A Derby firm of architects is embarking on the next phase of work to upgrade buildings at a historic Northamptonshire leisure park.
Lathams, which has offices in St Mary’s Gate, has been carrying out work at Wicksteed Park, a Grade II-listed English Heritage park and garden, which is owned by the Wicksteed Charitable Trust.
Set in 147 acres of parkland in Kettering, it was founded in 1921 by Charles Wicksteed and today is home to a popular amusement park.
To date, Lathams, which also has offices in Nottingham and London, has been responsible for multiple projects around the park. Now, it has been commissioned for future works starting this year.
Projects it has completed include the restoration of several pioneering pre-fabricated concrete cottages, a new-build Learning Space and the renovation of the 1921 Edwardian Pavilion.
The Learning Space project was nominated for a 2019 Architect’s Journal Award for Project of the Year (under £250k).
Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of the Wicksteed Charitable Trust, said: “I’m delighted that the architects who worked on our superb new Learning Space were shortlisted in the prestigious national AJ Architecture Awards.
“Lathams did an amazing job and to get to the final was a brilliant achievement.”
Now operating as the park’s visitor centre and ticketing hub, the Edwardian Pavilion renovation works are due to continue later this year thanks to a £1.78 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The new works, led by Lathams, will see the ‘Captain’s Lounge’ and veranda on the upper floors renovated as part of the Wicksteed @Play scheme.
Lathams has also been involved in the creation of a ‘heritage play area’ at the park - and is now embarking on the restoration of the Rose Garden and Fountain Lawn, with works due to start on site later this year.
Chris Twomey, director at Lathams, said: “Wicksteed Park has a rich history of design and innovation, which needs to be celebrated.
“We have felt very privileged to complete multiple design services across the site to restore and re-purpose historic structures and create new and complementary buildings.”
