We are delighted to announce that our full planning
permission has been granted!

Plans have now been passed for the development for a new building at Walford Mill Crafts designed by Architects Zombory-Moldovan Moore.

Walford Mill has been operating for over 20 years and has gained important recognition for its craftwork as a centre of excellence both regionally and nationally. It makes a significant contribution to tourism in Wimborne and is one of the key visited sites.

The Arts Council of England, East Dorset District Council, Dorset County Council and Wimborne Town Council support Walford Mill in its mission of promoting individual craftspeople locally, nationally and internationally.

The Arts Council of England and other Trust funds helped Walford Mill to fund the first part of its development plans, which have now been completed. Alterations included disabled access to all parts of the shop and the silk weaver’s workshop on the mezzanine floor; a new glass floor in the shop to show the millstream which flows under the building and new interior staircases.  This has already made a huge difference to makers, customers and staff and helped with the financial stability of the Mill.

Christine Lawry, the gallery’s Chief Executive, said that fundraising could now begin as planning permission has been granted. “This planning application will help in the re-orientation of the Mill building with the design of a new entrance to bring visitors over a bridge alongside the millstream and millpond into the existing gallery building. This will provide an opportunity to commission craftspeople to design parts of the new bridge,” said Christine. “This part of the project will also help Walford Mill in its quest to link ecology and craft especially with its current work of filming the otters that pass under the mill.”

“The final stage will involve demolishing the existing gallery and restaurant and replacing this with a new ‘green’ structure’ built from untreated green oak and glass. The mill is built on a flood plain as we can only build on the existing footprint. We want to make the restaurant an integral part of the building and provide improved disabled access to the entire building including a lift to all new and existing floors,” said Christine. This new building will also provide an additional education space, covered outside demonstration area suitable for raku firing, willow weaving and other outside workshops in addition to new workshop spaces for onsite makers to improve visitor experience. The new building would allow increased visibility to all activities at the Mill.

The plans were passed on March 31st 2009.

The structural changes have already enlivened and dramatically altered the listed building space making it more accessible for everybody, including the installation of the lift from the lower part of the Mill to the counter area and the mezzanine weaver's studio level. We are now moving forward to obtain the planning permission for our new £3 million project.

The Architectural Concept and Vision for a Craft Ark. The new space would be built on the site of the gallery, also utilising the footprint of the restaurant. Zombory-Moldovan Moore, our architects, have designed a contemporary building, open, transparent and light, floating and bridging over the landscape, distinct from the historic mill's solidity. The design has become known as The Craft Ark, resting at the water's edge, a vessel full of life and activity of the Mill, spilling out onto the land.

A strong open structure has been conceived for the building that will give great scope for collaborations with craftspeople. Zombory-Moldovan Moore anticipate organising workshops to involve key makers in the development of the building design and materiality. The influence of methods underpinning crafts ranging from weaving, through ceramics to working with timber will be absorbed into the detailed design process to make a rich setting for the Mill's activities.

Model of the future Walford Mill Crafts building made by Chris Gibson,
who is a BA Model Making Course student at the Arts Institute in Bournemouth.