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Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2003

Application form

This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically (pdf version) on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning . Please complete all four questions. The deadline is 12 September 2003. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.

Please provide a name and contact details of the organisation responsible for this work. If partners were involved, identify the lead organisation, and then list the other partners/bodies who had a key role.

Name of key partners (if appropriate)

Please complete the form by providing a brief summary (in no more than the space provided) of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude, with a key reason, as to why you think this work merits an Award.

Please tick the key criteria which relate to this entry:

You must describe in your written submission (below) how the criteria which you have ticked relates to your project.

Description of project

Burghead Headland Trust is a registered charity run by the local community with the aim of conserving, enhancing and interpreting the Pictish heritage of the headland. The Headland is the site of the largest Pictish fortification in Scotland built around 450 AD. Prior to the construction of the fishing village at Burghead in the 19th century the site consisted of three ramparts and ditches. Inside this area was an upper citadel with a lower ward to the north east. At least 25 to 30 Pictish Class 1 stones with bulls incised on them were found during the destruction of part of the fort when the harbour and village were built. Only 6 of these stones survive. The Trust acquired the site which is a scheduled ancient monument and the listed 19th century Storm Signal. The site was badly neglected and suffering erosion. It was used as an informal car park with nothing identifying the importance of the site The erosion on the monument has been repaired and a traffic management scheme implemented. Interpretation panels have been installed around the site and the Storm Signal building has been converted into a small interpretation visitor centre by creating an underground lower level with a viewing platform above. The Trust have developed links with the area tourist board and heritage groups and are developing a marketing strategy to attract in the region of 3,000 visitors each year. In the first nine weeks since opening the Centre attracted over 1,600 visitors.

Timescale (over which the project has developed)

A community capacity building exercise undertaken by the Corrom Trust in 1997 identified the Headland and the town's Pictish heritage as a key asset which could be explored to improve the image of the town and attract tourists. This subsequently led to the formation of the Burghead Promontory Forum which progressed ideas for the site and became the Burghead Headland Trust on 24/12/99. The formal transfer of ownership of the headland took place on 11/1/2000 to coincide with the Burning of the Clavie ceremony which celebrates the Pictish New Year.

The Trust then implemented two phases of physical works (see details below) during 2000-2003 which resulted in the official opening by Margaret Ewing of the Visitor Centre on 21/6/03.

Context (the problem which had to be addressed)

The town of Burghead (population 1600) had suffered as a result of the decline of the fishing industry and poor marketing of the town's potential assets. The Corrom Trust work in 1997 highlighted the potential for the profile of the Headland to be raised. The site, although a scheduled ancient monument was used as a car park and was badly eroded. Historic Scotland were concerned about the scale of the erosion and potential damage to the monument. The listed 19th century Storm Signal was in a state of neglect and a target for vandals. Local awareness of the value of the monument was surprisingly low. The only tourist attraction signposted in the village was the ~Burghead Well" which attracted in the region of 500-600 visitors per annum.

The Moray Development Plan identified the site under designation ~ENV2 The Promontory" which stated that, This is where the old town of Burghead is situated and contains, at its most elevated point, the old Coastguard buildings; the Doorie Hill; and in the hollow to the east, the ancient site of a Pictish fort. It is also an area of considerable natural heritage value. The Council will pursue an environmental improvement scheme for this area in association with SNH and Historic Scotland whose permission and assistance will be sought to provide interpretative facilities to the site."

Within this context the community faced the problems of acquiring the site, setting up a charitable trust, attracting significant funding to carry out improvement work and therefore raising the profile of the town as a tourist destination.

Action taken

Following the work of the Corrorn Trust the Burghead Promontory Forum was set up to progress proposals for the site and form a partnership. This evolved into the Burghead Headland Trust in 1999 which has successfully implemented two main phases of work.

The first phase of works involved the acquisition of the headland site for a nominal fee, erosion repairs (topsoil and seeding most of the headland), research and production of 6 interpretation panels located in and around the site, traffic management scheme to restrict parking, provision of disabled parking and laying grassgnard blocks along the access tracks to the houses on the headland. A watching brief was undertaken by archaeologists This phase of works was funded by ERDF grant, the Moray Council, Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise, United Distillers and Burghead, Cummingston and Roseisle Community Council. The cost of the first phase of works was approximately 38,000.

The second phase of works involved the purchase of the Coastguard Lookout Post and preparation of various design options by LDN Architects. The architect's brief was to retain the existing building's character, utilise space as best as possible, reduce vandalism and provide disabled access. The necessary consents were obtained and conversion works were implemented under the supervision of archaeologists who undertook digs at various stages of the works. The Storm Signal is built on the end of one of the fort's ramparts and dates to the early to mid 19th century. Creating the lower chamber of the visitor centre, while retaining the listed structure, involved removing over 300 tonnes of material by hand and underpinning the stone walls which are now supported by a new skin of brickwork. A new flat roof was built to create an upper viewing platform offering panoramic views of the Moray coastline. A new mast was erected to replicate the original up which a large cone would have been hoisted to warn sailors to return to harbour if a storm was imminent. Once conversion works were completed the interpretation material which was designed by John Tasker Design was installed. The interpretation material tells the story of the Clavie and the importance of the town's Pictish heritage as seen through the eyes of a primary school pupil. The Centre is manned by local volunteers and attracted 1600 visitors in its first 9 weeks since being officially opened by Margaret Ewing MSP.

