AEW wins planning for Southend-on-Sea Museum

MANCHESTER-based AEW Architects has secured planning permission for its design of the new Southend-on-Sea Museum.
 
The project, which overlooks the Thames Estuary, was initially awarded to AEW in a three-stage competition process in March 2009, and was born from the requirement to unify the current five branches of Southend-on-Sea’s museum service.
 
Following AEW’s appointment to the scheme, the practice undertook a comprehensive series of public and stakeholder consultations to understand the background, culture and role of each branch and the proposed unification of their services. The planning aplication was submitted to the Borough Council in January last year.
 
Steve Burne, managing director at AEW, said: “Having spent a great deal of time on the design and consultation process to ensure that the museum was fitting for its prominent, historic location, we now look forward to the next phase of this exciting project.”
 
The museum includes four galleries, educational areas, cafe, restaurant, shop and a planetarium, and has been designed to be virtually fully submerged within the historic Cliffs Gardens.