Capital value. Figures available in
notes 2 and
13 of Notes
to the financial statements
Turnover. Figures available in notes 2 and 13 of Notes to
the financial statements
Turnover by activity. Figures available
in notes 2
and 13 of
Notes to the financial statements
The Punch Bowl in The Valley
Gardens.
New residential properties at Bagshot.
During the year, we completed the conversion of redundant farming
buildings at the Victoria model farm at Bagshot into seven high
quality residential units. The buildings had been vacant since the
end of the last farm lease in 2002. The conversions have been
carefully considered and we have kept many of the original
features, such as the tiles that lined the milking parlour. The
properties have a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms and have been very
popular, with all seven let, providing an important source of
revenue.
Virginia Water.
Work on the new Savill
Building.Windsor Estate – Safeguarding our heritage
The Windsor estate extends to approximately 6,300 hectares (15,600
acres) and includes almost 3,200 hectares (7,700 acres) of forest,
Windsor Great Park and Home Park, the Savill and Valley Gardens,
Smith’s Lawn, two let farms, residential properties, golf courses
and Ascot Racecourse. The Great Park is the only Royal Park managed
by The Crown Estate and is enjoyed by around 2 million visitors
each year.
Turnover for the Windsor estate as a whole in 2005/06 was £4.9 million and capital value increased by £5.5 million to £159.3 million. But maintaining the Great Park to the high standards that we and our visitors expect incurs substantial costs each year. We have a duty to offset these costs where we can, but the estate operates at a deficit, which this year amounted to £1.6 million, an increase of £0.3 million on the previous year.
2005/06 has been a very busy year on the Windsor estate as two major projects moved towards completion. The first of these is the innovative new Savill Building, which will provide the new entrance and visitor centre to the Savill Garden and the surrounding Royal Landscape. The landmark design using a grid-shell curved roof, constructed with timbers from the estate, will be a fitting addition to this very special part of the Great Park. The official opening of the visitor centre is scheduled for June 2006.
Alongside the development of the new Savill Building, we have been developing proposals for a programme of landscape restoration and improved visitor facilities both to protect and enhance The Royal Landscape at the southern end of the Great Park, an area which embraces the Savill and Valley Gardens and Virginia Water. Much of this area was laid out and planted in the 18th century, and significant restoration work is now needed to secure the future of this magnificent landscape. We wish to restore some of the features such as the Leptis Magna ruins and the water cascade, to preserve the historical integrity of this area. We see a need to improve visitor facilities in a manner consistent with the character of this part of the Great Park, so that the many thousands of visitors we receive each year in this part of the Park can enjoy themselves and learn more about the history and horticulture of The Royal Landscape. These proposals are still being considered, but we hope to make progress in the next year.
The second major project is the redevelopment of Ascot Racecourse. This was already well underway in 2005/06 and will be completed in time for Royal Ascot in the summer of 2006. As the freeholders of the site, we have been delighted with how the work has progressed and believe that when completed, Ascot Racecourse will reaffirm its position as a world-class sporting venue.
Turnover for the Windsor estate as a whole in 2005/06 was £4.9 million and capital value increased by £5.5 million to £159.3 million. But maintaining the Great Park to the high standards that we and our visitors expect incurs substantial costs each year. We have a duty to offset these costs where we can, but the estate operates at a deficit, which this year amounted to £1.6 million, an increase of £0.3 million on the previous year.
2005/06 has been a very busy year on the Windsor estate as two major projects moved towards completion. The first of these is the innovative new Savill Building, which will provide the new entrance and visitor centre to the Savill Garden and the surrounding Royal Landscape. The landmark design using a grid-shell curved roof, constructed with timbers from the estate, will be a fitting addition to this very special part of the Great Park. The official opening of the visitor centre is scheduled for June 2006.
Alongside the development of the new Savill Building, we have been developing proposals for a programme of landscape restoration and improved visitor facilities both to protect and enhance The Royal Landscape at the southern end of the Great Park, an area which embraces the Savill and Valley Gardens and Virginia Water. Much of this area was laid out and planted in the 18th century, and significant restoration work is now needed to secure the future of this magnificent landscape. We wish to restore some of the features such as the Leptis Magna ruins and the water cascade, to preserve the historical integrity of this area. We see a need to improve visitor facilities in a manner consistent with the character of this part of the Great Park, so that the many thousands of visitors we receive each year in this part of the Park can enjoy themselves and learn more about the history and horticulture of The Royal Landscape. These proposals are still being considered, but we hope to make progress in the next year.
The second major project is the redevelopment of Ascot Racecourse. This was already well underway in 2005/06 and will be completed in time for Royal Ascot in the summer of 2006. As the freeholders of the site, we have been delighted with how the work has progressed and believe that when completed, Ascot Racecourse will reaffirm its position as a world-class sporting venue.