Rowntree Park Keepers Lodge

Vincent & Partners have been appointed by The Friends of Rowntree Park to develop planning proposals for the conversion of the upper two floors of the Rowntree Park Keeper’s Lodge.

The Friends of Rowntree Park are currently negotiating a long-term lease with the City of York Council that will provide The Friends with a permanent administrative base for their operation, along with a variety of spaces within the building that will offer a range of activities to the local community.

The proposals seek to reconcile key design issues simultaneously through the renovation of the former Park Keeper’s Lodge:

- Firstly, by dealing with the creation of a fully accessible community venue on the upper floors where currently no level access is possible;
- Secondly, by respecting the heritage value of the building with minimal interventions that are in keeping with the character of the building externally while revitalising the interiors;
- Thirdly, by approaching the project in a way that provides a best-practice example for dealing with the sustainable retrofit of existing historic fabric.

The project received planning approval at the end of May 2024, allowing The Friends of Rowntree Park to create a new hub for local activities and provide purpose again for this much-admired building.