Community Engagement and feasibility revitalising a Scheduled Monument
New Tavern Fort
Location
New Tavern Fort, Gravesend
Clients
Gravesham Borough Council
Team
HLF Bid Writer - Lucy Medhurst
Status
Consultation and Feasibility
This project is a uniquely community-led process for revitalising a Scheduled Ancient Monument and developing a community focussed vision for the site. In September 2024 we were appointed to help shape the councils’ bid for Heritage Lottery Funding for New Tavern Fort. This included the development and running of a community engagement programme and a refining of the improvements that would be included within the HLF bid.
We worked closely with the council and the community organisation that runs the site to assess the current challenges of the site. The wider consultation process included 7 workshops, 2 with local schools, 2 surveys that got over 135 responses, and many 1 to 1 meetings with key stakeholders. This process enabled us to focus on what the community needs and wants most, while also finding the people who would take the project further, and identify avenues of potential that could make the site relevant for more people.
“More young people would go to the site if it wasn’t for its reputation for anti-social behaviour. The site of the Fort is seen as unsafe/undesirable by some young people because of what goes on there. Many of this group said they would not go there, did not like the young people who hang out there and that their parents would not want them to go there because of the reputation it has for drug taking. This small number put others off going there.” Youth Council
“I don’t feel safe walking through the Dell at most times of the day.”
Stage 1
We helped bring together and visualise the starting steps to a much longer process. This included a careful assessment of the consultation findings, a review of a condition survey of the site, and striking a balance between budget and impact.
This included assessing the possiblity of spaces changing their uses to bring people to the site and develop year round activities.
Stage 2
We also identified some of the key challenges both physically and socially in the site, and how these could be addressed beyond the first stage. This included assessing the viability of occupying existing spaces for alternative uses and bring more people to the site.
Stage 3
Lastly we sought to establish a long term vision that could be the mission goal that would address many of the aspirations of local people and the community surrounding the site.
Virginie Whittaker, Tourism and Heritage Manager, Gravesham Council
“Charlie really listened to our brief and ensured that the consultations and the school workshops were engaging. It enabled us to get a real picture of the challenges and opportunities for the Fort and its surrounding areas. Charlie also produced visuals of the three development stages for the site, showing its potential and how it could become viable and ensure it is saved for the future generations. It was a real pleasure to have Charlie being part of this journey.”