The South Downs Eco Lodge

The Latest News

Thank you to all those who have contributed to our fundraising. So far we have raised all the funds needed to enable us to commit to a contract for the first phase of works. If funds and circumstances allow, we hope to commit to a contract for the second phase and complete the transformation by the end of 2020.

We have already raised £1,264,276 of the £1,300,000 and with the help of our supporters, events and grants are confident of reaching our total of £1,300,000 to complete the second phase. We will then be raising further funds for furniture and fittings. If you can help us by making a donation, small or large, please click below.

The Eco Renovation is complete!

As many of our regular visitors, supporters and friends will know, half of our Eco Lodge has been eagerly awaiting transformation since we took over the site in 1995.

Building works started in March 2020 and the site was handed back to us in March 2021

As turns out the lockdown period was a great opportunity to the building works,  minimising disruption to our visitors. The project at the end of the car park was dubbed 'Hope'  during a very hard time for us, when the main site was closed and much of our learning programme suspended.

We have really enjoyed welcoming our first guests, a new team of staff to host visitors and campers.

We have produced a PDF which is downloadable from the link below that tells the full story and shows how this project is leading the way as an exemplar for eco-retrofit projects.

South Downs Eco Lodge 

RENOVATION Photo Diary

​As many of our regular visitors will know, one wing of our ​eco-hostel (formerly an accommodation block for HMS Mercury) has been awaiting transformation since 1995. We have decided that it deserves to take priority in our building transformation programme. It will enable us to offer residential courses to bigger school groups and adult courses. It will also offer an ensuite accommodation option for eco-tourism. 
 
This new wing has 11 new ensuite rooms; a specially fitted room for wheelchair users; a ‘changing places’ toilet; a kitchen, a breakfast/living room and a staff flat.

​The outside is clad with western red cedar from a local plantation extensive arrays of solar PV panels provide electricity and a ground-source heat pump contribute to a huge an overall carbon saving.