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Planning application

@Kraken27 is correct, they did work without permission and have now applied after the work started / completed. Basically what they’ve done internally they intend to leave in place all year round instead of dismantling it after scarefest with exception to some things below.

New walls to be timber stud propped, braced or weighted into position in a reversible manner. Where indicated on the plans this new reversible walling can remain in-situ permanently.

It is the intention to retain the Theming where it does not affect external views detrimentally. Theming is to be removed on the Heritage Route and the Bridge exit from Sub Species.
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Yes, cheeky business from Towers, it looks as if they've been caught closing the site early in order to accommodate Scarefest? I imagine the promise of an extended 'Heritage Route' is something of a bargaining chip.

Odd that Sub-Species is mentioned here, given that it's had it's time, by all accounts?
 
Looks quite interesting with the continued mention of the heritage tour and the opening of new rooms to the public like the West Library and State bedrooms.
Any further access to the towers is a positive for me.

It also good that they given an exact date from when the towers will be closed to the public, I swear it keeps getting earlier and earlier each year when they shut the towers.
 
Plastic Person said:
Yes, cheeky business from Towers, it looks as if they've been caught closing the site early in order to accommodate Scarefest? I imagine the promise of an extended 'Heritage Route' is something of a bargaining chip.

Odd that Sub-Species is mentioned here, given that it's had it's time, by all accounts?
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Its not always because the company are being cheeky or got caught. Sometimes the planning officers will say something doesn’t require planning permission at first and then they change their advice. Or a planning advisor gives bad advice to a company.

Planning law is complicated, there isn’t always sinister intent. And Towers gain nothing from not putting in an application.

When you read this I think the retroactive part of the plan is simply because they are wanting the council to weigh in on a plan to likely satisfy English Heritage on access to the ruins, and as the plan references existing mazes they need to retroactively pull some of that detail into the application.
 
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I interpret this in two ways, the first one being an application so they can keep the non intrusive Scarefest stuff like a permanent attraction (although operating seasonally) and the second being more access for guests around the Towers as whenever I've been around the Towers themselves, it always seems to be heavily restricted going in and out the ladyship's gardens rather than a set route around them.

Maybe their planning on also giving more access around the Towers so they can advertise it as something else to do for guests and maybe even opening the Towers/Gardens over the offseason like they did in May - July of this year and a similar situation where hotel guests in the winter get to experience the Gardens this year for Christmas, slightly off-setting the losses over the off-season. I'd love to see the park open for just the Gardens and Towers as it has a completely different atmosphere for being more like an actual Heritage site than an actual theme park with guests being there just to chill, walk the gardens and even play games on the front lawns rather than going mad on roller coasters.
 
English Heritage have been aware of the scare mazes for years, there's no cloak and dagger relationship with using the ruins for Scarefest. Alton Towers haven't been 'caught out' doing something they shouldnt (they'd be fined). The heritage consultants have been appointed by Alton Towers for this planning application to give their advice.

It seems it's just a two-way deal to open more of the Towers to the public (the alterations needed for that to happen), in return for taking over the previously open floors for The Attic and leaving more of the mazes up year-round. For all we know this was always the plan.

The mazes dont need planning permission being temporary installations that dont interact with the ruins (just concrete floors), in space already designated public access. But maybe to leave them up year round they are applying for permission. Planning can be very complicated!

The only thing close to 'wrong doing' seems to be a question raised about the bridge/containers exiting from Sub Species, that it might be an inappropriate use of the ruins because it's unsightly and visible from outside. Perhaps we won't see these in future then
 
This email from the Conservation Officer has been added to the public documents available for this planning application.

http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=257980

As you can see they aren’t too pleased. It is interesting that the objections, such as the bridge for exiting the scaremazes and closing the Towers for such a long period of time each year are things that have been happening for years and clearly the council have somehow been unaware of this?

Seems the park might have shot themselves in the foot with this one.
 
AT86 said:
This email from the Conservation Officer has been added to the public documents available for this planning application.

http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=257980

As you can see they aren’t too pleased. It is interesting that the objections, such as the bridge for exiting the scaremazes and closing the Towers for such a long period of time each year are things that have been happening for years and clearly the council have somehow been unaware of this?

Seems the park might have shot themselves in the foot with this one.
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I doubt they are unaware, but might not have had the opportunity to formally, publicly object.
 
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