Heritage sites

Turbine House at Margam Park

Neath Port Talbot Council and CADW worked in partnership to aid in the reinstatement of a 100 year old Hydroelectric System and Turbine House at Margam Park. The Turbine will generate onsite renewable electricity. In addition, the Country Park will improve its carbon performance and become an exemplar of hydroelectric power for environmental education.

The project was undertaken in 2 phases: Acanthus Holden, Conservation Architects, were appointed to develop a restoration scheme for the abandoned and derelict Turbine House, and once the design was finalised and Planning approval and Listed Building consent was granted, the project was competitively tendered successfully by building contractors David A Siggery Ltd, Conservation Builders from Carmarthen.

The building restoration included roof repairs, replacement windows and doors, a bat roost, the installation of utilities and services and internal refurbishment.

On completion of the building refurbishment, Heidra Ltd, Mechanical Engineers who specialise in Renewable Energy projects, were appointed to oversee the design and delivery of the hydroelectric scheme and refurbishment of the existing turbine.

The turbine is powered by water which is fed from the fish pond, through an underground pipe that runs all the way down to the turbine house.

The Turbine House will provide a workshop, office and exhibition space for the Friends of Margam Park, who will welcome visitors to the facility and provide information on the history of the park, archaeology displays, archive material and facilitate demonstrations of the working turbine installation and interact with the electronic energy displays.