Owen Philipson, Author at Clear Futures

Restoring a Sussex Icon: Newhaven Fort Reopens After £7.5m Transformation

Following a year-long closure, Newhaven Fort has reopened its gates after a major £7.5 million restoration – with Clear Futures playing a key role in delivering a more accessible, sustainable and visitor-ready future for this iconic coastal landmark.

The reopening was recently marked by a visit from The Duke of Gloucester, who toured the upgraded site and unveiled a commemorative plaque. The event highlighted the extensive works carried out to preserve the historic fort and re-establish it as a central part of Newhaven’s visitor economy.

Built in 1871, the fort is the largest defensive structure ever constructed in Sussex and a Scheduled Monument. Over the years, it had suffered from exposure to the elements, with key areas closed to the public for safety reasons. Lewes District Council, secured UK Government funding to bring the fort back to life.

Clear Futures supported the delivery of the project by managing procurement and providing a streamlined, expert-led supply chain. Local SME HOP Consultants led structural engineering works, drawing on their heritage expertise and coordinating local contractors to ensure the majority of project spend remained close to Newhaven.

The restoration addressed both the historic integrity and future viability of the site. Two major gun emplacements and the battery command post have been made safe and reopened, along with the casemates – underground vaults now hosting refreshed exhibitions. For the first time, visitors can also explore the Battery Observation Post, which had previously been off-limits.

Visitor experience has been a key focus. The Romney Hut in the parade square has been restored and re-clad for use as an event space, while a new bespoke adventure playground has been installed. The café, shop, office, and ticketing areas have all been upgraded to improve accessibility and flow for guests.
Sustainability has been integrated throughout, including the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting in the tunnels. These upgrades ensure the site is both environmentally conscious and futureproofed for generations to come.

Enhanced visitor experience at Newhaven Fort (image: Victoria Dawe)

Newhaven Fort is now operated by Wave Leisure, offering a year-round destination for families, schools, and history enthusiasts. All standard tickets now provide unlimited return visits for 12 months, and new attractions – including a 1970s-themed escape room – are planned for 2025.

With its sweeping views of the Sussex coast, rich military history, and refreshed facilities, the fort is once again a key feature of the South Coast’s heritage landscape – and a powerful example of what collaborative, community-focused regeneration can achieve.

Refurbished gun emplacement (image: Victoria Dawe)

Find out more: our strategic partnership with Eastbourne & Lewes

Eastbourne & Lewes Council’s partnership with Clear Futures focuses on developing long-term sustainable outcomes for the area. To date, the partnership has centred around in-depth strategic support, including research into decarbonising the social housing stock and supporting the development of their Local Plan.

See what we’ve achieved

wide angle photo of the downs looking down towards the town of eastbourne

Webinar: Unlocking value in local authority assets

Wednesday 7th May | 14:00–14:45

Join us for a focused and practical discussion on how local authorities can unlock greater value from their estates and assets to support long-term service delivery and financial sustainability.

Equitable and efficient service delivery is at the heart of local government’s objectives. Local authorities have finite budgets to deliver key strategic, corporate and technical services.

This webinar will explore how public sector organisations can take a more strategic and proactive approach to asset management. We will examine the importance of placing estate and asset management at the executive level, ensuring it is seen as a core part of financial and service planning, rather than a purely operational function.

We’ll also discuss practical strategies for repurposing surplus properties, proven approaches to successfully embedding the corporate landlord model, and how to balance statutory responsibilities with community expectations. Attendees will gain insights into the legal frameworks that shape decision-making and hear real-world examples of councils that have successfully restructured their estate strategies.

Speakers

Alan Gravatt – Strategic Asset Management Director, AECOM/Clear Futures

John Hotham – Partnership Director, Clear Futures

Chandkiran Nath – Senior Consultant, People+Place Advisory, AECOM

Huw Rhys Lewis – Interim Director of Commercial Investment & Capital, London Borough of Croydon

Disclaimer:

This event is being hosted by Clear Futures, and registration is being managed by AECOM, a joint venture partner. By registering, you agree to receive information related to this event. If you choose to opt in to receive future communications, you may also receive occasional marketing emails from AECOM. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Jubilee Centre gets an early Christmas present

As visitors at Bolton’s flagship Jubilee Community Centre and Pool gathered to enjoy their Christmas Fayre on Thursday, they received an early Christmas present with the donation of £5,000.00 from Clear Futures to help fund a new outdoor woodwork and craft workshop.

The Jubilee Centre was opened in June 2023 and was specifically designed to offer leisure and support services to people with autism and learning disabilities, providing respite for families and enabling people to develop their independence and life skills.

