Consultant Brief: Activity Planner, Benton End Revived
Jobs
The Garden Museum is seeking an experienced Activity Planner to collaborate with a team of consultants on the renewal and redevelopment of Benton End, a Grade II* listed Tudor property with significant artistic, horticultural, and social heritage. The goal is to transform Benton End into a vibrant, accessible, and sustainable arts and learning centre, reimagining the radical spirit of Sir Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines’s art school and garden legacy.
This commission covers the Development Phase of a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported capital project. The Activity Planner will collaborate closely with the client, stakeholders and wider consultant team throughout.
This opportunity is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players.
Please refer to the consultancy brief (job description) and appendices for further information about the project requirements.
Application Requirements
Please supply the following by 5pm on Monday 11 May 2026.
- Illustrated examples of recent Heritage Fund Activity Plans at an equivalent level of complexity and heritage significance
- CV(s) demonstrating relevant experience and examples of previous projects
- Fee proposal for Development Phase
- Outline methodology and approach
- At least 2 references from comparable heritage or arts capital projects
- Confirmation of insurance (minimum £1 million Professional Indemnity and £1 million Public/Employers Liability cover, or ability and willingness to obtain)
The following clarifying questions were received by the deadline. The response to each question is given directly after it:
Q1. What staffing / support is there at Benton End to deliver the consultation and pilot projects?
R1. We anticipate that the pilot projects will be delivered by staff and volunteers. We will recruit new volunteers to support delivery. There is also the team at Garden Museum who will support this. The expectation would be that the Activity Planner would not deliver all of them but would support the delivery.
Q2. Are you anticipating that the £5,000 allocated for the Pilot Projects is in a budget that is held by you?
R2. Yes, Benton End would hold the budget.
Q3. Have you appointed a project manager?
R3. At the time of asking the Project Manager brief was out. It closed on Monday 27 April. We hope they will be in place by end of May.
Q4. Are you appointing an Interpretation Designer? When would they start?
R4. Yes. We are currently finalising brief and hope it will go out in next few weeks.
Q5. In the tender evaluation it says: ‘Proven example(s) of recent, similar work at an equivalent level of complexity and heritage significance (25%). Page limit of 4 sides of A4, including any supporting imagery. Please note this will represent the first sift and tenderers not meeting this requirement will not progress further.’ – are case studies are acceptable?
R5. Yes.
Q6. For the CVs is that 2 pages for each CV or 2 pages in total for the CVs?
R6. Per person.
Q7. Do you anticipate doing interviews – if so online or in person?
R7. We may interview for clarifications and ideally these will be in person.
Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players
