An illustration of the proposed new building for Martineau Gardens – sketch view towards the south elevation including hothouse, new community space and main visitor entrance Copyright APEC Architects Ltd – not for reproduction
Martineau Gardens is a registered charity which offers therapeutic horticulture for people with a range of support needs, as well as education visits for local schools. We’re also open to the public six days a week from 10am-4pm.
Our former HQ building, the Mollie Martineau Building, was demolished in the summer of 2023. As a single-skinned chalet style building, it was energy unrateable as well as no longer fit for purpose. Thanks to a ten-year lease agreed in 2022 we have a period of stability to plan for a new eco building and to fundraise for the costs. We have worked with APEC Architects and our wider community as part of an end user participation process to design the new building, which we will fundraise for throughout 2023/4 with a plan to build in 2025 (dependent on funding).
We want to create a community hub which is a space for education, for our volunteers, staff and visitors and for the wider community.
The wood building, which we aim to make as close to carbon zero as possible, will be built using sustainable building methods and materials, including solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems.
The new building will not only provide a safe, warm, accessible space for our volunteers and staff, but will incorporate accessible spaces to support more community groups to use the gardens.
It will have indoor classroom and activities space which will give us the capacity to support more people year-round, through increased school visits, a broader education programme and through the provision of reasonably priced, high quality warm spaces for hire.
The building will be used beyond the core opening hours of the garden and we hope will become a focal point for the broader community within a beautiful green space.
View the plans for the new building here:
Copyright APEC Architects Ltd – not for reproduction
The new building will be built where the Mollie Martineau building is currently.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit recently, please do come down and have a look around, we’d be happy to give you a tour and tell you more about our plans.
We now have planning permission for the building – thank you to everyone who supported the application. If you have any questions or wish to share feedback, we would welcome this, please get in touch, via info@martineau-gardens.org.uk
It’s an exciting time for the organisation and we will keep you posted on developments over the coming months.