Plans unveiled for new events space at King’s Foundation headquarters

Plans have been unveiled for a new events space at the headquarters of The King’s Foundation, which was set up by Charles more than 35 years ago.

The development – which is named The King’s Hall in honour of the monarch – will add a 430sqm extension to the east wing of Dumfries House in Cumnock, East Ayrshire.

The single-storey extension includes a 282sqm public hall and will cater for events of up to 200 guests.

The foundation said it wants it to become the “go-to venue for high-end, luxury weddings and private events” both nationally and internationally.

Set to open in 2027, the structure is intended to match the architecture of the 300-year-old house and will be built using the same techniques using locally-sourced materials.

It is also intended to showcase the charity’s principles of “harmony and sustainability”, and will be heated using newly-installed heat pumps and biomass boilers while menus will be made up of organic food and locally-sourced produce.

The foundation said proceeds from ticketed events and venue hire will support the conservation and development of the house and estate, as well as the foundation’s education programmes and community initiatives.

Gordon Neil, executive director of The King’s Foundation, said: “The most important thing for The King’s Foundation, given our education programmes in architecture and heritage craft skills, was to produce a building that incorporated traditional crafts and locally-sourced building materials.

“We’ve used a local quarry to mine the stone and utilised the same building techniques as those used to build Dumfries House 300 years ago while also incorporating newer techniques and elements that we need to include to meet today’s building standards.

“The King’s Hall will be a true testament to the impact of His Majesty on Dumfries House and the vital education and employment it provides.”

Dumfries House was built between 1754 and 1759 for William Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries, with Robert Adam the lead architect.

It was extended through east and west wing extensions in 1890 by Robert Weir-Schultz and the house along with all of its contents was bought for the foundation with the King’s help in 2007.

Mr Neil added: “Upon completion of this sympathetic new extension, we can say that Dumfries House has been built by three major influences in British architectural history – Adam in the 18th century, Weir-Schultz in the 19th century, and King Charles III during his reign.”

The new space will enable The King’s Foundation to host five or six large-scale events each week, compared to the current average of one or two due to space restrictions.

Evan Samson, general manager of Dumfries House, said the development represents an “exciting time” for the charity.

“One of the challenges for us in recent years, within this beautiful house, has been the lack of a large-scale events and entertainment space that is in keeping with the aesthetic and atmosphere of such an historic building,” he said.

“This new venue will give us a unique offering that will become part of the house, appointed and furnished to luxury standard, and sufficiently versatile to host a broad range of events.

“It opens doors for us to entertain so many more types of events and cater for so many people.”

The first phase of plans for The King’s Hall was granted approval by East Ayrshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland.

The first events in The King’s Hall will be held in July 2027.