The changing face of the coastline

ARCHITECT Paul Jones has designed the wildlife facility of the future. Paul’s concept for a wildlife visitor centre and observatory takes account of sea level rises and coastal erosion.

Paul, who is director of architecture programmes at Northumbria University’s School of the Built Environment, entered his design in an international competition, which attracted 80 submissions from around the world.

Now Paul’s creation has been commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and Arts Council England.

Featuring observatory, art gallery and cafe facilities, it will be built at Huttoft sands in Lincolnshire.

Central to Paul’s design is that the building should be future-proofed.

So he had to take into account predicted climate change coastal erosion rates and sea level rises, particularly as the flat lands of Lincolnshire have suffered from tide surge flooding in the past.

Paul’s answer was a lightweight steel and timber building that could be factory-built in pieces and then assembled on site.

“Because it is being built indoors and not outside where we would be fighting the elements, the quality of the finish will be superb,” he says.

If sea rise or erosion threats present themselves, the structure can be easily dismantled and moved.

The 40-metre long building only touches the ground on pillars in half a dozen places.

“It sits lightly on the landscape,” says Paul.

Extensive glazing also makes the most of views across the sands and the sea, and towards the countryside at the rear.

“It is important that the centre connects with its landscape and gives fine views because there are amazing bird migrations along the coast. It is a birdwatchers’ paradise,” says Paul.

The building, which will cost £500,000 to construct, will also function independently of services like power and water.

Its power will come from a wind turbine and ground source heat pump, rainwater will be captured and waste composted.

Paul is working with Newcastle Surface Light Space Architects and Blyth fabrication company Draughtec, with a completion date for the building in a year’s time.

He believes that the building could be a blueprint for similar visitor centres elsewhere. “It would be ideal for a place like Druridge Bay in Northumberland,” he says.

The Druridge Bay Partnership is keen to involve local communities and individuals in developing its Coal and Coast Project over the next year.

Its aim is to ensure that by 2025, Druridge Bay will be recognised nationally for the outstanding quality of its landscape and environment and that the positive management of the area will lead to increased visitor numbers and stronger communities.

Natural England’s regional director for the North East, Rob Aubrook, joined other partners in welcoming the new initiative at an official launch at Druridge Bay Country Park.

He said: “The Druridge Bay coastline is treasured for its beautiful beaches and sand dunes and is already a special place where people, wildlife and heritage successfully rub shoulders.

“I hope that everyone who cherishes this part of Northumberland will get involved with this initiative over the next year whether by commenting on project proposals, supporting an event or taking part in volunteer activities.

“By working at a landscape-scale and connecting existing habitats and creating new ones, the project is very much in tune with both the thinking in the Government’s Natural Environment White Paper and the findings of Making Space for Nature, the recent review of England’s wildlife sites.

“It’s great news that Northumberland is leading the way with this kind of initiative.”

Earlier this year Northumberland Wildlife Trust was awarded £81,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards funding the development of the project .

The HLF has earmarked a further £1,817,900 for the Druridge Bay Partnership to fund the employment of a team to deliver the scheme over five years .

The Partnership is made up of Northumberland County Council, seven town and parish councils, the National Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust plus local businesses and farmers in the Druridge Bay area.

Steve Scoffin, the Partnership’s Druridge Bay development manager, said: “Involving people and communities in shaping these projects is critical to their success.

“No matter the depth of knowledge and expertise that exists within the Partnership, what’s really important is that we develop and deliver projects that make a real change on the ground – that has to involve people who live and work in the area, and those who come to enjoy it.”

As part of the project, a Druridge Bay photographic competition has been launched with the help of Amble Photographic Group.

It will run until July next year, with categories of People, Place, Heritage and Wildlife.



ENVIRONMENT Editor
TONY HENDERSON

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