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Since 1999

Chatterley Whitfield lay mainly empty and derelict after the museum closed in 1991. A partnership was formed in 1999 to find a way of ensuring that the site had a future without losing its important heritage.

The Chatterley Whitfield Partnership carried out a lot of work and produced proposals for the site. It has not been simple or straightforward, and there is no clear vision for the whole of the site. An incremental approach has been taken, with buildings tackled one by one as money becomes available.

So far, only the Main Office block, Wages Office and Laboratory have been refurbished. These were chosen because they were in reasonable condition and could be converted fairly easily to uses which would bring in money through rent. The Pithead Baths are a priority, as is the Area Shaft Building, again because they could generate some income.

Some buildings, however, such as the Hesketh Heapstead, will be very difficult to restore and are such an unusual design that they will be difficult or impossible to re-use. Yet buildings such as the Hepastead are in very poor condition, so that something must be done with them soon or they will be beyond repair, and if they are lost then much of the character of Whitfield will be lost too.