Image: A boy testing sensory backpacks in Saltram House (National Trust Images / Sarah Elmes)
National Trust awarded Heritage Fund grant to make Saltram leader in inclusive access for heritage sector through four-year project.
The National Trust has been awarded a £4.5m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to make Saltram in Plymouth a “leader in inclusive access” for the heritage sector.The 18th-century designed landscape and mansion currently receives almost a million visits annually.
The funding is part of a £6.2m four-year project, hoped to remove barriers at the National Trust house and gardens.
The project will have a focus on children, young people and under-served communities, supporting almost 5,000 children and young people through work experience programmes, school initiatives, internships and apprenticeships.
Physical improvements include a step-free route from its stables through the historic house, a lift installation to access the first floor, path network improvements and Plymouth’s first Changing Places facility in a green space.
Accessible experiences will include sensory-friendly exhibits and relaxed openings.
John Orna-Ornstein, director of access and conservation at the National Trust, said: “This project is about increasing access to nature and heritage in Plymouth for everyone. This treasured city greenspace is on the cusp of transformation, becoming a pioneer for inclusive access that will set a new standard for the National Trust and the wider heritage sector.”
Six revitalised spaces will present previously untold stories, shaped by input from 4,000 Plymouth residents. Conservation work on the Grade II* listed parkland will include wildflower meadow creation and the planting of 20,000 trees by volunteers. The project will stabilise the amphitheatre and secure its removal from the Heritage at Risk register.
The National Trust is working with partners across Plymouth through an Urban Pioneer Partnership with Plymouth City Council to deliver the investment supporting the city’s health and wellbeing and economic growth goals.
Stuart McLeod, director of England – London and South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Saltram has the potential to become a beacon for how heritage and nature can support wellbeing, learning and community connection – and we’re excited to see that vision come to life.”
The £6.2 million project is co-funded by the National Trust and forms part of the wider 10-year Future Saltram programme, which will increase free-to-access country park areas, create new habitats for wildlife, improve visitor facilities and restore historic landscapes and parkland views.
