What We Aim To Do
In 2007 , we obtained outline planning permission for the project, which will be based at the town's Duffus Park. The location was chosen for its accessibility via train, bus, foot and bike, and its suitability for individuals with special needs.
We organised a lengthy consultation process in 2005-6. This included over 100 meetings and in excess of 1000 emails and letters involving our eight partner organisations and more than 30 community/voluntary organisations, as well as direct input from more than 800 members of the community via email, public events, and direct mail. Week-long public consultation exhibitions were displayed at three prominent locations within Cupar, along with .
A detailed design brief was then produced for a design competition involving leading UK design companies, which was judged via a public consultation process involving 10,000 households and businesses. After the data from this process was collected and appraised by our management committee, it was agreed to create a unique "enabling" facility in the Bader spirit in line with the data gathered from the consultation process.
The garden will be free to enter, and we will establish a facility that will be a benchmark in the UK for Green technology.
The garden design will use the most up to date technologies, utilise sustainable materials, and also high quality robust materials. The building has many functions; it is an office, a public café, a support building to the garden, sports facilities, as well as a venue for revenue gaining events.
Our investigations have shown a café located in Duffus Park, particularly with custom built parking, will be a hugely popular facility.
The project is designed with energy efficiency and sustainability as core values, and we aim to be self-sufficient energy-wise. Native species will be planted where possible in an area showcasing local species in an educative way, while water-reuse, composting, and recycling will be intrinsic to our core values.
Around £100,000 has been raised so far to retain paid specialists, pay a part-time Project Manager, and to partially develop a sustainable business plan. We now seek further "funding for technical assistance" to further develop this process, and to complete the masterplan to the point where, investment permitting, building work could begin. This would take us to stage E of the standard RIBA work schedule.
This stage of our project will seek to develop on the work carried out as part of our Investing in Ideas grant award from May 2006. This paid for some initial landscape design fees, surveyors and specialist reports, advice on green technology, public consultation, and running costs.
More about our goals |
