A visitor facility at West Dean has received recognition at the Sussex Heritage Trust Awards following its conversion from an old heating system structure.

The Gardens Gatehouse at West Dean secured the 2026 Sussex Heritage Trust Public and Community Award for its conversion of a former biomass boiler building into a purpose-built welcome centre for visitors.

Ian Graham, who serves as director of estates at West Dean, expressed satisfaction that the project had received endorsement from the Sussex Heritage Trust.

He noted that the initiative demonstrated West Dean’s enduring responsibility to maintain the historic grounds and surrounding landscape while developing them in ways that served visitors and contributed to the estate’s continued sustainability.

The updated gatehouse now serves as the primary point of entry to West Dean Gardens.

The facility incorporates ticket sales and visitor information services, a larger retail space for crafts, a plant nursery, and multi-purpose areas designed to host introductory creative workshops and live demonstrations.

Conservation specialists Vallis and Hall served as the architects on the scheme.

The construction phase was overseen by the West Dean Estate in-house team alongside contractors from the local area.

Laurence Hall, directing architect at Vallis and Hall, observed that the practice found particular satisfaction in collaborating with West Dean Estate to repurpose a disused agricultural portal frame structure as an impressive new gateway for garden visitors.