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The aim of the Town Team is to deliver a strategy for the revitalisation of Lostwithiel Town centre. The Town Team will be the driver of positive change in Lostwithiel and will provide strategic direction and leadership. It is anticipated that the strategy will be multi-faceted and will drive forward towards the revitalisation of the town centre by utilising the Town Council's Heritage Buildings to their full potential.
The project has a long history. Storm damage to Edgcumbe House and the Guildhall during 2014 led to the discovery of underlying structural problems that required attention. A well-attended public meeting was held in 2015 and gave overwhelming support for retaining Edgcumbe House as a public asset. A working party of Councillors and local residents was formed in February 2015 to consider a project of repair and renovation, funded from grants (not from Council Tax or other public funds) and to devise a way forward that would provide a sustainable solution.
Various stop gap repairs were undertaken in both Edgcumbe House and the Guildhall over an extended period. These repairs required specialist work and 'drying out' time. Further structural problems in Edgcumbe House were discovered. Successful grant applications were made to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Architectural Heritage Fund for the financing of an initial feasibility study into possible uses of our valued buildings.
In mid-2016, Council agreed that consultants should be commissioned to undertake an initial feasibility study of such uses as holiday letting, office rental, retail use, heritage and development of the Museum. RIO/Le Page were commissioned to undertake a 6-month study. Their brief was to consider the benefits to local businesses and residents of a more effective use of the buildings.
RIO/Le Page held various public consultation events and reported in late 2017. Their report concluded that a variety of mixed-use solutions were viable and reported on possible sources of grant funding to convert the building to the intended uses. Pre-feasibility report
Action on the Report was delayed by the need to take account of the Cornwall Council devolution proposals, themselves delayed by Cornwall Council elections. However, at the beginning of 2019, the working party was reconstituted, still with local resident representation, as the Town Council's Heritage Buildings Committee. Its task was to move forward the implementation of the project for Edgcumbe House, the Guildhall and Taprell House as a grouping that comprised the heritage core of the Town Centre.
The work of the Committee was undertaken in meetings that were open to all members of the public. Its members undertook training in conservation management and publicity and undertook a series of visits to other locations in the South West, aiming to learn from their experiences. These site visits included:
- Krowji, a creative hub for arts and crafts, Redruth
- Into Bodmin, a cultural partnership and art centre, Bodmin
- Tavistock Guildhall, a large renovation project designed for heritage use, Tavistock
- Ashburton Arts Centre, music, film and arts facility integrated with library, Ivybridge
The Committee firmed-up proposals for a heritage and craft focus for Edgcumbe House, seeing mixed use as a basis for moving to a fully viable solution. A Strategic Action Plan was presented to Council in mid-2019 and Council accepted the findings and recommendations of the 'Edgcumbe House Strategic Action Plan' and authorised the Heritage Buildings Committee to proceed with immediate actions outlined on pages 21 & 22 of the plan. Download the Strategic Action Plan.
Work began, Council agreed to a public consultation event to be held in early 2020. Volunteers were to organise a one day event in Edgcumbe House, with models of the proposed work and the opportunity for local residents to become more involved in the project. Unfortunately, the introduction of a national lockdown in the face of the global Covid pandemic mean't that these plans could not go ahead.
As life began to return to normal, the Town Council became aware of a Cornwall Council funding scheme that would allow a Town Team, independent of the Council, to apply for funds that would revitalise the town centre as a whole. A Team was formed and was successfully awarded a grant that would allow the Heritage Buildings project to begin as part of a wider project. Hayhurst & Co were commissioned to undertake a feasibility study and has been consulting local groups and residents about its work.
The Hayhurst report has been completed. Download the Hayhurst Report
On 03 October 2023 at the request of the Lostwithiel Town Team the Town Council agreed that the Lostwithiel Town Team would become Lostwithiel Town Council Town team Committee. The sterling work of the Town team will now be driven forward by the new LTC Town Team Committee.