Restoring the shelter on Cliff Hill, Penarth
Background
An exciting opportunity has arisen to restore the iconic and timber framed shelter on Cliff Hill, Penarth, which has fallen into a state of disrepair. The shelter, that is no longer used as a bus shelter, is a valued seating area along the Penarth coastline.
Consultation
A consultation was undertaken in March 2021 regarding the historic shelter at Cliff Hill, Penarth. The consultation suggested the future scheme could include the following;
- Integrating public art into the shelter (e.g., a piece reflecting the history of the location)
- Integrating sound; storytelling; pictures, and/ or lighting
- Retaining and restoring the character and original features of the shelter
The consultation closed on 29 March 2021. 112 people responded to the consultation and it was clear respondents would like to see the shelter restored/replaced, with 88.4% of respondents agreeing with the Council’s proposal to restore the shelter representing a significant majority.
A second “Meet the Artist” consultation was undertaken in January 2022 in which over 50 people offered feedback.
Key insights from the consultation included an interest in Local Knowledge and Memories. There was also a number of ideas for the shelter suggested, including ideas to integrate public art into the shelter, and restoring the original windows.
Decision
The Council has therefore allocated Section 106 £100k Public Art monies from Penarth Heights. The feedback, design development and final design can be found in the documents below.
Following an open tender, the Council appointed Aberrant Architect, a multi-disciplinary company who specialise in interactive architecture, public art or installations.