Dreamland Margate: General Discussion

[Sam]

Bit of speedy back-story first. Dreamland closed in 2005. The Scenic Railway was listed Grade II in 2002, and was upgraded to Grade II* in 2011. This means it can't be knocked down, basically. Unfortunately, 25% of it was destroyed in a fire in 2008. Since then, a Thanet Council have wanted the site to be handed over to the Dreamland Trust, who plan on building a heritage theme park on it, and restoring Dreamland to its former glory.

Unfortunately, the current owners don't want to give it up easily, and the council had to launch a Compulsory Purchase Order, which held a public hearing earlier this year. The result of the CPO is expected in the next few months. Realising they had no hope as it was, the current owners revised their plans for the site to include a mix of housing and heritage, keeping the Scenic but little else.

To bring us up to date, here is an ITV News video story about the current owners revised plans to try and keep their greedy hands on Dreamland. Spotted by Martyn B on CF.

Very worrying stuff. Keep your fingers crossed for the council and the Save Dreamland trust.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Sad news indeed, though TBH, I had given up on this project ever happening years ago

 

[MiserableMonkey]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfEf5toNXi4[/youtube]

Wow! How up-his-own-backside is this guy?! I'd love to see his plans fail just for his lack of morals!

 

[Thomas]

I recently took a trip to Margate, I know I'm an enthusiast, but in my eyes Margate needs an amusement park. All of the surrounding shops were either charity shops, boarded up or large chain stores which themselves face an uncertain future. A vintage Amusement park would provide jobs and a much needed development catalyst. Housing in my eyes certainly wouldn't suit the area, bring jobs or even benefit the community. Only the developers would benefit from large profits from the housing built.

I just wish they'd get this off the ground sooner rather than later.

 

[Sam]

According to the August edition of the Save Dreamland newsletter, the "Urgent Works to the Grade 2* Listed Cinema Building are now near completion (later this month)" and the group are expecting the decision on the CPO sometime this month.

 

[Tom]

I re

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfEf5toNXi4[/youtube]

Wow! How up-his-own-backside is this guy?! I'd love to see his plans fail just for his lack of morals!

I realise that this may reinforce a view that some people already have of me, but I don't find that man to be particularly arrogant?

 

[Sam]

It’s been an eventful day talking to London Olympic Games journalists at the Walpole Bay Hotel in Margate then meeting the M&D and East Kent Bus Club to finalise their 60th anniversary plans to bring their heritage buses to Margate for a unique photo opportunity outside the Dreamland Cinema at mid-day then onto the Harbour arm around 12.30pm. Hope to see you there!

At least if they don't win the CPO they can claim the World's Longest Sentence record...

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19296678

 

[Sam]

YES!

I'm over the moon, I really am.

Tweets from DreamlandLive only make it more delicious:

"We are very disappointed with today's outcome from TDC. We're convinced our plan is the only viable, sustainable way forward for #Dreamland"

"#Dreamland #Margate needs the right mix of entertainment space funded by much-needed quality housing. This is key to the area’s regeneration"

"We’ll be assessing the details of TDC’s #Dreamland report with our legal team in the coming weeks and responding more fully in due course"

Now get 'orf our property!

 

[QTXAdsy]

Well, it's taken quite sometime for them, but good things come to those who wait! ;D

 

[Danny]

Margate's Dreamland compulsory purchase order approved

Thanet council has £10m to create an amusement park of historical rides Continue reading the main story

The authority wants to turn the site into a £10m heritage park with historical rides and sideshows.

The secretary of state for communities and local government gave approval for the compulsory purchase of Dreamland following a public inquiry.

The current owners DreamlandLive objected to the sale, saying the council's plan was not affordable.

DreamlandLive's plan involved building 400 homes, as well as restoring the Grade II*-listed Scenic Railway around a fun park and a digital media studio.

The two competing visions of the site were aired during a public inquiry in January.

Margate artist Tracey Emin said it was "the best news Margate could ever have - and about time".

She added: "All of Margate has been campaigning for this. Now it's finally happening. Dreamland says it all."

'National significance'
Councillor Clive Hart, Labour leader of Thanet District Council, said: "I'm thrilled with today's announcement.

"This is a key step to unlocking the regeneration of the Dreamland site and means we can start to move in the right direction, in partnership with the Dreamland Trust, to progress the future of the site, which has been vacant for a significant amount of time."

The park will be run by the Dreamland Trust, which will be given the site by the council for a peppercorn rent once the title to the land has been secured.

Nick Laister, who chairs the trust, said: "The Dreamland Trust is delighted that the secretary of state has backed our plans to reopen Dreamland as a major seaside visitor attraction of regional and national significance.

"The residents and businesses of Thanet, and its many existing and future visitors, have waited far too long for work on this project to start.

