Mount Edgcumbe secures vital land management funding

Mount Edgcumbe Country House and Park, which is jointly run by Plymouth City and Cornwall Councils, has secured nearly £700,000 for improvements to its historic landscape and listed structures.

Natural England, the government’s adviser on the natural environment, has awarded the funding through its Higher Level Stewardship Scheme.

The scheme provides capital and revenue funding to farmers and land managers to conserve, repair and restore landscapes of historic value.

Mount Edgcumbe, which is a grade 1 listed historic landscape with three scheduled ancient monuments and over 56 listed buildings, will receive nearly £430,000 to restore some of its historic landscape features and listed structures over the next two years.

A small proportion of the funding will also be used towards replacement fencing, new bird boxes and scrub clearance.

An additional annual payment of £27,000 has also been secured for the next 10 years to help increase the diversity of the flora and fauna of the estate.

Deputy Council Leader Peter Smith said: “Mount Edgcumbe is a vitally important green space for those who live in, work in and visit Plymouth and the Rame Peninsula. This funding will help us restore, maintain and develop an important landscape at a time when it would otherwise be unaffordable. The improvements we make will help Mount Edgcumbe build on its uniqueness while becoming an even more sustainable, accessible and attractive environment for people to enjoy, both now and for future generations.”

The Jessop Consultancy, a UK-based heritage practice that specialises in working with historic buildings, landmarks and landscapes, has been appointed to work with Plymouth City and Cornwall Councils, Natural England, English Heritage and the Cornwall Archaeological Service to identify the features and structures that are priorities for conservation and restoration.

For more information about Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/mountedgcumbe.

For more information about Natural England visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england.

The decision to include the improvements in the Council’s capital programme was signed this week and may be subject to call-in for scrutiny.