£6.5 million Royal Pavilion Garden project gets green light

Brighton & Hove Museums welcome the decision by Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) to approve plans for restoration work to begin on the Royal Pavilion Garden.

The decision taken today (7 August) by the Planning Committee gives the green light for the £6.5 million project to begin which will reinvigorate and reconnect the Royal Estate encompassing the Pavilion, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and Brighton Dome & Corn Exchange in the heart of the city centre.

The project will involve the reinstatement of historic landscaping design, planting and interpretation, while improvements will be introduced to enhance accessibility, integrate learning and educational resources and transform the way people engage with its heritage.

This project presents a landmark opportunity to remove the Garden from Heritage England’s At-Risk register, by tackling concerns about high levels of visitor use, erosion of character and a deterioration of the sense of history in the garden

The changes also aim to combat antisocial behaviour and crime which are at high levels on the estate.

It will be funded by a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) grant of £4,369,755 awarded in January 2024. As well as funding from NLHF, the charity has also received funding from Brighton & Hove City Council. Brighton & Hove Museums is also fundraising for key elements of the design.

The project is part of a wider plan developed by BHCC to enhance the Royal Pavilion Estate as a key cultural destination. Phase One of this plan, the refurbishment of the Grade I listed Corn Exchange and Grade II listed Studio Theatre run by Brighton Dome (BFBD) has been completed. The garden restoration is Phase Two of these plans.

The Royal Pavilion Garden is the jewel in the crown of the Royal Pavilion Estate. A Grade II listed garden, designed for George IV, it’s one of the only Regency gardens in the world, considered a garden of national significance and one of the most loved areas of our city.

Brighton & Hove Museums will work closely with four priority audiences identified for this project – people with disabilities, families and adults on low incomes, young people, and people with mental ill health issues – to transform the way visitors can engage with the garden and support improved wellbeing.

Changes proposed include:

• Restoration of the Regency planting design using the original planting plans designed for George IV.
• New visitor and community facilities – including an outdoor learning space, information kiosk, Changing Places toilet and refurbished family friendly toilets.
• Reinstating the historic boundary based on the original 19th century railing designs.
• Conserving and enhancing the Garden entrances to improve the visitor welcome, including the listed North and India Gates.
• Repairing and conserving historic elements such as the Grade II listed lampposts which are amongst the first streetlights in the country.
• Introducing accessible and inclusive information to help people discover heritage through new signs and information, plus a creative programme of events, tours, and activities.
• More efficient irrigation, protection for the roots of heritage elm trees, and promotion of local biodiversity and wildlife.
• Increase community engagement to the garden, focused on a range of communities neighbouring the estate including school visits.
• Developing new community partners to engage people with health issues to visit and enjoy the garden.
• Restoration of the historic paths with improved drainage and widening to improve accessibility.

CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums Hedley Swain said:

“We are extremely excited to receive agreement for our plans for the Royal Pavilion Garden and want to thank BHCC for their ongoing support.

“Thanks to the National Lottery and Brighton & Hove City Council, we are confident the project will transform the garden, restoring it to its full beauty and splendour, while at the same time communicating its importance in history in an innovative and accessible way.”

Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

“The Royal Pavilion Garden is one of the most iconic urban green spaces in England. We’re thrilled to be supporting this project that will restore it to its former glory, removing it from the Heritage at Risk Register and celebrating its historic importance as a Nash-designed private royal garden. Thanks to this project, this much-loved garden will be able to be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike for many more years to come.”

Following this announcement, the next stage in the project is to work up the detailed landscape designs so that the works can be tendered and appoint staff to deliver the community engagement programme. It is anticipated work in the Garden itself will begin in Spring 2026 and last approximately 12 months.

For full information on the history of the garden, the project and how you can support, click here