January 2025

Setting Sail

Since receiving planning approval for Shaping Shugborough; Designing for a Sustainable Future, we have been hard at work preparing our teams and the estate for this transformative project. In December 2024, our contractors, O’Brien, arrived on site and began setting up their compound on the eastern side of the estate. Now, in 2025, we are thrilled to announce that the main construction phase is officially underway!

Most of the work will be concentrated to the east of the estate, away from the main visitor areas. While we have worked hard to ensure minimal disruption to your visit, you may notice contractor vehicles moving across the site as they access their compound.

Relevant footpath closures are in place to ensure visitor safety in the following areas:

• Former sports pitches
• Lichfield Drive
• Lichfield Drive Plantation (Bluebell Walk)

We will reopen these areas once it is safe to do so.

Any emergency closures, if necessary, will be posted on our website and social media channels.

We appreciate your patience and support during this time and hope you are as excited as we are for the future of Shugborough. 

February 2024

Planning Approval and Next Steps

The planning application for Shaping Shugborough has been approved, and we are now in the early stages of pre-commencement works. Our plans include proposals to relocate and expand the car park, reopen the Lichfield Drive as the main vehicle entrance, build a new visitor welcome point, relocate the play area, and reinstate historic paths and driveways on the eastern side of estate.

If you’d like to get in touch with us about our proposals, or about the planning application please email shugborough@nationaltrust.org.uk

March 2023

Sharing our plans

During February and March 2023, a series of Community Information sessions were held within the local community, to provide an opportunity for residents in the local communities surrounding Shugborough to find out more about the proposed future plans. Members of the Shugborough team were on hand to answer any questions or queries and provide detailed information.

At the end of February, the planning application to relocate the car park, reopen the Lichfield Drive as the main vehicle entrance, build a new visitor welcome point, relocate the play area, and reinstate historic paths and driveways to the eastern side of estate, was submitted to Stafford Borough Council.

Once the application has been validated by the Council’s Planning Department it will be listed and available to view on the ‘Planning’ section of Stafford Borough Council website.

We hope to receive a decision on the application during summer 2023. 

January 2023

Meeting our nature conservation aims

Over the past year we have been carrying out and commissioning a series of surveys and assessments to ensure that our plans for the reorientation of the site meet our nature conservations aims as well as improve the visitor experience, and ensure a sustainable future for the estate. These have included ecological, landscape and visual, arboricultural, heritage, transport and flood risk assessments. 

We have also sought advice on our plans from specialist stakeholders such as Historic England, Natural England, Cannock Chase AONB, and Cannock Chase SAC Partnership.

During early 2023 we will be submitting a planning application to relocate the car park, reopen the Lichfield Drive as the main vehicle entrance, build a new visitor welcome point, relocate the play area, and reinstate historic paths and driveways to the eastern side of estate.

January 2023

Improving visitor facilities

Car parking challenges

With increasing visitor numbers the current car park is restricting the number of people that can be welcomed to the estate, disappointing supporters when we have to turn cars away due to lack of parking. The location of the current car park also has an impact on the sensitive historic parkland, and there are limitations on using additional surrounding areas to park on busy days.

We are unable to extend the current car park due to its location between the railway line and sensitive historic parkland.  Additionally, the current, challenging entrance at Milford Common would need substantial improvement to cope with increasing vehicle traffic. 

Having investigated a range of options and carried out feasibility studies, we plan to relocate the entrance, car park and Visitor Welcome to the eastern side of the estate,  to continue to conserve, protect and open up more access to Shugborough, for everyone, for ever.

 

Relocating the car park, entrance and visitor facilities

The site of the new car park and Visitor Welcome building is on an area of land on the east of the estate.  This part of the estate has had mixed use over the last century, including as a military hospital in World War II, and most recently as a residential outdoor education centre. Due to it’s previous uses there has been limited visitor access to this part of  Shugborough.  We plan to reinstate historic paths and the Lichfield Drive in this part of the estate, opening up the area for walking and outdoor activities, as well as building a new play area. 
 

 

 

January 2023

Following the Anson's lead

Then...
The Anson’s who built and shaped the landscape of Shugborough were innovators and adventurers. They discovered new lands, experimented with art, architecture, agriculture and horticulture, whilst sharing their successes and failures, empowering and inspiring others.

and now...
We want to follow their lead and shape Shugborough for the people of Staffordshire as a place to escape into, to explore both indoors and out, and as a living cultural resource that is a source of pride for the county and its communities. A place of adventure, contemplation and empowerment. 

It is already the home of inspiring art, parkland and architectural history, and we want to continue this legacy by providing first-class experiences inspired by Shugborough’s stories and history. We’re also planning to open up access to more areas on the estate to visitors.