The Stowe House Preservation Trust (SHPT) has appointed The Continuum Group to examine how it can increase visitor numbers.

Stowe House, in Buckinghamshire, an 18th century property, has seen little investment over the past 100 years, but in 1997, the SHPT was established to secure funding and restore the house and gardens to their original splendour.

The Trust has begun implementing a £36m, six-phase programme of restoration.

The first phase, the restoration of the north front and colonnades, was completed in 2002.

The second phase, being led by The Continuum Group’s design and build division, Past Forward, will now focus on increasing public access to the house and improving visitor numbers by examining how to interpret and enhance the interior visitor facilities and integrate the house with the gardens – which are being restored by the National Trust.

The phase will also include restoring the roofs over the central pavilion of the house, the south portico and steps and the conservation of the Marble Saloon.

The work has been largely funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Stage two of the development is expected to be completed by May 2005, with the further phases completing by 2008.