Development of New Centre
During 2009 The Society decided to build a new centre in the gardens that would increase the scope for providing more opportunities to people with learning difficulties, and also complement the development of the Stackpole Estate as envisaged by the National Trust.A number of Architects were invited to make submissions on building location and building form against a specification prepared by the Society.
Drawing P2 shows the selected location, which takes advantage of being close to an existing car park and fitting into the Trust’s development of the Estate. It is also an unproductive part of the garden, being shaded by trees in the adjoining woodland.
The building aims to reflect the traditional shape of the gardener’s bothies that used to lean against the garden walls. Because of a lean on the adjoining wall and the possibility of future movement the building was kept free of the garden wall.
By May 2012, the plastic coated steel roof and drainage had been completed by Cotton Building and Civil Engineering, and the straw bales supplied by Abbott & Co (Wessex) Ltd. had been erected by voluntary labour including a considerable element by the Prince’s Trust. The walls remain protected by tarpaulins awaiting the application of the lime render.