This meeting is about the Future of The Dreamland Trust moving forward.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions of the Trust team, including former chair and co-founder Nick Laister and new chair Bernie Morgan. But most importantly, this is an opportunity to discuss what you would like to see the Dreamland Trust focusing on in the coming months and years.

Nick, who co-founded the organisation and was its first chair, says: “The Dreamland Trust launched the idea of reopening Dreamland as an amusement park of historic rides in 2007, and worked with its partners, Thanet District Council and Heritage Lottery Fund, to secure the necessary funding and deliver this unique project.

“With the opening of Dreamland in 2015 the Trust is now entering a new phase, where we will look to maximise the community, education and heritage benefits resulting from the project, as well as contributing to the development of other parts of the site, such as the Dreamland Cinema. This seemed to me to be an appropriate point for me to step down to allow a new chair to drive the organisation forward. It will also allow me to concentrate on other commitments.”

The Trust is now actively seeking a new chair. This non-executive voluntary role offers an excellent opportunity for an outstanding individual to shape the direction of the Trust, expand its membership, and make a real contribution to the regeneration of Margate.

Nick set up the Save Dreamland Campaign in January 2003, after successfully securing the listing of the Scenic Railway roller coaster the previous year. He set up the Dreamland Trust in 2007 and became its first voluntary chair, leading the Trust through its fund-raising and park development phase, through to the opening of Dreamland in June 2015. Nick is a chartered town planner and director at one of the UK’s largest planning consultancies, where he specialises in the development of visitor attractions, acting for numerous operators of theme parks, zoos and other attractions. He also owns Oxfordshire visitor attraction Fairytale Farm, the UK’s first farm park to be designed around the needs of children with disabilities.

The news is covered by BBC News, Isle of Thanet Gazette, Kent Messenger and Kent News.

More details on this opportunity can be found here.

Nick Laister, chairman of the Trust, gave a short speech just before the ribbon was cut talking about highlights of the 12-year project, and thanking the organisations that had helped the Trust deliver, notably the Save Dreamland Campaign, Thanet District Council, Heritage Lottery Fun and, in recent months, Sands Heritage Ltd.

Nick, who first got involved with Dreamland in 2001 when he successfully asked the UK Government to give listed building status to the Scenic Railway roller coaster, adds:

"The idea for rebuilding Dreamland as an attraction that celebrates amusement park and seaside history and culture was something that we came up with in 2007. It seemed so right to rescue rides that were being destroyed in amusement park redevelopments, at the height of the property bubble and rebuild them alongside the Scenic Railway in a vibrant new visitor attraction at Dreamland. "

Susan Marsh, the Secretary of the Dreamland Trust, takes up the story:

"We decided that campaigning alone wasn't enough. There needed to be an organisation that could actually involve itself in driving forward plans to reopen Dreamland, by going out there and securing funding for the project. We needed to bring to life the hopes and aspirations of the many volunteers and thousands of supporters, locally, nationally and even internationally."

The Dreamland Trust was born towards the end of 2007, with some very hardworking directors coming on board who then set about persuading numerous organisations around the UK that Dreamland was a cause worth supporting. Nick says:

"With organisations such as English Heritage and the Arts Council behind us, we were able to apply for money from Heritage Lottery and the Government. We successfully secured several million pounds from Heritage Lottery Fund and we eventually managed to get the project budget up to £18m."

With the money in place, The Dreamland Trust began to develop the layout, look and feel of the park. But there were major setbacks. Susan says:

"The Scenic Railway fire of 2008 was a major blow to the project. Not only was 25% of the structure of the listed roller coaster destroyed, the station and workshops were also lost, including all the original wooden trains with their distinctive carved dragon's heads. But in an unexpected way, it gave the project traction as everybody realised that if things did not happen quickly Dreamland would be lost forever. The project really took off."

