New lease of life for Repair Shop show in South Downs

December 20, 2021

It’s an award-winning show bringing one of the National Park’s most historic settings to the lounges of millions of viewers around the UK.

Now the future of the hit BBC show The Repair Shop is more secure after planning consent was granted for temporary production facilities for a period of up to five years.

The show has been filmed in Court Barn at the Weald and Downland Living Museum, near Chichester, since 2017.

There is currently a group of modular units to the west of the barn used by the production crew that do not benefit from consent and their modern appearance results in a visual impact on the landscape.

The museum is set in the northeastern corner of the West Dean Park and Garden – a site dating back to 1622 when the original manor house was built by James Lewkenor.

The applicant’s report read: “The museum would like to provide more suitable facilities for the production team who are looking to continue with filming over the next five years and are keen to ensure that the facilities are economical, functional, but equally well designed and located so as to have the least impact on the protected landscape possible.”

The new units will be placed in a similar location to the existing temporary units, but will be arranged around a courtyard designed more sympathetically to the traditional character of the museum and listed park and garden.

Case Officer Sabrina Robinson said: “The site falls within the Whole Estate Plan for West Dean, and it’s considered that this development is in line with the Whole Estate Plan as it is continuing to provide financial stability to the Weald and Downland Living Museum. This in turn provides significant employment opportunities within the Whole Estate Plan area.”

The planning permission lasts for five years or until the production of The Repair Shop ends.