Summer 2015 1 Lancaster Place, Strand, London WC2E 7ED NEWSLETTER Sustainability Hive of Activity Homes for Harrogate Innovative biomass New generation of High quality homes system for Duchy tenant bee-keepers to meet housing need Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 Welcome A Royal Visit > Nathan Thompson This has been a historic year in many respects. We have celebrated the 750th anniversary of the creation of the historic Lancaster inheritance and my sincere thanks go to everyone who contributed to the most enjoyable visit of Her Majesty the Queen as Duke of Lancaster at the end of May. We have also seen the retirement of our Chairman, Lord Shuttleworth KCVO, and I would like to add a note of personal gratitude for his invaluable guidance and support. We welcome Mr Mark Hudson, an experienced member of Council, who took up the reins as Chairman on the 1st January 2015. This year, the Duchy of Lancaster > The Duke of Lancaster receives the keys to the Castle is committed to invest £3.2m in the maintenance and improvement of its residential portfolio in the Surveys. Earlier this summer, we were delighted for safe-keeping. Inside the Castle, local We continue to actively encourage the to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to brownies and cubs formed a guard of honour use of green and renewable energy Lancashire as part of the celebrations to to the Chapel Courtyard, where actors sources across our estates and have commemorate the 750th anniversary of the performed an extract from Shakespeare’s recently installed an energy efficient, creation of the original Duchy inheritance. Richard II. Invited guests then took part in environmentally sustainable and financially The visit began with a ceremonial welcome a reception in ‘A’ wing, an area of the Castle beneficial biomass heating system for a at Lancaster Castle and included a tour of formerly used as a prison and closed to the tenant of an equine unit in Staffordshire. Duchy farms across the Myerscough estate. public until 2013. We have completed a variety of Her Majesty arrived by Royal Train and After leaving the Castle, Her Majesty projects this year. These include our was welcomed by the Lord-Lieutenant travelled to Lodge Farm on the Duchy’s first luxury apartment development in of Lancashire, Lord Shuttleworth KCVO. Myerscough estate, where agricultural Harrogate, the realignment of our Rural The approach to the Castle and the historic students from Myerscough College Surveys, the establishment of a common John of Gaunt gate was lined by local air, demonstrated their skills as farriers, sheep- quality standard for our rental properties sea and army cadets and members of the shearers and cattle-handlers. This was and the transformation of a piece of rare Duke of Lancaster’s own Yeomanry, together followed by a luncheon at Light Ash Café in alabaster into a magnificent altar and with thousands of well-wishers. Bilsborrow before an opportunity to meet centrepiece for the historic internment of The Duke of Lancaster was presented Duchy tenants at Lee Farm. In a barn dressed Richard III. ....cont. on page 2 with the keys to Lancaster Castle by its by floristry students from the College, Constable, Mrs Pam Barker, which She Her Majesty met around 100 Duchy tenants accepted and returned to the Constable from across the Lancashire Survey. Preserving the past, investing for the future 1 ....cont. from page 1 Sustainability projects We have made significant investment in commercial property, most notably two warehouses in Blackburn and a distribution warehouse and purpose-built research facility at Estuary Commerce Park in Speke, Liverpool. We have also commenced with extensive restoration work at Lancaster Castle. Our guiding principles are to balance the long-term interests of our tenants with the protection and preservation of the environment and the delivery of positive growth in terms of our commercial performance. I am pleased to report that this year we have made good progress in all three areas although we recognise that further improvements must continue to be made year on year. It has, as ever, been a varied and > Woodhouse Farm, Needwood Estate interesting time for all of us involved in the day-to-day running of the Duchy and I would like to take this opportunity Working with our tenant Bennett Equine, The system is the first of its kind to be of thanking all members of the team, the Duchy has this year completed the installed by the Duchy and we carried out the Duchy Council, our advisors, partners installation of a £130,000 eco-friendly extensive research beforehand to identify and of course our tenants for their ongoing heating system at Woodhouse Farm on the best and most effective energy solution. help and support. the Needwood estate in Staffordshire. The boiler will use existing woodchip The innovative biomass system provides from another Duchy tenant, forestry Nathan Thompson, Chief