From that day the project gained momentum, and with millions of pounds of funding in place a team of designers, engineers and amusement ride specialists came on board and, under the Dreamland Trust's leadership, the project that we see today started to take shape.

Susan adds: "We appointed a team of top consultants, architects and designers. For example, we appointed Wayne Hemingway as a consultant to create the Dreamland branding. We stated that we did not want a heritage amusement park - the term was actually banned! We wanted a mix of rides from all eras, events, festivals, food and numerous supporting attractions, all presented in a non-ironic way. The team brilliantly embraced our vision."

Nick explains that recently a local company has been appointed to operate the park:

"The Dreamland Trust and its partner Thanet District Council have now selected a local company, Sands Heritage Ltd, who are responsible for operating Dreamland."

Sands Heritage organised the highly acclaimed opening day which, despite a small number of rides not being operating, really hit the mark.

Nick says: "In a town that has already seen positive change following the very successful opening of Turner Contemporary, Dreamland is another major leap forward. The opening day felt like one giant party, and Dreamland will now bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to Margate, will create hundreds of jobs and opportunities for local companies.

"I am proud of the Dreamland Trust's successful work to bring this iconic attraction back from dereliction - a demonstration of how effective a passionate group of volunteers can be in really making things happen. It has been a long, hard fought, 12-year process, and the icing on the cake has been Sands Heritage Ltd's brilliant realisation of of our vision over a ridiculously tight timescale.

"This is only the beginning, and the Dreamland Trust looks forward to working with Sands Heritage, Thanet District Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund to ensure this project provides the maximum benefit to the community."

There is a Photo Gallery of the Grand Opening on Facebook and you can view the opening ceremony on YouTube.

The opening of Dreamland has been covered extensively on television, radio and newspapers. Notable are Third Sector Magazine, Isle of Thanet Gazette, Kent Online, Press Association, Sunday Mirror, Daily Mail 1, Daily Mail 2, The Independent, The Guardian, Channel 4 News, BBC News, ITV News and The Telegraph.

The unveiling happened in front of 100 members of the Save Dreamland Campaign whose names had been pulled from a hat.

Pictured left to right are the Dreamland Trust representatives: Emma Liddiard, Roger Joyce, Susan Marsh, Nick Laister and Andy Cannon.

A number of Dreamland Trust directors will be at Dreamland on Friday 19th June for the official opening of the park.

The film includes vintage footage of the park in operation from the Dreamland Trust's archive.

Click here to view...

The media has covered Dreamland extensively since the announcement of the opening date, including The Independent.

As preparations for the opening of the park continue, the Dreamland Trust closed the doors to the Dreamland Expo on Easter Monday, with hundreds of visitors paying a visit to the arcade for its final day. This was reported by the Isle of Thanet Gazette.

You can keep up with the latest updates at Dreamland on two Facebook pages. The former Dreamland Trust Facebook page has now been rebranded Dreamland Margate and is operated by Sands Heritage who will be running Dreamland when it opens later this year. This has the latest photographs and upates. The Dreamland Trust has launched a new Facebook page, which you can view here.

Packed with colour photographs of every surviving wooden rollercoaster in Europe, along with the stories of their development and operation, this large book is the ultimate reference source for wooden rollercoasters in Europe. It includes a chapter on the Scenic Railway, with background information and colour photographs. It also includes chapters on all the major wooden rollercoasters in the UK that existed in the modern era, including the rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Gulliver's World, Pleasureland Southport, Oakwood, Rotunda Amusement Park, Joyland, Loudoun Castle Theme Park and Frontierland Morecambe. More...

There is no need to book to take part. This is a free activity taking place between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 22 November 2014 and Sunday 23 November 2014 at the Dreamland Expo in the Visitor & Learning Arcade, Dreamland Cinema, Marine Terrace, Margate, Kent CT9 1JX.

The photographs show an entire section of the ride having been removed, with new footers installed and - excitingly - the new timbers going up. Click here for our Construction Photo Gallery.

