Chris Burton (Park Manager) introduced the Park Manager’s Report and discussed:

 

a)     Mount Edgcumbe was a Grade I listed landscape, a rare heritage designation, with nearly 17 kilometres of coastal strip including iconic areas such as Rame Head;

 

b)    The park comprised 865 acres of country park and 7.5 acres of formal gardens, maintained by only three gardeners, relying heavily on volunteers and local goodwill;

 

c)     There were 56 listed buildings and five ancient monuments, with 36 kilometres of footpaths including the South West Coast Path;

 

d)    The park was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and served as a vital green lung for both Cornwall and Plymouth;

 

e)     Visitor numbers were last counted at 250,000 annually, with plans to recount in the next financial year;

 

f)      The park was free to enter and served a wide range of users including academics, dog walkers, families, and heritage enthusiasts;

 

g)     The English Garden House restoration was a major success, completed on time and within budget, with over £300,000 in grant aid;

 

h)    The Garden Battery redevelopment had begun, supported by nearly £1 million in National Lottery funding, forming part of the National Marine Park’s heritage hub;

 

i)      Phase One Habitat surveys had been completed to support a stewardship bid for the deer park, encouraged by Natural England, with potential for capital and revenue funding. The park was recognised for waxcap fungi and ancient parkland assemblages, and a consultant was working on the grant application;

 

j)      Volunteer contributions totalled 770 days, with support from community groups, companies, and a new partnership with the Royal Navy;

 

k)     Volunteers had helped complete over 14 kilometres of deer fencing, now enclosing the deer stock for the first time since before World War Two. A deer management plan had been developed with support from previous managers and local experts;

 

l)      Four new formal bed layouts had been installed on the East Lawn, funded by the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe, with planting designed to deter deer;

 

m)   Tree surveys had been completed, with all trees now assessed for safety. Ash dieback remained a concern, but signs of genetic resistance offered hope;

 

n)    Conservation grazing had expanded, with Jacob lambs bred on-site and used for grazing smaller areas. Lambing had become a popular public event;

o)    The English Garden House, a Grade II* listed building, had undergone a full restoration following lead theft and water damage, with £280,000 from DEFRA, £50,000 from Historic England, and £20,000 from the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe. The building’s future use would be explored in Phase Two, potentially using crowdfunding and room-by-room restoration;

 

p)    The park had developed a veterans’ garden in partnership with Secure Forest, supporting PTSD recovery;

 

q)    A major fire at the Barrow Centre in February 2025 had damaged ranger accommodation and holiday lets, with over 45 firefighters attending. A scaffold shelter would be installed in September, with rebuild planning led by Cornwall Council;

 

r)     The park’s events calendar was near capacity, with successful third-party events generating income and positive feedback;

 

s)     The Classic Car Show was cancelled due to staffing issues, but would return next year;

 

t)     Two new major events were planned for 2026 but were currently subject to commercial sensitivity;

 

u)    Financial pressures included ash dieback, fire recovery, rising utility bills, and stretched local authority funding. Despite this, the park raised approximately £900,000 annually;

 

v)     The wedding marquee was a key income stream and also served as backup accommodation for events;

 

w)   Visitor feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with the park winning TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award for 2025, placing it in the top 10% globally;

 

x)    Holiday lets were performing well despite regional booking declines;

 

y)     The park maintained strong partnerships with schools, offering enrichment weeks, archaeology projects, and outdoor workshops;

 

z)     The Garden Battery would be restored with interpretation, bat mitigation, and public access, supported by £942,000 in capital funding and ongoing revenue contributions;

 

aa)  The park’s conservation management plan would guide future priorities, including restoration of the French Conservatory and non-roof structures;

 

bb)The park’s cruise tourism potential was discussed, with links to Captain Cook’s voyages and global sites named after Mount Edgcumbe;

 

 

In response to questions, the Committee discussed:

 

cc)  Filming enquiries were unpredictable, ranging from small adverts to major productions, with income varying accordingly;

 

dd)The deer park’s carrying capacity was approximately 200 deer, with current numbers at 150. Deer culling would be necessary for biodiversity and food chain integration;

 

ee)  Venison from culled deer could be used in the Orangery café, with conservation rather than farming as the guiding principle;

 

ff)    The Sandways site posed safety risks due to cliff instability. Signage and restoration to a natural state were being considered. Plymouth and Cornwall Councils had committed to exploring alternative campsite locations in consultation with the Camping Association, subject to planning and environmental constraints;

 

gg)  Volunteer demographics had broadened, with younger participants and partnerships with the MOD and Secure Forest supporting veterans;

 

hh)School partnerships included enrichment weeks, archaeology projects, and outdoor learning, with over 1,800 pupils participating annually;

 

ii)     A memorial bench system was in place enabling members of the public to fund benches across the park;

 

jj)     Cruise tourism links to Mount Edgcumbe, Plymouth and other global sites named ‘Mount Edgcumbe’ such as in Alaska, were discussed.

 

Action: Staff to investigate potential for bench instillations between the Cairns and Milton Temple.

 

The Committee agreed:

 

1. To note the Park Manager’s Report.