Bridgnorth Road, Compton, Wolverhampton...

The vision of the project was to restore The Workshop converting it into a mixed use environment with a hinge pin use of a restaurant to create an area of activity adjacent to the canal together with renovation of The Old Mill House into commercial office space. This was achieved through extensive and positive negotiation with Wolverhampton M.B.C. planning and conservation officers.

The Old Mill House.

When considering the “Old Mill House”, the planning officer and particular the conservation officers encouraged the partial rebuild and sensitive renovation works rather than complete demolition and rebuild. This has resulted in a successful refurbishment maintaining its character and enhancing the canal side. A foul drainage pumping station was also provided to serve the building.

The Grounds.

The final phase of the project was to provide the dressing to the car park area. This was achieved by providing “blue paviors” to first section of the ramped area laid traditionally to create a sense of place different to any other area and sympathetic to the “Victorian” theme.

The balance of the car park was surfaced with selected stone to maintain the open surface design as negotiated with the conservation officer. The patio area to the restaurant was completed and selected areas were also landscaped and kerbed.

The whole scheme was then pulled together by the lighting scheme with the use of traditional lamps both on posts and mounted on the buildings. The resulting effect of an evening is that the whole area is lit and enhances the canal side and extended the character of Compton away from the centre of the countryside.