Masterplanning for Scone Palace
- Client Name
- Mansfield Estate
- Location
- Scone, Scotland
Challenge
SLR's Place team were engaged by Mansfield Estate to review opportunities for green field land release in order to fund significant upgrades to the fabric of the Palace and the wider tourist attraction offered at Scone. Scone Palace has an important place in the Scottish psyche and a rich history which has been in the hands of one family for the past 400 years. The Palace is also set within one of Scotland’s oldest Designed Landscapes.
Solution
The initial focus for this work was the lack of planning flexibility being offered for future opportunities on the Estate, and a submission to the Perth and Kinross Council. It was important to start the project with a scoping exercise, and through facilitating a workshop with the Estate owners and key advisors the approach to a Local Plan response was proposed.
All opportunities for regeneration were examined and a comprehensive set of proposals were outlined underpinned by an economic assessment looking at the scenarios of the Estate “doing nothing” or investing in order to improve its potential. As Estate practices have changed so has the use of Estate buildings. Potential future projects therefore include investment in redundant and listed farm steadings, the former Palace stable block, the derelict walled garden and disused sawmill. These will become new housing and homes for estate workers, a re-orientated visitor centre, and a new tourist facility geared toward local repeat visits and year round attraction. These will be underpinned by reinvestment from the release of green field land elsewhere in the Estate.
Impact
The strategy was brought together into one document that formed the core submission to the Council. In order to engage support from Council officials, councillors, key stakeholders and the community, display and presentation material was prepared. This entailed further consideration of the flagship project, project branding and project programming to completion on 2030.
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