Cyfarthfa Castle and Park Signage and Wayfinding Strategy Implementation

Contract details

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ID:

161407

OCID:

ocds-kuma6s-156856

Contract type:

Works

Procedure type:

Open

Contract award notice ref:

FEB586626

Internal ref:

Portal Ref: 161407

Contact catergory:

C - Local contract let on behalf of one buyer

Buyer:

The Cyfarthfa Foundation

Primary CPV code:

N/a

Additional CPV code(s):

Is framework:

No

Carbon reduction plan:

Options:

Description:

1.0 Background 1.1 Cyfarthfa Park and Castle Cyfarthfa Park is a 200-year-old Historic Park and Garden of Special Historic Interest and is registered as such by Cadw and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). The Park contains the grounds of the historically important Cyfarthfa Castle, and the wider Park is also an important site, both locally and regionally. While the park offers an important historical context to the Castle it also provides more conventional leisure and recreation facilities and is a well-used local asset, alongside being a visitor destination. Cyfarthfa Castle is a Grade I listed building. It was built in two parts: the original castle in 1825 and, almost a century later, school buildings were added for Cyfarthfa High School following the transfer of ownership from the Crawshay family to the Council. The ground floor of the 1825 section of the castle houses the current museum and gallery conveying the industrial history of Merthyr and displaying an art collection of more than 300 works by a wide range of artists. The Cyfarthfa High School left the building over ten years ago and this part of the building has lain empty ever since. In October 2017, more than 60 experts and community organisations came together to brainstorm ideas for the Cyfarthfa site. The event was organised by the Design Commission for Wales, with the assistance of the Welsh School of Architecture, and the outcome was the ‘Crucible’ report that envisaged the creation at Cyfarthfa of a national centre for industrial heritage. The report was accepted unanimously by Merthyr Tydfil Council who agreed to commission a masterplan for the area. This masterplan, created by Ian Ritchie Architects, identified over 70 potential projects, with work split into four phases across two decades. The masterplan can be viewed here: www.ritchie.studio/projects/cyfarthfa-plan At the heart of the Ian Ritchie masterplan was the creation at Cyfarthfa of a people-centred museum, set in an exceptional 100-hectare park, to benefit the local community and develop Merthyr Tydfil’s standing as a key destination in South Wales. It is projected that, in time, such an attraction could increase visitor footfall three-fold, in turn driving significant social and structural renewal, building a pipeline of future opportunities, prosperity and economic growth, and helping improve community pride in a town that has historically been amongst the UK’s most socioeconomically deprived. The Cyfarthfa Foundation was established as a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ (SPV), to turn the vision for Cyfarthfa into a deliverable plan. The Foundation is a registered charity and was formed in November 2020. It is working in close partnership with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (MTCBC), who currently own and manage the castle and wider park. In 2021 the Welsh Government agreed to fund the Cyfarthfa Foundation to get the pre-development phase underway. In the years since, the Foundation has been working in close partnership with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (who are the legal owners of the site) and the wider community to do a number of important things. These include: - Assessing the current structural condition of the castle building and what further conservation work is necessary. - Carrying out feasibility studies to inform what projects and interventions from The Cyfarthfa Plan should be prioritised and developing more detailed plans for the delivery of these. - Working with and supporting the wider community and ensuring they are consulted as part of the development. - Understanding the financial requirements of a project at this scale and ambition, identifying and building relationships with funders and undertaking fundraising. As a registered charity, the Foundation can also access funding opportunities that are not available to local authorities or the public sector. - Carrying out business and financial modelling to ensure that the redeveloped

Purchasing team:

N/a

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Contract dates

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Date awarded:

10 February 2026

Start date:

03 February 2026

End date:

03 March 2026

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Contract extensions

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Max extension options available:

0 (months)

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Additional information

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Additional information:

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Contact details

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Contract name:

Jess Mahoney

Contract email:

info@cyfarthfafoundation.wales

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