Executive of the heating and hot water for both the residential and harvesting company UPM Tilhill, Duchy of Lancaster farmhouse and the business elements at which occupies the nearby Needwood Woodhouse Farm, which is one of the UK’s Sawmill site. leading equine rehabilitation centres. In accordance with our sustainability As the property’s previous heating strategy, green energy sources are actively consisted only of open fires, the woodchip encouraged across all our properties and biomass boiler system will help the a number of tenants are now using green environment and deliver significant savings systems such as ground source heat pumps, in terms of energy bills. solar PV and rainwater harvesting. Five of the best Our holiday cottage at Root Farm on the Whitewell estate in Lancashire has received a 5-star rating from Visit England. This puts our newest holiday cottage on a par with the Duchy’s other luxury cottages at Scalby Lodge in Yorkshire, which have also received 5 stars for the third consecutive year and been awarded a Certificate of Excellence from the online travel site, TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor, which bases its awards on the positive feedback received from visitors, has also awarded Lancaster Castle a Certificate of Excellence, calling it ‘the best in the business’. For further information, visit our websites: www.duchyholidaycottages.co.uk > Root Farm Cottage, Whitewell Estate and www.lancastercastle.com Preserving the past, investing for the future Summer 2015 | 2 Lord Shuttleworth New Homes For Harrogate KCVO > Luxury homes, green open spaces and playing fields proposed Following the success of our £2m investment June, talking to the Duchy project team about in residential property at 11 Ripon Road, the proposed scheme. The suggestion is for > Lord and Lady Shuttleworth with the the Duchy is preparing an outline planning an extension to the existing Duchy estate and commemorative gate application to deliver more high quality homes the creation of a new ‘soft’ green boundary to Lord Shuttleworth KCVO, Lord- in Harrogate. the south of the town. Property designs would Lieutenant of Lancashire since 1996, Ripon Road completed in September 2014 reflect the surrounding environment and the retired as Chairman of the Duchy and all 13 apartments at the development architectural heritage of the area and would Council at the end of 2014. were let less than six months after retain the wide streets and low density layout A member of the Council since completion, with the first tenants moving in of the existing estate. 1998 and Chairman since January immediately. Now, in response to a call for The plans also include extensive 2006, he has seen significant potential development sites from the local landscaping throughout, well maintained changes to the operational structure planning authority, the Duchy is responding open spaces for recreational use and wildlife, of the Duchy during his tenure, by bringing forward land at Cornwall Road a wide green corridor and sports pitches for while ensuring the preservation of for new homes, recreational green space and local school and community use. If approved its historic values and principles. sports pitches. in principle, the Duchy will work with local Much of the Duchy’s growth and More than 200 local people attended a stakeholder groups to develop a detailed development over recent years is public consultation and exhibition held in application for submission by late 2016. due to his stewardship, wisdom and guidance. As a retirement gift and to remind him of his years as Hive of activity Chairman, the Duchy Council Following the launch of the Duchy’s new presented Lord Shuttleworth with Beekeeping Grant last year, a number of a specially commissioned wrought families across the country have taken up the iron gate bearing the Lancashire challenge and are now actively keeping bees. Rose and the letter ‘S’ entwined. For many this is a real family affair, The gate, which was designed and providing a great opportunity for the produced by local master ironsmith younger generation to learn about bee Tim Swettenham, was ‘presented’ keeping and the importance of bees to the in the form of a framed drawing at ecosystem. a special retirement dinner held at Claire and Steve Peach in Staffordshire, Buckingham Palace. It has now been for example, look after their bees with installed in the garden of Lord and their 12-year old son Daniel, and Christine Lady Shuttleworth’s new home. Fishburn in Yorkshire originally applied for All members of Council, staff and a grant because her grandson Joseph was tenants would like to formally record interested in learning how to keep bees. their thanks to Lord Shuttleworth With the help and support of neighbour and Lady Anne Shuttleworth for Andy, Christine and Joe now have two busy, their outstanding record of service healthy hives on the go and are actively to the Duchy.