Mott MacDonald is project managing the proposed restoration of the Grade I listed Hay Castle in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, UK on behalf of Hay Castle Trust Ltd. The £5million renovation will transform the currently derelict building into a major centre for culture, arts and education.
Hay Castle was built in the late 12th century by Norman Lord William de Braose. It was sacked by Llewelyn II, the last Prince of Wales, in 1233 before being rebuilt by Henry III. After being occupied by various families for centuries, the castle was purchased by Edward Vernon Tuson after World War II, who later sold it to Richard Booth in the 1960s. For the first time in 800 years the castle is held public ownership after Richard Booth sold it to the Hay Castle Trust in 2011.
Committed to its renovation, the trust has received funding from sources including the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the castle. The project will see at risk areas such as the medieval keep and archway, Jacobean mansion and service wing be conserved, while the castle’s ancient gate, the oldest of its kind in the UK, will also be restored and opened to the public. Additionally, a vital connection between the castle and the town will be reinstated, creating a culturally and economically vibrant centre for the arts and training in the town centre.
In addition to project management, Mott MacDonald is providing mechanical and electrical, fire engineering and infrastructure design services for the multidisciplinary team led by Rick Mather Architects. The restoration project will incorporate the designer’s proposal of a world of books theme, with specialist fit out provided throughout the castle keep and gallery contained within the Jacobean mansion. The consultancy is also responsible for handling the procurement and tender processes and project managing the pre-construction and constructions phases of the project, from technical design through to handover.
Mark Smith, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “We are bringing both innovative and tried and tested solutions to this project taken from our experience of working in the heritage sector. With projects of this nature we actively manage risk at every stage, which has been a key feature of our past service delivery and a major contributing factor to our success. Mott MacDonald also has a proven track-record on projects across the UK funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are experienced in supporting external funding applications and the management of business cases to support such schemes.”
The complete restoration of Hay Castle is expected to be completed in early 2019.