Bellrock Appointed to Provide Project Management Services for £13.6m Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens Transformation

Multi-disciplinary property and construction consultancy, Bellrock Consulting (Bellrock), is project managing the landmark £13.6m redevelopment of the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens on behalf of Sunderland City Council.

The refurbishment programme has been made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund combined with a mix of other match funding sources including Sunderland City Council, Arts Council England, Museum, Estate and Development Fund (MEND) and The Wolfson Foundation.

Bellrock was appointed by Sunderland City Council in 2023 following a successful tender via the NEPO Framework. Following Bellrock’s appointment, the project has been developed over the past two-and-a-half years through RIBA design stages. At the same time, Bellrock has assisted Sunderland City Council with its Heritage Lottery funding application.

Now the historic venue – a major cultural attraction for the city – has recently closed its doors to the public so that the refurbishment works can begin, marking the start of an ambitious two-year construction programme.

The next critical phase for Bellrock is to manage the contractor’s procurement and formal appointment as part of a Pre-Construction Services Agreement. Bellrock’s Associate Director and Lead Project Manager for the project, Leo Heath, said:

“Managing a project of this scale, with such regional significance, presents unique logistical and engineering challenges. We are working within a Grade II listed building which features three distinct construction phases and methodologies alongside the bespoke Winter Gardens. With the last major intervention dating back to the early 2000s, much of the refurbishment will involve the building’s fabric as well as incorporating modern designs to further improve Sunderland Museum’s offering to its visitors.

“Safely preparing to work around and protect a delicate collection of over 108,000 museum artefacts, while safeguarding the Winter Gardens’ living botanical collection and striking glass dome requires meticulous coordination. The project’s central location within Sunderland adds operational complexity, but our team is fully mobilised to guide this precious cultural asset safely through its next chapter.”

Councillor Ciera Hudspith, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Heritage at Sunderland City Council said: “Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens has been a cherished cornerstone of our community for generations. While we begin preparing the collections for their temporary hibernation, having to hand Bellrock’s expert project management support and cost consultants ensures our heritage is protected and our vision is realised for future generations.”

The venue is expected to be formally re-opened to the public in December 2028.

Other members of the professional team include Purcell Architecture; M&E and Civil Engineering, TGA Consultants; Structural Engineering, The Morton Partnership; Fire and Acoustic Engineering, Arup; Landscape Architects, Southern Green; Access Consultant: David Burdus and Mather & Co, Museum, Exhibition and Interpretation Design.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund: Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and for the future.