Last week, members of the local council, Berkeley Homes, Audley Group & other key stakeholders involved in the project, gathered to celebrate a major milestone in the redevelopment of Sunningdale Park – the formal opening of the park, enabling access for local residents of Sunningdale to enjoy.
Located in the large, quintessentially English village after which it is named, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, Sunningdale Park enjoys a prestigious address on Larch Avenue and boasts a spectacular landscape and a captivating history.
The expansive site features a Grade II Listed mansion, Grade II registered park, pleasure grounds, walled kitchen, gardens, parkland and woodland – all of which have previously been inaccessible to the public for centuries, due to private ownership.
In 2016, Berkeley Homes and Audley Group entered into a partnership with the Cabinet Office to acquire the land and sought planning permission to develop the buildings and land into a new community.
The acquisition of the former Civil Service College was formalised in 2020, when works began to renovate the Grade II listed Northcote House; groundworks for the first collection of new homes; a new integrated retirement community plus the restoration of the private Grade II registered Park, Pleasure Grounds and Garden.
The Park will now be open to the public.
Caroline McHardy, Land and Development Director, Berkeley Homes, comments: “As well as creating a substantial collection of new homes – we have invested heavily in the restoration of the parkland for both residents and the local community to enjoy. The landscaping will not only improve local biodiversity but will also strengthen natural habitats for wildlife to flourish. We hope the gardens will become a much-loved destination within the Sunningdale community.
John Nettleton, Group Land Director, Audley Group, comments: “Sunningdale Park and Northcote House are steeped in history. Amongst other notable occasions, it is famed as the location of the 1973 Sunningdale Agreement which established power-sharing arrangements in Northern Ireland.
“Since taking possession we have worked hard to restore the mansion and grounds, while giving it a new purpose. Audley Sunningdale Park will provide much needed properties for older people with facilities on site to help people live better for longer.
“One of our priorities at Audley Group is to ensure that all our villages are additive to the local wider community, and we are proud that we have been able to open up a large part of the grounds for the enjoyment of others.”
View the press release (32KB PDF file, opens in a new window)