Options Appraisal at Margam Castle

Client: Neath Port Talbot Council

Margam Castle is a Grade I listed building within a Grade I registered historic park and garden. Surrounded by over 30 other listed buildings and structures and four Scheduled Monuments, it is at the centre of one of the most significant historic landscapes in Wales, looking over the town of Port Talbot with its sprawling steelworks – one of the biggest in the world. The Castle, which sat empty for decades, suffered significant fire damage and is now in a very poor condition.

CFP were initially commissioned to develop a funding bid to National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for an options appraisal to explore possibilities for the future of the Castle. Following the success of that bid, we were further appointed to manage the ongoing development of the Margam Castle project.

Through our commission we:

Worked collaboratively with architects and business planners to develop the options appraisal and feasibility study
Carried out in-depth community consultation and stakeholder engagement to generate new ideas for the use of the Castle, including surveys, workshops, and a drop-in exhibition and consultation
Developed new partnerships, including with Swansea University Centre for Heritage Research and Training, leading to innovative ideas around digital interpretation. Our work together has secured UKRI funding to research using virtual reality and augmented reality to ‘re-create’ the Castle interior
Developed new volunteering and work placement opportunities around ‘Margam Interiors’ to explore the lost art collection of the Castle, and gaining interest from nationally renowned historians and art collection specialists
Engaged with Cadw, NLHF and Welsh Government to further explore future funding options for the Castle

Subject to a suitable funding and phasing strategy, a Development Phase bid will be submitted to NLHF late in 2023.

Client Testimonial:

“Engaging CFP to work with us on our project has proved to be an excellent decision. Not only did Ian and his team bring with them a huge amount of knowledge and experience, but their enthusiasm for the project shone through from start to finish. Their attention to detail is impressive and they kept everything on track and on budget, working well with the rest of the project team. CFP exceeded our expectations during the Options Appraisal for Margam Castle, in particular with regard to developing new partnerships and raising the profile of the project at both local and national levels”

Mike Wynne, Margam Park Manager

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