2022 Speculation and CBeebies Land additions

At first glance I thought this said Peter Rabbit: Sub Terra

 

That would be quite a ride, in all fairness easy mistake to make.

 

Sorry for the double posting didn't see the one I am replying to until afterwards.

Your right though @s_g_k the park really do seem to be heading in the right direction with these little improvments. It obviously signals that the new owners do want the place to change and do care about it (even if it is for financial reasons).

If it's a sign of things to come then I would be very pleased as this sort of little thing is what the park really needs and will really improve the place. Realistically, if Alton Towers can get back to the quality it had before with enough F&B and other outlets with the little things cared for and the guest experience coming first. We could be looking at a really good session next year and in the years to come. But only time will tell.

 

Is it sad that I'm more excited about the prospect of something happening with the Swiss Cottage and TS Bar and Grill than any of the other future stuff being speculated?

 

Not at all, they are both f&b units that the park desperately needs, not to mention historic!

 

Not at all. It just confirms that the last thing Alton Towers needs is a new headline attraction that saps all financial resource away from the things that are literally rotting away.

 

Playing devils advocate here regarding the Swiss Cottage.

There is no legal obligation to keep a grade 2 listed building in good shape. But owners are encouraged too. Local authorities can and do intervene if they believe the state of a building is at risk of deteriorating. The most extreme end of that spectrum being an urgent repair notice being served.

So basically there is an unwritten obligation to maintain grade 2 listed structures, but it is down to the discretion of the local authorities. Given the nature of Alton Towers, I would imagine they would want this building preserved, something this planning application seems to show it doing.

But, it only lists repair and making good work. Grade 2 listed status applies to the inside too, if they were planning on using it for something, I am sure they would need planning permissions of some sort for the inside, of which there is none. Fairly substantial work would need to be carried out inside too for it to be used for anything, as it is in a bad state, this would need planning permission. This says to me, the repair work being carried out is just that. Repair work. Work to keep the structure from detonating even further.

I could be wrong and I hope I am, I would love to see something there. But there is nothing in the application that supports this, and it would need to be in their due to its listed status.

 

My thoughts exactly mate. A new gimmick laden coaster doesn't interest me in the slightest at the moment when I see the park like it is. It's all these little to medium things the park needs to improve standards.

Especially important the Swiss Cottage to you. Great story about your grandfather.

 

Work to put the interior back to how it was does not need planning permission, or instruction from English Heritage, as long as honest like for like repairs are done.

 

That's how I read it too. If you read the Design, Access & Heritage Statement document (which is actually quite interesting for a planning document!) it talks about what's happened to the building in 2019:

I see this planning application as just as repairs to what happened in 2019 and to make the building safe, secure and weatherproof again.

There is a line in there that makes me think some people are jumping the gun when it comes to what is being planned for the building:

So we have to assume there are no immediate plans yet - not until these repairs are completed anyway.

 

I agree but if they are planning to use it as a modern food and beverage outlet, will it not need some modern alterations, which would mean some sort of planning applications so that the interior complies with modern regulations even though the majority of it is being put back to it's original form. Using it as a modern restaurant will not be putting it back exactly to how it was, just mostly to how it was, depending on how much they modify it. It is this mostly bit that would require the planning permission.

It even says in the heratige statement in the application, that there are possible future uses for a food and beverage unit or museum, but there are no plans currently in place. If they were planning to open it up next year, they would say so in the application, but they have specifically said they are not doing that. I do not think they are going to lie to heratige England and the local authorities.

What this does do however, is as Alton Towers said themselves, opens the door for future uses. Making the structure good now, means less work needs to be done in the future if and when they decide to do something with it. Something that is pretty much mirrored in Alton Towers own words in the application

I just saw that as you posted it! And @Steve74 did too. So yeah I agree they are doing more than I needed..so it does open up for future use. But also leaves them enough room if plans change and they decide not too, as loads of money beyond the make good part has not been spent.

 

I’m sure that grade 2 listing only requires you to apply for planning for exterior works only. It’s only grade 1 listed buildings that require internal planning permission and interior work to be carried out in a particular way that was typical of the period that the building was built in. That’s why living in a grade 1 listed building is a right pain in the ar*e. Essentially, they can do whatever they want with the inside as long as it doesn’t impact the exterior building

 

It could be the operators box for the cross valley woodie.

 

However, if they were to use it as a restaurant or whatever, would it be exactly how it was? in order to comply with modern regulations regarding food and fire safety ect? I doubt it would be exactly to how it was, just similar for this reason. Some modifications would be needed. Needing permission of some sort. That is how I see it anyway.

While it would be nice being a restaurant. I would equally love a museum there. Alton Towers public archives anyone?

 

Nah mate, it's a B&M hyper and the plan is to have the turnaround section run right through the middle of it and use the remains of the building as a head chopper. You heard it here first.

 

I couldn't really see over the fence to know what is/isn't there in Cbeebies, it was a stretch to get my phone over.

I do quite like the hoarding though with the chalkboards for kids. Although obviously, some rascals have gotten to it and scrawled the word boobies and other such comments on them...