Clear Futures has been working in a strategic partnership with Bolton Council since 2019 and have worked with several local and regional contractors to deliver a number of key projects for Bolton including the Jubilee Centre, the recently refurbished Bolton Library and the extension to the food hall at Bolton Market.

Keith Edwards, Partnership Director at Clear Futures, said, “We are immensely proud of the new Jubilee Centre as a project. It is a stunning care facility and seeing the positive difference and joy that the facilities and staff bring to visitors daily is truly inspirational. Core to our approach is to maximise the community and local economic benefits that the Council’s capital projects deliver for Bolton, and the Jubilee Centre provided an amazing 48% of social value against a target of 20%. The funding and support we are providing to help Bolton Cares deliver this new workshop for the community is another example of our commitment to Bolton, and the lasting legacies we strive to provide from all the projects we manage on behalf of the Council.”

Nestled in the heart of Bolton on Crompton Way, the Jubilee Centre boasts a state-of-the-art Hydrotherapy pool to support a range of abilities, as well as sensory and rebound rooms and community spaces that can be booked for everyone to enjoy. The centre is a key asset to the work that Bolton Cares provides.

Speaking at the presentation of the cheque on Thursday, Rhian Stone, Managing Director of Bolton Cares Group, commented: “We’re incredibly grateful to the team at Clear Futures for its donation to the Jubilee Community Centre and Pool. The centre is a vital asset to people with physical and learning difficulties across Bolton and without the support of companies like Clear Futures, we’d be limited on the improvements we can make to both the facility and the services on offer. The people we welcome into the centre are talented and passionate, and we’re delighted that we can support their interest in woodworking and crafts with the introduction of the new outdoor workshop. We’re excited to see what will be created when the workshop opens and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved to helping make it happen.”

For more information about the Jubilee Community Centre and Pool, visit: https://boltoncares.org.uk/our-services/jubilee-community-centre-and-pool/

Paul Kelly joins Clear Futures as Partnerships Director

Clear Futures is thrilled to welcome Paul Kelly as our new JV Board Member & Partnerships Director. With his wealth of experience in strategic partnerships and a background in advising local and central governments on place-shaping and regeneration, Paul will play a key role in strengthening our relationships with public sector clients across the North of England and Scotland.

Charlotte Cordingley, CEO of Clear Futures, shared her excitement about Paul’s addition to the team:

“Paul’s understanding of the public sector landscape and his commitment to creating sustainable, impactful solutions make him a perfect fit for Clear Futures. We look forward to seeing the positive change he’ll help drive for our clients and their communities.”

As Partnerships Director, Paul will support our public sector clients in achieving their strategic objectives. His work will focus on addressing a range of challenges including town centre regeneration, sustainable infrastructure, and strategic asset management.

Reflecting on his new role, Paul Kelly stated:

“I am excited to join Clear Futures and to collaborate with our partners in the North of England and Scotland. Clear Futures’ flexible partnership model is uniquely positioned to provide the tailored support public sector clients need to make real progress in their communities.”

Clear Futures works with public sector organisations to deliver flexible, long-term partnerships that drive lasting change. By offering end-to-end support—from securing funding and advisory services to the actual implementation of projects—we help our partners make strides in meeting sustainability targets and overcoming complex built environment challenges. With a focus on regenerative, decarbonised, and community-focused solutions, we’re committed to creating value-driven partnerships that leave a lasting positive impact across the UK.

Our people

The Clear Futures team brings together a diversity of experiences and complementary skills. We use our public sector and built environment expertise to help you turn short- and long-term development, infrastructure and services goals into meaningful action, and ambitions into reality.

Meet the team

Image of Bolton Mayor and five other stakeholders at the opening of a refurbished leisure centre

Our partnerships

Working with Clear Futures in a long-term strategic partnership is a key way for public sector bodies to deliver sustainable buildings, infrastructure and services – effectively and faster. We’re a trusted partner for a dozen organisations, bringing the expertise needed to help achieve transformative, sustainable solutions to the challenges we all face.

See all of our partnerships

Clear Futures helps Bolton weather the storm

A recovery effort, spearheaded by Clear Futures, helped bring the Bolton Food & Drink Festival back from disaster after heavy winds and gusts of up to 60 mph threatened to cancel the event.

Traders had been setting up stalls all week for the country’s biggest foodie festival, which attracts more than 500,000 over four days at the end of August. Approximately 90% of the event is outside, with around 120 gazebos installed throughout the town centre.

Overnight and early on the morning of the first day of the event, on Friday August 23rd, Storm Lilian severely damaged or significantly displaced gazebos, tents and other events infrastructure causing Bolton Council to postpone the start of the festival.

