Focus Consultants on board with replica 17th century sailing ship scheme

Launch of the Lennox in 1678 by Richard Endsor

Funding and business planning experts, Focus Consultants, have been appointed to work on an exciting project which will result in the building and launching of a full-size replica of the Lenox, a 17^th century sailing ship and which will be a major new tourist attraction based at Convoys Wharf, Lewisham, London. 

Convoys Wharf, originally known as the Deptford Dockyard, opened in 1513 and was first used by Henry VIII to build his naval fleet. The HMS Lenox was commissioned under Charles II in 1678 as the first of 30 ships built during his reign to expand the Royal Navy into a leading force in Europe. 

Convoys Wharf, which lies within walking distance of other popular maritime attractions, such as the Cutty Sark, The National Maritime Museum and the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich, has remained derelict for years. Now, planning consent has been granted for a major mixed-use waterfront development, encompassing both residential and commercial facilities. The Lenox project complements this development by highlighting the area’s unique maritime history.

As well as a replica of the Lenox, a new purpose-built visitor centre is planned which will display exhibits showcasing the history of the Royal Dockyard. It will also enable the public to see the ship’s construction, which is intended to be a mix of modern and traditional skills - the modern involving digitisation of the ship’s model and use of CNC routers to cut some of the timbers – and the traditional skills from the 17^th century, mirroring the Lenox’s original creation. The plans aim to create jobs for specialists in traditional wooden boatbuilding and will also include apprenticeship opportunities to ensure these skills will not be lost to future generations, whilst the use of modern skills is transferable into a wider range of industries. 

Nottingham-based Focus has been appointed by The Lenox Project, a registered charity, to develop a business plan for the project and to prepare funding bids to move the project onto the next stage of development.

Heather Frecklington, Partner at Focus Consultants, said: “This is a unique and extremely exciting project to be involved in. We are working closely with the Charity to set the project up to be a success and look forward to seeing this major London regeneration project come to fruition.”

Focus, which also has offices in London, Leicester and Boston in Lincolnshire, specialises in creative approaches to securing funding packages and delivering high quality projects across the UK. Since its creation in 1994, Focus has helped to secure more than £953 million of grant assistance for a range of projects and businesses across the UK and delivered more than £1.3 billion of projects and programmes – making it one of the most successful companies of its kind.

It also offers a range of services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, quantity surveying, project management, and sustainable development support.

For more information, visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Civic Trust Award for Focus Consultants project

Project manager Focus Consultants is celebrating after a scheme the company was involved in scooped a key Civic Trust Award.

SeaCity Museum in Southampton was one of 32 projects across the country to receive one of the awards, which are given to projects that make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the environment.

Focus, which is based at Phoenix Business Park in Nottingham, and has offices in Holborn, London, Endeavour Park, Boston, Princess Road East, Leicester, and Aubourn, Lincoln, was the project manager for SeaCity in conjunction with Southampton City Council.

The £15 million maritime museum opened in 2012 – 100 years after the ill-fated Titanic set sail from Southampton – and development involved converting the grade II* listed former Magistrates’ Courts adjoining the Civic Centre, Southampton City Art Gallery and the Guildhall. It is the centre piece of a major regeneration of the city’s new Cultural Quarter.

“Focus Consultants is proud to have been part of the team that developed Southampton SeaCity Museum, and we are delighted to hear the news that it has won a prestigious Civic Trust Award,” said Focus Consultants partner Steven Fletcher.

The Civic Trust Awards is the longest standing architectural and built environment awards scheme in Europe, having been established in 1959. Civic Trust Award level schemes must demonstrate excellence in architecture or design, sustainability, inclusive design and make a positive social, cultural, environmental or economic benefit to the local community.

Building constructor for SeaCity was Kier Construction and architect was Wilkinson Eyre Architects, with the exhibitions being designed by Urban Salon and installed by 8Build.

Focus Consultants supported the City Council in development of the Heritage Lottery Fund applications for round 1 and round 2 of the SeaCity project. The company acted as project manager for the whole scheme, including the building and exhibition works, and also contract administrator for the exhibition works.

Focus is a multi-disciplinary company which specialises in creative approaches to securing funding packages and delivering high quality projects across the Midlands and the UK. Focus has secured more than £900 million of grant assistance, and delivered more than £1 billion of projects and programmes since 1994.

For more information about Focus Consultants visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk