Colchester’s ‘Jumbo’ water tower is being turned into a visitor attraction.

Sir Robert McAlpine Special Projects has been appointed to lead the restoration of the Balkerne water tower in Colchester, known locally as Jumbo.

The Grade II* listed structure, decommissioned in 1984, is to become a fully accessible destination venue with visitor experience and restaurant. The aim is to produce a commercially viable operation which pays for the building’s upkeep once it has been restored.

Sir Robert McAlpine Special Projects has been appointed to the project by North Essex Heritage, which secured a 150-year lease on the building in 2021. The client team includes Purcell and Focus Consultants.

 The scheme has backing from UK government funding, Colchester City Council, Historic England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The tower, finished in 1883, was designed by borough engineer Charles Clegg and built by Everett & Sons builders of Hythe Hill, Colchester at a cost of £11,138, using 1,250,000 locally produced bricks and 142 tonnes of cast iron. The tank was supplied by AG Mumford, which had an iron foundry of Culver Street in Colchester. Standing 131ft 5in high (40.05 metres), it is the tallest surviving Victorian municipal water tower in England.

Jumbo remained in operation until 1984 when it was decommissioned by Anglian Water. A succession of private owners then proposed schemes for its use until in 2021 it was leased to North Essex Heritage.

Source: The Construction Index

London Build is the UK's largest and leading construction show. Featuring 450+ Exhibitors, 750+ Speakers across 12 CPD Conference Stages, 38,000+ Registered Attendees, 20+ Networking Parties, Meet the Buyers, DJs, entertainment and so much more. Don’t miss out on free tickets. Register now