In line with the council's procurement process, the two organisations have agreed Heads of Terms which support ambitious plans to open the world’s first heritage amusement park, as proposed, in 2015.

Award of the contract is subject to agreement of the lease terms which will be negotiated over the coming months.

Nick Conington, Executive Chairman of Sands Heritage Ltd. said, “Sands Heritage Ltd. has a strong board in place with a huge array of visitor attraction/hospitality experience between us, and we’re all very excited to have agreed Heads of Terms for the operation of Dreamland.
 

Nick Laister, Chairman of The Dreamland Trust said, “The Dreamland Trust thinks it is fantastic that Thanet District Council has agreed Heads of Terms with a local operator with a very experienced board of professionals, who have been responsible for opening and running some of the UK’s most successful visitor attractions. This is a very exciting milestone in the long journey to finally reopening Dreamland.”

Acting Chief Executive for Thanet District Council Madeline Homer said, "Securing the right operator to run the Dreamland amusement park is essential. The council has embarked on a rigorous process to progress this and agreeing Heads of Terms with Sands Heritage Ltd. is a significant step forward. There are still processes to follow, however we’re confident at this stage that what SHL have to offer is a great fit for opening a reimagined Dreamland next year.”

The Board of Sands Heritage Ltd. is comprised of industry and financial professionals who can demonstrate sector specific success with visitor attractions such as ZSL London Zoo, Kidzania and the new London Paramount Entertainment resort currently being planned in Kent. Nick Conington, the Executive Chairman of Sands Heritage Limited, is already a major investor in Margate through the Sands Hotel.

The Council owns the Dreamland site following successful compulsory purchase and has been advertising for expressions of interest to operate the amusement park which runs until 21 November.

Progress with securing a potential operator for the park comes a week after news that the Dreamland site has been awarded £1.8 million in Coastal Communities Funding from Government.

This was covered extensively in the national media, for example The Independent, The Guardian, Design Week and BBC News.

There was also extensive coverage in local and regional media, including Kent Online and ITV News.

Also visit The Dreamland Trust's Twitter feed and Facebook page for more details. The Dreamland Trust's news page also provides regular updates. The Save Dreamland Campaign's Facebook page continues to post photo updates of work on the Scenic Railway.

Although initial work to refurbish mechanical components started off-site several months ago, work to rebuild the famous Grade II* listed timber structure, which was seriously damaged in an arson attack in 2008, will for the first time get underway on site.

The work on the 94 year-old structure is being carried out by Kent-based contractors Topbond Plc, using funding sourced by The Dreamland Trust and Thanet District Council.

The work means that the opening of the world’s first amusement park of thrilling historic rides is on target for 2015.

Chairman of The Dreamland Trust, Nick Laister, explains the importance of this milestone:

“This is an incredible moment in the decade-long battle to secure the future of Dreamland and save its world-renowned historic wooden roller coaster. For me personally, for my fellow directors at The Dreamland Trust, and no doubt for everybody who has helped and supported this project over the years, this is the moment we have all been waiting for.”

“Little did I know back in 2001 when I asked the Government to protect the Scenic Railway by making it the first ever amusement park ride to become a listed building, that our efforts to save this remarkable structure and the historic amusement park in which it sits would be such a mammoth task. We could never have anticipated the public inquiries, legal challenges and arson attacks that we have faced, or the way that so many people in Thanet and around the world would give their time and money to see this genuinely iconic structure thrilling riders again. So to see visible work actually starting on the ride is quite simply the biggest milestone to date in this project. I can't wait to take a ride on it in 2015."

The Dreamland Trust has, with its partner Thanet District Council, guided this project through the many obstacles that it has faced in recent years, securing funding from several sources - including Heritage Lottery Fund and the DCMS’s Sea Change programme - and putting forward its vision to rebuild Dreamland as a unique vintage-style amusement park with lovingly restored thrill rides, classic side shows and destination dining set within a landscape capable of hosting national festivals and major events.

