Dreamland Funding
NEWS RELEASE
£3.7 MILLION AWARDED TO CREATE WORLD FIRST AT DREAMLAND
Plans to create the world's first amusement park of thrilling historic rides in Margate have taken a major step forward, with news that the project will receive £3.7 million from the Government's Sea Change fund.
The money, the largest amount allocated in this wave of funding, will help to create an exciting theme park from the past on the Dreamland site, giving the chance to enjoy spectacular historic amusement park rides. Many of these have been rescued from amusement parks across the UK over the past few years and are the last surviving examples of their type.
The rides will be built around the centrepiece of the park, the Scenic Railway, which is the UK's oldest surviving wooden roller coaster, and fourth oldest in the world. Restoration work will also be carried out on the grade II*listed Dreamland cinema building. Dreamland would be transformed into a centre for the celebration of British popular culture, focusing especially on the music and fashion of young people in the post-war period.
The project involves the Margate Renewal Partnership, The Dreamland Trust/Save Dreamland Campaign, site owners the Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company and Thanet District Council, who submitted the application. The feasibility work to develop the bid was also supported by Kent County Council, SEEDA, English Heritage and the Arts Council England. The Dreamland Trust has already secured a first round pass of £548,000 of Heritage Lottery Funding, with 10% match funding from Thanet District Council.
Richard Samuel, Chief Executive of Thanet District Council, said: "We're absolutely delighted with this news. It's everything we'd hoped for from our bid to the Sea Change programme. Dreamland is a key site for Margate's regeneration and a priority for local people and these plans for a major visitor attraction complement the work already underway on Turner Contemporary. Dreamland is of national importance and is a completely unique attraction and this announcement should help to put it back in its rightful place in the hearts of visitors from across the country and further afield. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our partners in this bid, including the Dreamland Trust and the site owners for their help and support in achieving this wonderful result."
Nick Laister, Chair of The Dreamland Trust, said: "This is fantastic news and is yet another very positive step to delivering this world's first visitor attraction. We are very pleased that CABE and English Heritage share our view, and that of the people of Margate, that this proposal has the ability to create an outstanding, 21st century attraction at Margate, capitalising on the resort's unique heritage in a way that will make a huge contribution to the regeneration of the town. The Dreamland Trust, along with its partners, is committed to bringing this project to reality as quickly as possible. I would like to thank our partners in the bid, and look forward to working with them over the coming months as we progress to implementation."
Peter Beck, Construction Manager at MTCRC, said: "We at Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company are delighted at the news that the Sea Change application has been successful. We realise how important this project is to the people of Margate and the regeneration of the town and look forward to seeing the transformation beginning to take shape in the coming months. We would particularly like to thank the Dreamland Trust and Derek Harding for their dedication and hard work and we also recognise the input and invaluable guidance of the Princes Regeneration Trust in this considerable achievement. We would also like to congratulate Thanet District Council for their courage in taking forward this scheme and having the conviction to see it through."
The park will create a major new visitor attraction in the heart of the town and provide a major boost for the tourism economy. The park will generate considerable employment opportunities for local people and attract around 700,000 visits each year, of which about half would pay to go on the rides. The public will be able to enter the park and landscaped gardens free of charge, with wristbands being sold for those who want to enjoy the rides.
The Sea Change programme aims to place culture at the heart of regenerating England's seaside resorts by investing in arts, public space, cultural assets and heritage projects. It is run by CABE, the government's advisor on architecture, urban design and public space.