An extensive clean-up operation was required before the site would be safe for public and traders. Clear Futures has been working with Bolton Council since 2019 as a strategic partner for buildings, infrastructure and services, and offered support to help make the festival happen.

Calling on delivery partners Robertson Facilities Management, Robertson Construction North West, Seddon and Leisure Guard, Clear Futures organised over 40 people to put right the damage to the festival site.

The team re-erected gazebos and signs, righted barriers, cleared debris and assisted traders to set up their stalls.

By the Friday evening, the clean-up and recovery operation was complete and the Festival went ahead as scheduled for the final three days.

Keith Edwards, Clear Futures’ Partnership Director said:

“Friday demonstrated the principles that drive Clear Futures, particularly ‘What’s important to you, is important to us’. I’m incredibly proud of how our supply chain came together to show that principle in action.

“Bolton is one of the best examples of partnership working I have experienced. It takes a 360-degree attitude, time, and understanding to achieve this, and how we seamlessly came together on Friday and worked as one team showed what a true partnership is capable of.”

Sue Johnson, Chief Executive – Bolton Council said:

“I want to commend Clear Futures for adapting so quickly and going the extra mile when we needed it. The members of the supply chain worked incredibly hard so our visitors could enjoy a weekend full of live music, family entertainment and great food.

“We received so much positive feedback from the traders that were heavily impacted by Storm Lillian on how we turned the site around to be back operational on Saturday.

“Without your support we would have found this difficult to achieve.

“Bolton is known for running successful events and this weekend, with the support of our staff and our partners, we proved beyond any doubt that this reputation is entirely justified.”

Jon Dyson, Director of Place – Bolton Council commented:

“The formal and informal partnerships that we have in place with Clear Futures are second to none and it was great to see so many people respond so quickly and with such enthusiasm. “You would never have known that Storm Lilian had caused so much damage.”

Find out more: our strategic partnership with Bolton Council

Clear Futures and Bolton Council have been working in partnership since 2019 to boost the town centre’s role as a key player in the Greater Manchester economy. This is coupled with a wider aspiration to attract more high-growth companies that will create the additional jobs, knowledge, skills and technology needed to compete in a global economy.

See what we’ve achieved

Exciting News for Bolton Entrepreneurs!

In anticipation of The Wellsprings innovation centre opening Autumn this year 2024 (watch this space), Business Bolton are rolling out targeted and tailored business support programmes designed to help Bolton entrepreneurs start, grow, and innovate in their businesses.

Offerings Include:

1:1 mentoring sessions
Group events and activities

With expert guidance from The Wellsprings team, you’ll gain the tools, support, and community connections necessary to achieve your business goals.
To help you build a supportive entrepreneurial community and connect with peers and experts locally and nationally.

Specifically crafted to address the unique challenges faced by Bolton businesses, the programme leverages Oxford Innovation Space’s national network of business growth specialists and utilizes proven tools and techniques to empower your business.

These events are free to attend, but spaces are limited, so be sure to register early!

More information and registration here

Creating a town centre innovation hub in Bolton

Clear Futures is breathing fresh life into a large vacant and disused 1980s Bolton town centre building – converting the seven-storey structure into a new and valuable mixed-use environment, offering retail, commercial and event space in the heart of Bolton Town Centre, for our partner Bolton Council.

Read case study

Computer graphic of Wellsprings building

Upskilling the Liverpool supply chain

In partnership with Liverpool City Council, Clear Futures is supporting the local supply chain so they can upskill their businesses.

Liverpool City Council’s Business Support Service is hosting a series of four lunchtime webinars in September for Liverpool construction companies.

LCC will be joined by Clear Futures Tier 1 Supply Chain Partners Robertson and Seddon, in addition to LRTG (Liverpool Region Training Group) and CITB (Construction Industry Training Board).

Clear Futures and our partners will provide webinars on:

Work Winning – September 18th, September 20th
BIM and Digital Construction – September 19th
Health & Safety requirements – September 16th

Find out more and register for these webinars

Clear Futures works in partnership with Liverpool City Council to strategically address their local priorities. In developing, designing, procuring, and managing the delivery of sustainable buildings, Clear Futures ensures these facilities drive positive, long-lasting change within the local community.

Delivering Special Educational Needs schools in Liverpool

Clear Futures and Liverpool Council have worked in partnership to deliver projects at pace to provide modern learning spaces for young people with special educational needs. Theexpert supply chain partners, Seddon and Robertson, completed phase 1 of this work.

