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CORNWALL
County Council has given its support to the bid to secure the Leach
Pottery, at Higher Stennack. St, Ives. The council has agreed to equal
Penwith District Council's pledge of £72.500 plus staff costs
towards the project. Penwith District Council, acting as lead applicant
and accountable body, said that with local authority match funding
now secured, it is hoped bids will now be submitted to the Heritage
Lottery Fund, the Arts Council and Objective One by the end of the
summer.
The project aims to acquire, preserve and enhance the Bernard Leach
Pottery site in St. Ives, which includes Grade II listed buildings
and the first Japanese-style climbing kiln to be built in the West.
The project will also celebrate the international significance of
Bernard Leach and the dynasty of potters that came out of the Leach
Pottery, as well as to make the site more accessible and enjoyable
for as wide a range of visitors as possible. In partnership with Falmouth
College of Arts, the project seeks to create quality training facilities,
re-establishing Cornwall as a centre of excellence in the world of
international ceramics.
Penwith District Council, with the assistance of Cornwall County Council,
has agreed to purchase a 12 month option on the Leach Pottery to allow
sufficient time for the council to put together a funding package
to purchase the site from the present owners. It is anticipated that
the council will be looking for approximately £1m of funding
from such funding bodies as the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Arts Council,
Objective One and SWRDA. The project team will also be launching a
public appeal within a few months and will be taking the project out
for public consultation later in the summer. |
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The
relaunched heritage attraction is expected to attract in in the region
of 25,000 visitors per year which will make the site self-sustaining
and support quality employment. A Shadow Board and the Advisory Group
have been created with representatives from the local community, local
potters and potters associated with the Leach Pottery, the creative
industries, the heritage sector and the education sector at national
as well as local level. It is anticipated that the Shadow Board will
convert to a fully constituted, not for profit organisation, taking
over management of the site on completion of the refurbishment programme.
Lady Carol Holland chair of the Leach Pottery Shadow Board said: "Thanks
to the support of St Ives Town Council, Penwith District Council and
Cornwall County Council. We are now in an excellent position to proceed
with development work on this exciting and important project. We are
also hugely grateful to Sally and Alan Gillam, the present owners.
for allowing us the time to put together this funding package and
for the support they have given to our endeavours."
Jim McKenna. Chief Executive of Penwith District Council said: "This
is a really exciting and timely project for St. Ives, with the potential
not only to attract a new audience to the town, but to provide quality
training opportunities and employment, creating a flagship for the
Creative Industries in Cornwall." He also praised the county
council for its support, as well as St. Ives Town Council, Creative
Kernow. Cornwall Enterprise and others who form the Leach Pottery
Advisory Group. |
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