A £2 million lottery grant has been awarded to restore the gardens of Highbury Hall, once the home of political icon Joseph Chamberlain. While hopes remain for a full mansion restoration, Birmingham City Council's financial crisis means wider plans are still on hold.
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00:01Bright here in Moseley stands Highbury Hall, a grand great-to-listed mansion with a legacy that helped shape modern Birmingham.
00:09It was the family home of Joseph Chamberlain, one of the most influential figures in the city's history.
00:15A reformer, a builder, a man who arguably turned Birmingham into Britain's first truly modern city.
00:21His sons went on to become Chancellor and Prime Minister, but while the Chamberlain's legacy looms large, their home has not fared so well.
00:29Last year big hopes were dashed when plans to fully restore the house stalled.
00:33The Chamberlain Highbury Trust had a vision to open it up as a visitor attraction, a community space, a symbol of local pride.
00:41But the council couldn't match the funding needed. Financial pressures, they said.
00:45Reality, some might argue, after all this is a local authority deep in crisis, brought low by equal pay liabilities, failed IT systems and a general sense of chaos.
00:56But the story didn't end there. A £2 million grant from the National Heritage Lottery Fund has been secured to restore the Victorian gardens.
01:04The grounds, once a showpiece of 19th century landscape design, are now being brought back to life.
01:10Paths, ponds, plants all be turned to their former glory. It's a step forward and more than just a facelift.
01:16The hope now is to use this progress as a springboard. While the gardeners get to work, the Trust is preparing a fresh bid for mansion funding.
01:25Another crack at the lottery. Another round of fundraising. A lot of patience.
01:30Because if the house follows the gardens, Highbury could become more than just a local landmark.
01:35It could be a cultural asset for the whole city and a rare symbol of civic ambition in an era where that's in short supply.
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