The Plans

The plans for our new  building, which will be called the Chiswick Horticultural Eco-centre, have been prepared by Robert L Adams Architects.

In July 2003 we received planning permission from the London Borough of Hounslow to erect our new building near to the present Trading Hut on the Staveley Road allotment site.

We are now working on the detailed design and assessing various design options. This will lead on to the production of the full plans needed to obtain building control approval.

The building will be a great community asset and focal point for the society, enabling us to expand our activities and serve the future needs and interests of gardeners in the Chiswick area.

environmentally friendly ...

The existing dilapidated huts will be replaced with an environmentally friendly, organic building that is very much in keeping with the surrounding allotment gardens.

The Chiswick Horticultural Eco-centre will be constructed as far as possible with reclaimed timber and other recycled materials and will embody a rammed-earth wall with an adjoining conservatory. The building will have a green roof providing a natural wildlife habitat and blending in with the existing trees and vegetation.

The design will ensure that maximum benefit is obtained from passive solar heating with minimal demands on other sources of energy.

... and sustainable

The building will be constructed so that, eventually, it may be easily dismantled, enabling components to be re-claimed and non-recoverable organic material and aggregates to be safely returned to the earth leaving minimum residue for disposal through landfill.

We hope the building will be a notable example of sustainable development with low ecological impact throughout its life.

Fundraising

We are working hard to raise the necessary funds. We are approaching various grant-giving charities, seeking sponsorship from local companies, and organising more special fund-raising events. In 2004, gardens in Chiswick Mall were opened to the public, we held a Quiz and Auction evening and we made a direct appeal to our members to raise money.

If you have any ideas for fundraising, or would like to help in some way, please let us know.