£2.3 Million Restoration of Highbury Gardens Moves to Construction Phase

The Chamberlain Highbury Trust (CHT) is delighted to announce the appointment of Killingley as the principal contractor for the Highbury Gardens Restoration Project, marking a major milestone in the delivery of its £2.3 million restoration of the historic grounds of Highbury Hall. Made possible by a £2 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside support from Historic England, Garfield Weston Foundation, Saintbury Trust, Highbury Trust, and partners, the project will restore the nationally significant Victorian gardens within the 33-acre Highbury Park estate in Birmingham.

The restoration will reinstate and conserve key heritage features including the Italian Garden, the Sunken Rock Garden and the Crucible Wall, securing the long-term future of one of the West Midlands’ finest examples of 19th-century landscaped gardens. David Kidney, Chair of Trustees at The Chamberlain Highbury Trust, said, “With Killingley now in place we’re all set for the restoration of Highbury’s historic grounds to begin in June.”

“Coming at the end of a long period of planning and preparation, the appointment of our principal contractor represents a significant milestone for the Trust and a major step towards bringing these remarkable gardens back to their original splendour.”

“Thanks to the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, we can now move confidently into the delivery phase of this transformational project.”

The three-year project is about much more than physical restoration. Alongside landscaping improvements and biodiversity enhancements, the Trust will deliver a wide-ranging programme of community engagement and youth participation. Local schools, community groups and volunteers will be actively involved throughout the project, helping to safeguard the gardens for future generations. A ten-year management plan will ensure the continued care, improvement and sustainability of Highbury estate and wider park long after the restoration works are complete.

Killingley, an East Midlands-based company with more than 50 years of award-winning experience delivering hard and soft landscaping projects across the Midlands and Yorkshire, is supported by a workforce of over 100 skilled operatives. Gareth Dillon, Managing Director of Killingley said, “We are extremely proud to have been appointed by the Chamberlain Highbury Trust as principal contractor for the Highbury Gardens Restoration Project. This is a significant heritage landscape and an exciting opportunity to carefully restore historic features while enhancing biodiversity and habitat across the gardens. We look forward to working closely with the Trust and its partners to create a revitalised space that celebrates Highbury’s history while supporting both community use and a thriving natural environment.”

Highbury Hall, the Grade II* former home of the Chamberlain family, represent an important part of Birmingham’s heritage. The Grade II gardens, designed by Edward Milner and his son, Henry. Sadly, past deterioration has caused Historic England to place both the hall and the gardens on its heritage at risk register. These works of restoration to the gardens will enable them to be removed from the At Risk register. Since its establishment in 2016, The Chamberlain Highbury Trust has worked to protect and restore both the Hall and its surrounding landscape, with the long-term ambition of securing a sustainable future for the estate.

The appointment of Killingley signals the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Highbury Gardens as restoration moves from planning to delivery.

Further Information:
About the Gardens Phase 2 Project
These restoration works represent the second phase of works led by the Chamberlain Highbury Trust to recover and protect Highbury’s heritage and make the gardens environmentally and economically sustainable for the future.

The successful tenderer, Killingley, will:
Deliver hard landscaping works including improved entrances, footpaths and boundaries.

Conserve and restore existing heritage features and formal gardens including; crucible wall; Italian Garden, including the terracotta balustrade; Sunken Rock Garden including stone steps; Rhododendron Garden including the Lookout and rockery.

Undertake soft landscaping and tree works including general management of site vegetation, implementing appropriate planting schemes, opening up sight lines to mansion, habitat restoration, and selective tree removal.

Improve hydrology and drainage through a series of natural scrapes to form wet meadow and increase biodiversity. Undertake restoration works to the lake and conservation of Oak Tree Pond.

Install new seating, signage, wayfinding and interpretation.

It is intended that they will start work in June 2026 and complete the works in the Spring or Summer of 2027.
Alongside these works, Chamberlain Highbury Trust will deliver an engaging activity plan to include; Heritage Open Days, Sustainability Festival, family volunteering days, garden volunteering, guided tours of grounds, seasonal themed events involving local people, concerts, plays, and performances.

For further information about the project click here
For further information about the funders of the project Click here 

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in the strategic plan, Heritage 2033.

Over the next ten years, the Heritage Fund aims to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.

The Heritage Fund helps protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.

The Heritage Fund is passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy. Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund www.heritagefund.org.uk

About The Chamberlain Highbury Trust
The Chamberlain Highbury Trust is an independent charitable trust established to protect Highbury Hall & Park, the Grade II* former home of the Chamberlains. Since its formation in 2016 CHT has performed vital work on protecting and restoring the building and the gardens which surround it. The Chamberlain Highbury Trust’s eventual aim is to take over responsibility for Highbury and its grounds and implement a sustainable business plan. Follow @chamberlain.highbury.trust on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About the Principal Contractor
Killingley has been appointed as principal contractor following a competitive procurement process and will oversee and deliver the restoration works beginning in June 2026. For more information: https://www.killingley.co.uk/