge, protecting the historic fabric while enhancing their performance for the needs of the collection within.