A first bid for lottery funding to improve the Royal Pavilion Gardens – and take them off an at-risk register – has been turned down.
The gardens were put on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register last year, and a public survey held over the summer found an even split in opinion over the possibility of closing the gardens at night.
Top priorities were improving rubbish collection, lighting, and the entrance to the gardens next to the public toilets.
Brighton and Hove City Council intended on using Heritage Lottery funding to develop a draft restoration plan incorporating the survey results, and prepare a bid for a full National Lottery grant.
But this will now have to be put on ice while the council considers re-submitting the bid for £194,100.
The application for funding was submitted in the summer, and while the project did meet Heritage Lottery Fund criteria, the Board of Trustees had to take decisions on more projects than the available budget would allow.
However, decision makers noted the heritage importance of the project, the need to improve the gardens and praised the community involvement which backed the bid. They added that they expected the council to re-apply for funding.
The Heritage Lottery Fund is the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK but since December 2017 its annual funding budgets have been reduced by almost 50%.
Councillor Alan Robins, chair of the tourism, development and culture committee, said: “This is disappointing news. However, we will still look to make improvements to the Royal Pavilion Garden over time, in partnership with our stakeholders, so that we address the issues which resulted in the Garden being put on the Heritage at Risk register.
“In view of our financial constraints, these will necessarily be smaller scale improvements carried out as and when we can identify funding.
“We have been heartened by the support of residents, who clearly value this unique asset, and we hope that they will continue to support the ideas we have put forward for the future.”
