Bude-Stratton Town Council’s Compass Point Project has received national recognition after being shortlisted in the Heritage category at the RICS UK Awards 2025, which celebrate the most inspirational projects in land, real estate, construction, and infrastructure across the country.
Although the project did not take home the top prize, being shortlisted among the UK’s most outstanding heritage projects highlights the exceptional work and dedication involved in safeguarding Bude’s historic Storm Tower.
Built in 1835 as a coastguard lookout, the tower—affectionately known as the “Pepper Pot”—had become dangerously close to the cliff edge due to coastal erosion. In 2023, Bude-Stratton Town Council led an ambitious conservation effort to dismantle, move, and rebuild the 100-tonne Grade II Listed structure 100 metres inland, stone by stone. The project successfully preserved an iconic part of Bude’s skyline and heritage for future generations.
The project was made possible thanks to the generosity of the community, who raised £60,000 in just 56 days through a Crowdfunder campaign, and funding from Cornwall Council. The project was supported by a £300,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.
Cornwall Councillor and Councillor for Bude-Stratton Town Council, Peter La Broy, who attended the awards said:
“We didn’t win, but it was fantastic to see Bude up on the big stage, recognised among the top heritage preservation projects in the UK. To be shortlisted for a national RICS Heritage Award is a huge achievement in itself and something everyone involved should be proud of. The Compass Point Project shows what can be accomplished when a community comes together with determination and care to protect its heritage. The Storm Tower now stands as a lasting symbol of that shared effort.”
The project was delivered with the expertise of Sally Strachey Historic Conservation, Trevor Humphreys Associates, Richard Gowan Consulting, Studio Arc, and the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, with coordination by Bude-Stratton Town Council’s project manager Francesca Churchill-Zerilli.
Bude-Stratton Town Council extends its thanks to all those who contributed to the success of the project—funders, contractors, volunteers, and the community—whose passion ensured the Storm Tower continues to stand proudly on the Cornish coastline.
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