Mechanical Memories Magazine
Issue: 2013-September - Issue 78 - Page 4
Dreamland
MARGA TE
Save Dreamland Update September 2013
Our plans for Dreamland took a very big step forward this month. Ownership of the
Dreamland site in Margate transferred to Thanet District Council on 3rd September. In
partnership with the Council, the Dreamland Trust will now progress with plans to
create a world class visitor attraction for Margate - an amusement park of thrilling
historic rides.
Surveyors will be the first on-site to assess the condition of the land, which has stood
empty for more than five years. Further work will also be undertaken to protect the
three important heritage assets on the site: the Grade II * listed Scenic Railway; the
Grade II * listed cinema building and the Grade II Menagerie Cages. During this time,
the Dreamland Trust and renowned Hemingway Design team are continuing to lead on
developing a brand and will progress with the creative design of the park.
Although this is a key milestone for the project, the compulsory purchase of the site is
still subject to legal challenge by the former site owners, which is due to be heard at
the Appeals Court on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 September.
The transfer of the site to our partner Thanet District Council is one of the biggest
milestones in our efforts to return Dreamland to its rightful place as Margate's biggest
visitor attraction and to the people and community of Margate.
The Dreamland Trust and TDC have worked very hard to secure this transfer in the
best interests of Thanet, as having a large, derelict wasteland in the middle of the
seafront has been so detrimental to the image of Margate. The transformation of the
town has already started following the opening of Turner Contemporary in 2011 , and
the reopening of Dreamland as the world's first amusement park of thrilling historic
rides in 2015 will be another big step forward for the resort.
We hope to be able to cross the final hurdle at the Court of Appeal later this month.
We have the right team in place to deliver this project and, with the necessary funding
now available to us, we are confident that the people and businesses of Thanet will not
have to wait too long now to see visible progress on site.
Page4
MARGA TE
Save Dreamland Update September 2013
Our plans for Dreamland took a very big step forward this month. Ownership of the
Dreamland site in Margate transferred to Thanet District Council on 3rd September. In
partnership with the Council, the Dreamland Trust will now progress with plans to
create a world class visitor attraction for Margate - an amusement park of thrilling
historic rides.
Surveyors will be the first on-site to assess the condition of the land, which has stood
empty for more than five years. Further work will also be undertaken to protect the
three important heritage assets on the site: the Grade II * listed Scenic Railway; the
Grade II * listed cinema building and the Grade II Menagerie Cages. During this time,
the Dreamland Trust and renowned Hemingway Design team are continuing to lead on
developing a brand and will progress with the creative design of the park.
Although this is a key milestone for the project, the compulsory purchase of the site is
still subject to legal challenge by the former site owners, which is due to be heard at
the Appeals Court on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 September.
The transfer of the site to our partner Thanet District Council is one of the biggest
milestones in our efforts to return Dreamland to its rightful place as Margate's biggest
visitor attraction and to the people and community of Margate.
The Dreamland Trust and TDC have worked very hard to secure this transfer in the
best interests of Thanet, as having a large, derelict wasteland in the middle of the
seafront has been so detrimental to the image of Margate. The transformation of the
town has already started following the opening of Turner Contemporary in 2011 , and
the reopening of Dreamland as the world's first amusement park of thrilling historic
rides in 2015 will be another big step forward for the resort.
We hope to be able to cross the final hurdle at the Court of Appeal later this month.
We have the right team in place to deliver this project and, with the necessary funding
now available to us, we are confident that the people and businesses of Thanet will not
have to wait too long now to see visible progress on site.
Page4
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).