The Historic Dockyard, Chatham
Project Description
The Historic Dockyard in Chatham is the world’s best preserved dockyard of the Age of Sail, and one which supported the Royal Navy for over 400 years – today it remains a testament to Britain’s impressive maritime tradition. Now in the care of an independent charitable trust this 32 hectare site with over 10 buildings and structures has been regenerated through a strategy of ‘preservation through re-use’ which has resulted in a wide range of new 21st century uses for the site’s former industrial maritime buildings.
Aims and Objectives
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust was established by government to take responsibility for the site – and given two core charitable objectives – the preservation of the site and the education of the public in its significance and history.
The Trust has chosen to achieve its objectives through a strategy of ‘preservation through re-use’ encouraging people to live work and visit the site – and in doing so contributing to the overall economic and social regeneration of the Medway.
Project Start Date and End Date
The project began on the 31st March 1984 and is still ongoing.
Services Offered
- Commercial units for a wide range of business tenants and organisations including offices, high tech, light commercial and HE space. The recently completed Joiners’ Shop provides starter unit workshop space for creative industries
- A number of museum galleries, including National Museums at Chatham, a partnership with the National Maritime Museum and the Imperial War Museum which is due to open in 2010 which will also introduce a high quality touring exhibition gallery (built to international security and environmental specifications) to Medway ;
- Dry docks for 3 historic warships; and
- 112 residential units, in both old and new buildings.
- Rope manufacture keeping heritage and traditional skills alive
The Dockyard also provides educational services for school parties and adult education groups; encourages students from two local universities to be actively involved in work at the Joiners’ Shop creative business space; boasts a maritime library stocked with over 12,000 books for the use of students of all ages; and the site can be hired as a film location and for wedding ceremonies.
Success Factors
- Partnerships with key stakeholders – especially Medway Council and English Heritage with regard to planning and re-use strategy and physical interventions
- Good governance and strong management with clear strategic development plan reviewed and adapted on a regular basis
- Long term approach but with entrepreneurship and flexibility built in - giving the ability to both identify and take advantage of appropriate opportunities as they arise
- Close monitoring of business performance, and delivery of capital programmes on time and budget
- 25 year development period – a big project that has developed organically with time taken to learn from the experience!
- Over 150,000 visitors per year to see the warships, museums and shops. It has also contributed to the creation of employment and housing opportunities in the area by providing over 130 businesses with workspace and producing 112 housing units.
- The Trust became the South East regional winner of BERR’s Enterprising Britain Award 2009, for creating the successful hub for business and culture, which was nominated by SEEDA. It was a co-finalist with SEEDA in the ODPM sustainable community award in 200X and was awarded a Medal in the EU Europa Nostra conservation awards in 2005.
- The heritage and history of the Dockyard has been recognised by the UK Government as a potential World Heritage Site.
Risk factors
- Initial government funding in 1984 was insufficient to meet the needs of the site as the dockyard’s historic buildings had been seriously neglected in the years running up to closure and much of the site infrastructure, especially utilities were time expired.
Public/stakeholder expectations of quick results were over optimistic. - Restoration and re-use of historically significant large scale industrial buildings have inherent risks related to emergent works and resultant increases in costs that have to be dealt with as part of risk/contingency planning for all projects.
Business/Operational Model
The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, an independent charitable trust was set up by the Government in 1984 to lead the regeneration of the Dockyard and secure funding. It continues in this role today.
Financing and Delivery/Procurement
The operation of the Historic Dockyard is funded by the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust largely through earned income, with additional revenue support from DCMS, MLA Renaissance South East and capital support from a wide range of organisations including DCLG /HCA (Thames Gateway), Heritage Lottery Fund, Medway Council, English Heritage, European Regional Development Fund and a wide range of charitable trusts and foundations.
Measurement and Monitoring
The primary mechanism for monitoring the success of the Dockyard is through business performance. This includes looking at factors such as income, expenditure, the number of visitors and number of businesses in the Dockyard.
Future developments
Significant buildings have yet to be brought back into economic use – No 1 Smithery will open in 2010 as national Museums at Chatham. Other remaining buildings with significant potential for re-use at the heart of the site are the Fitted Rigging House and Sail & Colour Loft, whilst to the north (adjacent to the Historic Dockyard’s boundary with Chatham Maritime) lies an important brownfield site where future development needs to be undertaken sympathetically to provide an appropriate interface between old and new dockyard sites.
Publications and information links
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust transforming the Medway area in Kent
