In November 2007 Cornwall’s Heartlands Project received £22.3 million in funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks programme, to transform the area of Pool. This is one of only three projects in the UK to receive funding and the only project in England which was successful. The overall scheme will cost £30million.Using LUC's innovative landscape design techniques, the Park will celebrate the culture of Cornwall and provide dynamic new spaces to use for exercise, relaxation, learning, appreciation, public art and performance. Heartlands aims to be the UK’s first purpose designed Zero Energy Park, with energy generated on site equalling or exceeding that expended to run and maintain it.LUC's design aims to celebrate the heroism, ingenuity and sheer bloody-mindedness which resulted in the Cornish 19th Century success in deep metal mining. It captures the spirit of Cornwall to create a park which celebrates Cornish identity, innovation and culture.And it creates an innovative, imaginative and inclusive site, which will form the centrepiece of the area’s renaissance.The semi-derelict Robinson’s Shaft mine complex is a Listed Grade II building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Heartlands Project will see the buildings sympathetically and innovatively restored to an extremely high standard to allow its adoption as one of Cornwall’s key interpretation sites for the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. The new Heartlands Park will stretch from the centre of Pool, through Robinson’s Shaft to South Crofty mine, right out into the new residential and business areas, dramatically transforming 7.5 hectares of derelict land. It will provide the setting for a range of activities that are essential for the areas social regeneration.Construction began on site in Summer 2010, with the Park due to open in 2012. It is an interesting and uniquely challenging project for LUC, and we are proud to be part of the Heartlands team.Find out more about Heartlands here
