Member Article

The Sill public meeting

Northumberland National Park Authority welcomed over 50 members of the public to a special meeting in Bardon Mill to hear how The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is progressing and discuss how it can begin to benefit business and communities in the wider area.

The meeting took place at Bardon Mill Village Hall on Wednesday, 20th April. Attendees received an update from Kevin Alden, the Project Manager overseeing the build for contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine. Kevin described how the building is being put together and remains on course to be handed over to Northumberland National Park Authority in April 2017. He also reiterated Sir Robert McAlpine’s openness to supporting local workers and encouraged individuals to call into the offices on site for application forms.

In her first public meeting since taking up the role as Sill Manager in January, Sarah Glynn outlined how a programme of engagement and educational activities to be delivered from The Sill is taking shape. She also confirmed that their first year targets agreed in partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund have been fully achieved and encouraged more local businesses and activity providers to grasp the opportunity to work with the National Park Authority to help deliver the 30,000 activity days which The Sill aims to provide.

She said: “We are developing an ambitious and wide ranging activity programme for visitors of all ages and we are keen to hear your ideas for events that people would like to see happening across all age groups. We are committed to engaging with residents, community groups and businesses to explore the potential for how we can work together to deliver these.

“The Sill is expected to deliver substantial economic benefits to the area including the creation of over 100 new jobs and around £5m of additional visitor spending annually.

“We want to ensure that local residents continue to be kept fully up-to-date throughout the project and to provide opportunities for the community to have their say and get involved in different aspects of The Sill.

“This is our second public meeting since construction work started and we will continue to consult as widely as possible to ensure everyone has an opportunity to ask questions and get involved.” Kris Westerby, Western Area Highways Manager from Northumberland County Council, provided an update on highways measures in the vicinity of The Sill, including proposals which will soon be implemented to improve the recently installed 40 mph speed limit through the hamlet and ongoing discussion connected to the timber transport routes in the area.

A very positive questions and ideas discussion raised a number of challenges and opportunities. These included the need for better public transport infrastructure to help visitors get to The Sill and travel around the wider national park.

There was also a discussion on the need to ensure that national park communities outside of the immediate location of The Sill Centre are kept informed and able to contribute to the development of The Sill Activity Programme and the need to ensure the Activity Programme includes events for older people as well as young people and families.

Anyone seeking further information or wishing to engage with The Sill project should email enquiries@thesill.org.uk or visit The Sill at www.thesill.org.uk our Facebook page at The Sill or follow us on Twitter @thesillproject.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Round Table Solutions Ltd .