Some frequently asked questions
Where will the funding for the project be sourced from?
The Westonbirt Project will raise the majority of funding from trusts, grants and private donations. However, in order to realise the broad scope of the project, fundraising will also focus on these other funding opportunities:
• The Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum have allocated grants and funding to help the development phase and future requirements of the project.
• Major donors, trusts and foundations, statutory sources and grassroots sources can offer support to fund the many aspirations of the project.
• We will also be looking for public fundraising support to help us complete our goals.
The stage one development funding kindly awarded by HLF has supported a great deal of the development phase of the Westonbirt Project and helped the team to understand the future funding needs of the plans.
Find out more about funding plans and partners here.
What happens to money raised during the project?
The project will be delivered in phases according to priority. The Welcome Building, car park and restoration of the Downs are essential for improving both visitor experience and our historic landscape and are seen as the first phase to be funded and delivered.
Work to build a new ha-ha running from Down Gate/ Mitchell Gate to the new Welcome Building location took place in spring 2011. Its purpose is to delineate the line beyond which cars will not park when the new car park is in place. Ha-ha structures have historically been used on the Westonbirt estate and this work will support the ambition to restore the rich heritage of the landscape. The generous grant to support this work came from the 29th May 1961 Trust.
New ways of engaging our visitors, along with improvements to our Operations Area and Propagation Unit will all be delivered in later phases. Find out more about the individual plans here.
Does the project have planning permission for the proposed developments?
Yes. Following an appeal against Cotswold District Council's decision to deny planning permission, the Planning Inspectorate awarded the Westonbirt Project full planning permission for the main application in January 2011. This permission includes the Welcome Building, car park and Downs restoration and a Tree Walkway. Outline planning permission was received in 2010 for the later phases of the project, which include the Propagation Unit and Operations Area.
Outline planning means that the plans are approved in principle in terms of how the building is used and its location. Details such as materials, construction methods, size, type and details such as windows are not provided in outline permission. For these to be approved, a full planning application is required. Construction cannot start on a building unless it has full planning permission, which can be obtained at a later date to coincide with plans and funding successes.
The decision notice and costs notice from the main planning application appeal can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
How will disabled access into the arboretum be affected?
The new car park location will allow all visitors a shorter route to the Old Arboretum via Down Gate, and Silk Wood via Skilling Gate, or potentially via later phases of development like a Tree Walkway. The car park will provide more than double the existing number of disabled car parking spaces close to the proposed Welcome Building.
Mobility scooters will be available at the Welcome Building and will therefore be closer to the new car park, making it easier for visitors to collect a mobility scooter. The Tree Walkway, if delivered in a second phase of development, would provide a much improved gradient of disabled access to Silk Wood; currently challenging for many of our visitors.
Will the cost of admission to the arboretum rise with the Westonbirt Project?
The improvements will be funded through grants and donations; they will not be paid for by price increases to visitors
Won’t Westonbirt become too commercial?
As visitor expectations grow we must enhance our facilities to keep pace with their demands. We will make these improvements whilst maintaining the very special atmosphere we have now.
The new facilities will impact on less than one acre of the 240 hectare (600 acre site). By moving the current car park off the Grade I Listed Downs landscape, we’ll be giving more of this historic landscape back to visitors to enjoy.
Will there be an increase in traffic and queuing to enter the arboretum?
The new car park and Welcome Building will ease the flow of traffic into the arboretum and reduce queuing. Admissions will be through a pay-on-foot system, removing the current pay-from-car system. This will lead to less congestion on the main road at busy times of the year.
How will these new developments affect the local area?
Westonbirt Arboretum is the number one paid-for visitor attraction in Gloucestershire and a key contributor to the local economy; contributing over £23 million each year (ref: UWE socio-economic impact survey 2006).
The developments will increase local tourism and bring new people to the area; this will support local businesses in many ways. The developments will also encourage new community involvement and volunteering opportunities.
Glossary and links for further information:
Capital works: New buildings and the upgrading of facilities planned as part of the project.
Grade I Listed: Westonbirt Arboretum, including the Downs, is a Grade I Listed landscape as designated by English Heritage, which is the highest classification in listed status. Westonbirt is Grade I listed for its unique historical landscape and tree collection.
Glenn Howells Architects: The architects working with the Westonbirt Project team. Glenn Howells have produced many modern, public buildings and structures from wood. Refer to www.glennhowells.co.uk for more information. Architectural drawings found on this website are credited to Glenn Howells.
Key people:
Simon Toomer, Westonbirt Arboretum Director
Miranda Winram, Westonbirt Project Director
Sophie Nash, Project Officer
Louise Bird, Head of Fundraising
If you would like to ask a question we haven't been able to answer here, please email
