PROJECT
ENNISKILLEN WORKHOUSE ENTRANCE BLOCK
ENNISKILLEN WORKHOUSE TRANSFORMED INTO HERITAGE ASSET
QMAC COMPLETE £2.3M+ RESTORATION OF ICONIC ENNISKILLEN BUILDING…
Q MAC Construction Ltd was entrusted with the sensitive heritage restoration of the Enniskillen Workhouse Entrance Block. Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, in partnership with South West College, secured funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the £2.3m+ restoration project. It comprised demolition of unsympathetic extensions, the installation of a new passenger lift and stair extension, a new, glazed roof covering to a courtyard, as well as sensitive conservation work. The Grade B2 listed Victorian building, now part of Erne Campus, has been repurposed as a heritage centre and
KEY CHALLENGES The conservation work was carefully conducted using the principle of minimal intervention in accordance with BS 7913:2013 Guide to the Conservation of Historic Buildings, while retaining the original fabric and features, where appropriate. For example, pointing of stone/repair of pointing was carried out in lime, and a sample of new casement was submitted for approval prior to full procurement. A key aim was to ensure the building envelope, as well as the external and structural walls, remained weathertight as they are made from lime. Exposing these elements would have resulted
business enterprise hub. The ground floor has been redeveloped as mixed-use exhibition, reminiscence and display space. The first-floor space has been revitalised as a state-of-the-art hub for business innovation and enterprise. Throughout the restoration work, a dedicated heritage skills and education programme enabled more than 100 local craftspeople and contractors to benefit from accredited training in heritage skills, and 12 apprenticeships were created. Kevin Boggs, a bursary holder on the programme who worked on the project, was a finalist in the Construction Employers Federation (CEF) Apprentice of the Year Award 2022.
“…an excellent example of how an old building can be restored to become an asset to a local community.”
24 | NI BUILDER
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