Penarth Pier Pavilion Project: Contractor appointed and work set to start in October (From Penarth Times)

Penarth Pier Pavilion Project: Contractor appointed and work set to start in October

7:50am Thursday 27th September 2012 in News

ARTIST’S IMPRESSION: Work is now set to start on Penarth Pier pavilion, and will last a year.

WORK to restore Penarth Pier Pavilion to its full glory will officially begin next month.

After six years of campaigning and planning, and months of enabling work, the iconic Grade II Listed building is finally ready to undergo the refurbishment which, it is hoped, will not only regenerate the pier and seafront, but the whole of Penarth.

Cardiff-based firm R & M Williams has been appointed principal contractor for the Pavilion project, and will be on site from October when work will begin in earnest.

Paul Twamley, Chair of Penarth Arts and Crafts Limited (PACL), which has led the campaign to turn the run-down building into a vibrant community and cultural hub, said: “We are at an exciting stage of the project and I am delighted that we have been able to award the contract to a local company.

“The project itself heralds a new era - not only for the pavilion and the town’s sea front, but for the whole of Penarth and the wider South Wales area.

“This is a heritage building of national significance.

“Its restoration, together with the development of wonderful new facilities, will transform what we will be able to offer to our local community and visitors.”

The contract was awarded to R&M Williams Ltd after a competitive tendering process, but the company was chosen on the basis of its experience in the heritage sector, and commitment to regeneration and local employment.

Managing Director Darryn Parry said: “We are committed to delivering to the people of Penarth and Wales a building which will be as stunning as when it was first constructed.

“This sort of project doesn’t come around very often, and we are extremely proud to be awarded the contract. Many of our local tradespeople will relish the opportunity to carry out work on this landmark structure.”

The £4 million project is expected to take just over a year to complete. When it re-opens, facilities will include a cinema, exhibition spaces, a bar, and a restaurant looking out to the Severn Estuary.

It will bring to fruition the vision of former PACL chair Maggie Knight, the driving force behind the scheme, who began planning and sourcing funding for the project in 2006.

She stepped down from her role earlier this year because of a move to Australia, but told the Penarth Times in May: “The Pavilion is a brilliant building and I feel very fortunate to have been involved.

“I hope my original vision for this fantastic building, to emphasise the maritime position, the fascinating wildlife, geology, local history and the amazing tidal variation in the Bristol Channel, will encourage tourism and regeneration of the whole area.”

The project has been financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, BIG Lottery Fund, Welsh Government, Vale of Glamorgan Council , CADW and the Coastal Communities Fund. Philanthropic donations include significant sums from John Paul Getty Foundation, Foyle Foundation, and the Headley Trust.

Penarth resident and Vale Council cabinet member for regeneration, Lis Burnett, said: “The Pier Pavilion is a very special building for most local people and I’m delighted to see the progress being achieved.

“We are pleased to be supporting the renovation project which will have a huge impact on the future success of our town.

“We will continue to work closely with PACL and look forward to the reopening of the pavilion in little over a year.”

PACL has appointed Mott MacDonald in Cardiff as project manager and employer’s agent for the delivery of the project. In addition Chandler KBS is acting as cost manager and advising on the commercial aspects of the funding.