A PROJECT to restore one of Bude’s iconic structures has been recognised on the national stage.

In 2023, the Compass Point Project was launched, an ambitious scheme which would see Bude’s historic Storm Tower dismantled and meticulously rebuilt after it had been relocated in an effort to maintain it for years to come. Now, two years later, the project is complete and is being recognised at prestigious national award ceremonies.

The project, which was led by Bude-Stratton Town Council, has received national recognition after being shortlisted in the Heritage category at the RICS UK Awards 2025, which celebrate the most inspirational projects in land, real estate, construction, and infrastructure across the country.

Sitting among the cream of the crop, the project has been praised by judges for the “tremendous rescue of an extremely important part of Cornwall’s built environment”. In their feedback, they commended the work to save the structure from coastal erosion and restore it “so impeccably”.

A spokesperson from Bude-Stratton Town Council said: “Although the project did not take home the top prize, being shortlisted among the UK’s most outstanding heritage projects highlights the exceptional work and dedication involved in safeguarding Bude’s historic Storm Tower.”

Built in 1835 as a coastguard lookout, the tower - affectionately known as the “Pepper Pot” - had become dangerously close to the cliff edge due to coastal erosion. In 2023, Bude-Stratton Town Council led an ambitious conservation effort to dismantle, move, and rebuild the 100-tonne Grade II Listed structure 100 metres inland, stone by stone.

The project was funded in part by Cornwall Council, as well as being supported by a £300,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, however, most notably, the area’s residents dug deep into their pockets in an effort to support the campaign, showing incredible generosity by raising an impressive £60,000 in just 56 days through a Crowdfunder campaign.

Cornwall councillor and councillor for Bude-Stratton Town Council, Peter La Broy, who attended the awards said: “We didn’t win, but it was fantastic to see Bude up on the big stage, recognised among the top heritage preservation projects in the UK. To be shortlisted for a national RICS Heritage Award is a huge achievement in itself and something everyone involved should be proud of. The Compass Point Project shows what can be accomplished when a community comes together with determination and care to protect its heritage. The Storm Tower now stands as a lasting symbol of that shared effort.”

Such an ambitious project, the scheme brought on board a number experts in their field, including Sally Strachey Historic Conservation, Trevor Humphreys Associates, Richard Gowan Consulting, Studio Arc, and the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, with coordination by Bude-Stratton Town Council’s project manager Francesca Churchill-Zerilli.

A spokesperson from Bude-Stratton Town Council said: “Bude-Stratton Town Council extends its thanks to all those who contributed to the success of the project - funders, contractors, volunteers, and the community - whose passion ensured the Storm Tower continues to stand proudly on the Cornish coastline.”