"The Dreamland Trust is ready to make a start on site and we hope to have stage one of the project fully open by easter 2014."

 

[WillPS]

Right of appeal or owt like that?

Good stuff anyway. Noticed the date has slipped back again to 2014.

 

[Sam]

Dreamland hires top designers

The Dreamland trust have awarded the design and branding project of the Dreamland to Hemingwayy Design. The famous married duo Wayne and Gerardine, who launched the Red or Dead brand, will carry out the task of branding the new park.

"Having visited Margate over the past few months and seen the grassroots creative revolution that is taking place we are thrilled, nay cock a hoop at the potential of the place and can’t wait to get stuck in." Says Hemingway.

The park is due to open in 2014, with a soft opening in 2013 of a visitor centre, activities for locals, etc.

Hopefully Hemingway Design will be able to bring a new look to this vintage park.

More information here.

If this has the visuals of their other projects, I can definitely see it instantly becoming the world's most stylish, tasteful and trendy park.

 

[Adam James]

I can definitely see it instantly becoming the world's most stylish, tasteful and trendy park.

If there are no fountains, I will be sorely disappointed. :'(

 

[Thomas]

This looks like it's going to be great. It's odd to see Camelot close as these guys start up, but as they say every cloud has a silver lining.

 

[Sam]

Highlights from the new Dreamland Trust newsletter:

PROJECT UP-DATE
The current Dreamland site owner, Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company Ltd, has lodged its anticipated appeal against Thanet District Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order, which was approved by the Secretary of State last August. We are currently awaiting a date for the hearing. In the meantime the council continues to have access to the site to carry out safeguarding works under Urgent Works Notices to prevent further deterioration to the site’s listed, heritage assets after years of neglect - the next of which is urgent work to the historic Compton cinema organ. Meanwhile the Heritage Lottery Fund has granted us permission to start work – over the coming months this will include:

 Branding and design
 Off-site rides restoration
 Events and attractions prospectus
 Pre-opening programming
 Continued archive building
 Developing a visual document
 On-going funding strategy
 Continued learning and engagement activities
 Events
 Formation of a Dreamland Cinema Trust

RIDES UPDATE
Over the summer months we have been in discussion with Michael Smith at the Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre in Devon, who has agreed to come on board as the Historic Rides Consultant. Michael brings a wealth of knowledge in the preservation of historic rides through his association with The Fairground Heritage Trust and industry links with Carter’s Steam Fair and historic ride
restorer, David Littleboy. David has been assisting us with the acquistion of additonal historic rides to complement our historic rides collection currently in storage. With the 1920 Grade II* listed Scenic Railway as the park’s centre piece, Dreamland’s permanent historic rides collection will be supported by guest rides and sideshows whilst playing host to visiting attractions, exhibition, events and festivals throughout the year.

If you're not already signed up, it's well worth being on the monthly newsletter mailing list.

I can't see it mentioned anywhere on their site, so dash them off an e-mail at [email protected]

 

[Lordy]

I am so excited for this, but the appeal is always going to be in the back of my mind...

 

[Sam]

From December's Dreamland Trust newsletter:

PROJECT UP-DATE
Last month Jacobs Engineers returned to the Dreamland site to complete a survey on the condition
of the Scenic Railway and Japanese Knotweed was removed from underneath the structure.

Thanet District Council has now lodged a request for an expedited hearing of the CPO judicial
review - if this is approved we may have a hearing date early next year.

The Urgent Works to the cinema building’s concrete windows to the Hall by the Sea elevation
completes this month with immediate plans to carry on with Urgent Works to the cinema’s
Compton organ.

Japanese Knotweed for the LOSS! It seems like they can't start major reconstruction work on the Scenic until the judicial review by Dreamland Live has been denied, which worries me a lot, but it's good to see them doing little bits and pieces. Hopefully the Scenic will be beautiful again, and not look how it did when I rode it in 2005.

 

[BigAl]

An article from the Guardian regarding the fate of the park being decided any day now can be viewed here.

 

[Sam]

sparky2u has posted this on CF, I haven't had my newsletter come through yet for some reason:

DREAMLAND APPEAL - COURT DATE SET
On Thursday 20 December Thanet District Council was successful in its application to have the Dreamland Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) appeal prioritised.

A two day hearing will now take place on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 March 2013.

If the appeal by the landowners is unsuccessful, Thanet District Council will immediately begin the process of acquiring ownership of the site.

The council received approval from the Secretary of State for the Compulsory Purchase of the site in August 2012, following a public inquiry. The landowners then challenged the decision by the Secretary of State.

Thanet District Council is working in partnership with the Dreamland Trust to create a world first for the site, an amusement park of thrilling historic rides, with classic sideshows, vintage cafes, restaurants, and gardens with special events and festivals.