Read case study

Image of interior of refurbished special educational needs school in Liverpool with sensory toys and equipment

Our strategic partnership with Liverpool

Clear Futures and Liverpool City Council began working together to deliver these education projects at pace to provide modern learning spaces for local young people. As our partnership develops, we will explore opportunities to drive net zero action and provide strategic support to the Council to support local key priorities.

Learn more about our partnership

Clear Futures supports long-term mentoring programmes for girls in Liverpool

Clear Futures is working with Girls Out Loud in Liverpool which is a social enterprise to deliver ‘The Big Sister mentoring programme’ over a 12-month period, running from 2024 to 2025. The programme provides life-changing mentoring support, focusing on themes such as personal identity, role models, career advice, improving confidence self-esteem self-respect and emotional resilience during their challenging teenage years.

hours volunteering

£5,362

Social value add

122 girls

Supported long term

Two mentors from Clear Futures strategic partners Robertson and AECOM, have volunteered to support The Big Sister Programme due to start in July 24 with girls from St Julies Catholic School in the city.

Clear Futures is committed to driving long-term social change through the work all its strategic partnerships and the aims of Girls Out Loud align perfectly with this ethos. Having someone to talk to and guide them through this frame-breaking time when their identity is taking shape, can make a huge difference to their lives in the long term.

Clear Futures Supply Chain Partner, Seddon Construction, attended the ‘Role Model Relay’ event in January 2024, which catered for up to 120 girls from St Julie’s Catholic High School in Liverpool. Inspiring female role models shared their amazing journeys and provided interaction through a structured, supportive speed mentoring format.

Watch the video below to find out more about Girls Out Loud Big Sister programme.

The Big Sister mentoring programme targets the girls who sit in the middle of the cohort and simply cruise and are in danger of becoming invisible as they are neither seriously disruptive, nor super academically gifted. They struggle to find their place and often get lost in the noise and either hide in the corner or look for validation in all the wrong places. At Girls Out Loud we understand these girls very well and believe they have the potential to be shining stars. They are the managers, leaders and entrepreneurs of the future and with some investment from a team of awesome role models to light the way they will learn to believe in themselves, find their voice, step up and shine.
Girls Out Loud

Strategic support for Special Educational Needs in Liverpool

Clear Futures and Liverpool Council have worked in partnership to deliver projects at pace to provide modern learning spaces for young people with special educational needs. Our Tier 1 suppliers delivered these projects and our work continues with the construction of new facilities in phase 2.

Read case study

Our strategic partnership with Liverpool

Clear Futures and Liverpool City Council began working together to deliver education projects at pace to provide modern learning spaces for local young people. As our partnership develops, we will explore opportunities to drive net zero action and provide strategic support to the Council to support local key priorities.

Learn more about our partnership

Wellsprings project ‘presents an excellent positive image of the industry’

The Bolton office refurbishment project underwent an assessor visit by the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), resulting in Robertson Construction North West being awarded a perfect site score.

The CCS assessor visit is conducted against the Code of Considerate Practice, comprising three categories: ‘Respect the Community’, ‘Protect the Environment’ and ‘Value their Workforce’.

Categories are scored out of 15, and of the 45 available, the team received a faultless score of 45.

Within the monitor’s report, the site was praised for presenting ‘an excellent positive image of the industry’ and for the team’s efforts in attaining spotless scores in each of the three assessed categories.

Respect the Community

The site was commended for its consideration for the local community through having regular contact with stakeholders and a social value plan that will provide benefits long after the project is complete. This includes hosting mental health talks on-site, fundraising for charities and engaging with local schools and colleges.

Protect the Environment

Utilising the Environmental Management System, the site has mitigated waste and ensured positive environmental performance of the project.

Value their Workforce

With diligent skill and safety checks, flexible individual working practices with a focus on inclusion and diversity, and excellent facilities, the assessor described ‘an excellent, well maintained and supportive workplace’.

As a responsible constructor, we ensure that the successful projects we deliver have the community, environment and our team at the fore. It is excellent that the CCS has recognised our consistent efforts and commitment of ensuring best practice. Congratulations and thank you to the Wellsprings project team.
Robertson North West Regional Managing Director Dirk Pittaway

Find out more about the project: The Wellsprings, Bolton

Bolton Central Library receives award

We are delighted to announce that the Bolton Central Library received the bronze award at the Considerate Constructors Scheme awards in Manchester.

With its reopening in January 2024, the Library has entered a new chapter following a £4.4m transformation by Robertson Group North West on behalf of Clear Futures.

The Grade II-listed building now provides new creative and cultural spaces that modernise and adapt it to meet changing user requirements and serve the wider needs of the community.

Congratulations to all the teams involved for their contributions. It’s great to see the library being recognised on a regional level.

Find out more about the project