Although the Centre is relatively small, visitors are encouraged to explore the rest of the site and adjacent sites including the Doorie Hill, St. Aethans Chapel and the Burghead Well. The headland has been linked into the footpath network developed by the Burghead Footpaths Group.

This phase of works cost approximately 180,000 which was funded from European Objective 2, Heritage Lottery, Rural Challenge, The Moray Council, Moray Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise, Landfill Tax, Moray Firth Partnership, Scottish Natural Heritage and United Distillers.

Additional works such as the production of a Pictish Trail leaflet and a Visitors Guide to Burghead (in partnershi with the Burghead Foot aths Grou have been produced.

Results achieved

Burghead Headland is the site of the largest Pictish fortification in Scotland. The site was badly neglected and suffering erosion. It was used as an informal car park with nothing identifying the importance of the site. The fort once consisted of three ramparts with ditches cutting off the headland of Burghead. At least 25 to 30 Pictish Class 1 stones with bulls incised on them were found during the destruction of part of the fort when the harbour and village were built. Only 6 of these stones survive. The Headland acquired the site which is a scheduled ancient monument and the listed 19th century Storm Signal. The erosion on the monument has been repaired and a traffic management scheme implemented. Interpretation panels have been installed around the site and the Storm Signal building has been converted into a small interpretation visitor centre by creating an underground lower level with a viewing platform above. The Trust have developed links with the area tourist board and heritage groups and are developing a marketing strategy to attract in the region of 3,000 visitors each year. In the first six weeks since opening the Centre attracted over 1,000 visitors.

Conclusion - Why does this piece of work merit an Award?

The results achieved have been significant and can be summarised as:

• Increased awareness and understanding of the Pictish heritage of the town and the importance of the headland through interpretation, media coverage and archaeological investigations.
• Physical repafrs to prevent further erosion to the scheduled monument.
• Reuse and conversion of neglected listed building. Innovative design solution to create lower chamber which allows disabled access avoiding disturbance to the monument.
• Significant increase in visitor numbers to the town, local businesses have noted an increase in turnover.
• Attracted in the region of 220,000 for the project most of which has been used to employ local businesses.
• Project is used as a case study by Historic Scotland, Rural Challenge and Moray Council Funding web site.
• Has lead to further interest from archaeologists with excavations scheduled adjacent to the area due to start in September 2003, funded by the Trust.
• Links to other national and local heritage attractions.
• Project won an award from Moray Sustainability Forum.
• Centre has been awarded 3 star Visitor Attraction grading by Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board.
• Visitor gnide book, leaflets produced and website set up.

The work of the Burghead Headland Trust merits an award to reflect the outstanding work of this community group in raising the profile of Burghead and its Pictish heritage. The Trust is a local community group with advisors from the Moray Council, Historic Scotland and the Aberdeenshire Archaeology service. To achieve the results they have and overcome the considerable obstacles on the way to achieving these results is a significant reflection of the enthusiasm and ambition of the Trust. The Trust have managed to achieve its overall goals of conserving, enhancing and interpreting the Pictish fort site and is helping to support the town's economy by attracting significant numbers of tourists. The support of the local community has and will continue to be a key to the success of the project (see enclosed press article regarding the official opening). The centre is manned by a group of enthusiastic volunteers from the local community.

Partnership working has been the key to assist the Trust through the process of tendering, letting contracts, planning consents, scheduled ancient monument consents and building warrants. The Moray Council provided planning staff to work closely with the Trust Secretary in the project management. This included co-ordinating contractors, applying for consents, securing a funding package and budget management for the main phases of work. The Council have also produced supporting documents such as the Business Plan and Interpretation Strategy. The Regional Archaeologist and Historic Scotland have played a key role in ensuring that the archaeological significance of the site has been respected and correctly interpreted throughout the process.

The innovative design of the Lookout Post has allowed the Trust to develop a visitor centre on the site of a scheduled ancient monument while enhancing a listed building and carrying out further archaeological investigations. The preferred design has allowed disabled access to the centre and further works are planned around the site to improve access. The Pictish fort site is no longer an eroded, undervalued car park. It is now sensitively managed and interpreted to raise the profile of the area and understanding of the town's heritage. Initial feedback through the visitor book is very encouraging. The Trust have achieved a sensitive balance between conservation of the monument and development of a tourist attraction.

Date
05 September 2003

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