NOT THE END
REBECCA SMITH
08:00 - 11 April 2008
The owners of Dreamland have pledged to rebuild the scenic railway after it dramatically burned down but need to find the original plans.
Speaking exclusively to the Isle of Thanet Gazette, managing director of the Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company Toby Hunter said the firm's engineers had only been allowed back on site yesterday (Thursday) to assess the damage to the 88-year-old railway.
He said Monday's blaze, which police say was started deliberately and which destroyed a large section of the wooden structure as well as the station house and cars, was a huge setback to plans for the former fun park.
The firm's proposals included a heritage theme park with the scenic railway at its centre as well as shops, restaurants, cafes and homes.
Mr Hunter, who heads the company which also counts businessman Jimmy Godden as a major shareholder, said the immediate priority was to see what needed to be done to make the ride safe. Then, he said, work would begin to see if it can be rebuilt. He said: "Once we have determined what needs to be done to make the scenic safe, then our engineers will be piecing together if there is enough information to replace what's been burned down."
Mr Hunter said the firm had no idea how much rebuilding might cost and would be meeting their insurers. He added: "It might sound odd but we have no idea to what extent it's insured. We have had a meeting with our insurers and put them on notice and explained what has happened."
The site was closed on Tuesday as investigators scoured the scene for clues and police announced they were treating the fire as arson. Forensic scientists from the Forensic Science Service in Lambeth, south-east London, were drafted in with specialist dogs teams from Surrey which can detect the use of accelerants.
Experts from English Heritage and Thanet council's conservation officer Nick Dermott were also due to examine the ride on Wednesday.
The fire comes two weeks after the Tivoli arcade was torched and five years after a seafront arcade belonging to Mr Godden caught fire.
Mr Hunter said any idea that the fire had helped the MTCRC's plans was way off the mark. He said: "It's not convenient at all. Any development of this kind has to offer something in terms of payback to the community. There are many ways in which that can be done, for example through social housing.
"If we don't have the scenic then we are going to have to give back something else. The scenic was a fantastic opportunity to give. If we lived in a world where a listed structure could catch fire and then English Heritage would just go away, it would be a very strange world indeed. I can see why people might think that something burning down would be convenient but we are really hacked off."
Mr Hunter said his company's plans had involved sinking the railway into tanks of water and illuminating it to create a pier effect, adding: "The ride can only be open 150 days a year and the rest of the time it sits on the ground looking very dull. By putting it 'under water' and illuminating it, we were creating something that would complement the shopping and homes we hope to build."
Thanet council has said it can be rebuilt and everything should be done to ensure that happens. Council leader Sandy Ezekiel said: "We are determined that, if possible, the scenic railway should be rebuilt as soon as possible and we would expect the owners to do just that."
Detectives are appealing for witnesses and anyone with any information to contact them at Margate police station on 01843 222076 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.?What are your memories of the scenic railway and what do you think should happen next? Let Thom Morris know on 01843 578994 or email thom.morris@krnmedia.co.uk .
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/displayNode ... eId=250478
Let's just repeat that:
Mr Hunter said his company's plans had involved sinking the railway into tanks of water and illuminating it to create a pier effect, adding: "The ride can only be open 150 days a year and the rest of the time it sits on the ground looking very dull. By putting it 'under water' and illuminating it, we were creating something that would complement the shopping and homes we hope to build."
Em - this is a listed structure and I can't QUITE see you getting LBC for this...
Also -won't this also be surrounded by an amusement park, as in the Planning Brief?
It might sound odd but we have no idea to what extent it's insured.
Dreamland? Dream on!