Eddie Kemsley, Project Director at The Dreamland Trust, said: “This is an important moment in Dreamland’s history and is symbolic of the enormous achievement of the Dreamland Trust and the many supporters and volunteers who have made this happen. Work on the Scenic Railway is the first crucial step in our work towards opening a re-imagined Dreamland”.

The Dreamland Trust will continue to host an exhibition on Dreamland’s history and future right next to the entrance to Dreamland. The Dreamland Expo: a past, present and future, describes the revival of Dreamland – believed to be the UK’s oldest surviving amusement park - and has to date welcomed more than 25,000 visitors. The Dreamland Expo is free and open weekends from 10am to 5pm. For more information, please visit www.dreamlandmargate.com or call 01843 295 887.

The documentary, commissioned by The Dreamland Trust, is directed by leading television director Tim Leandro, whose credits include directing duties on numerous episodes of EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, Hollyoaks and The Bill.

The 30-minute film about Margate and its classic amusement park tells the story of how a community decided to take a stand against the loss of its most famous and iconic attraction.

The film includes interviews with The Dreamland Trust team that is bringing Dreamland back, including Eddie Kemsley, Wayne Hemingway, Sarah Vickery, Susan Marsh and Nick Laister. It visits Wakefield and shows several rides destined for the amusement park in the process of restoration, including interviews with ride restorer David Littleboy and the man who is bringing back the Scenic Railway, Tony Brown of Doncaster's WGH Engineering.

Narrated by Barbara Windsor, the documentary can be viewed in HD on Youtube or you can show your support and watch it in the Dreamland Expo Cinema on the big screen in high quality. The film is showing all day in the Expo, which is open 7 days a week, 10am - 5pm. 

The film was launched at a special premier party at the Dreamland Expo on the evening of 10 July. Following the documentary showing, there was Q&A with the film's director, Tim Leandro, and Dreamland designer, Wayne Hemingway.

Click here to watch documentary in HD. Also reported in the Isle of Thanet Gazette.

After two short introductions by Dreamland Trust Project Director Eddie Kemsley and Chairman Nick Laister, the ribbon was cut by the Trust's company secretary Susan Marsh. Then the crowds flooded into the former arcade building and had a taste of things to come, with elements from various rides that will be operating in Dreamland and a cinema showing archive film. Over 1,000 people walked through its doors and the atmosphere was electric.

The exhibition is free entry and will be open every day from 10am until 5pm with occasional fund raising music events, film screenings, presentations and activities throughout the year.

As well as the pinball museum, face painting and Dreamland souvenir stall, Dreamland Remembered author Nick Evans was present at the event signing his new book Dreamland Revived, which updates his earlier title with over 40 new photos and brings the Dreamland story up to date. It is available at a discount price from Joyland Books and is also available from Amazon.

The Dreamland Expo opening was covered by ITV Meridian News and was filmed by the Isle of Thanet Gazette, viewable on YouTube. See news reports in the Gazette and Kent Online.

There is more information on the Dreamland Expo on the Dreamland Margate website and on the official Dreamland Facebook page.

ITV News carried a report on the Wakefield restorations today, featuring interviews with ride restorer David Littleboy, engineer Roger Sibley and the Dreamland Trust's Jan Leandro. Click here to view.

He died on 12 December 2013, three days shy of his 78th birthday, after a long and hard battle with Parkinson's disease, which his grandson Henry Martin told the Campaign "slowly but surely robbed him of all the things he loved".

Click on the image to the right for a larger version.

The show included extensive footage of the park through the years, mixed with interviews with various people involved in the rebuilding of the site. The project's creative designer Wayne Hemingway joined Chris Evans in the studio afterwards and spoke enthusiastically about the work he is doing on the project.

View the programme on iPlayer for the next 7 days here. Dreamland is the first report.

Visitors could meet the Dreamland Trust team and sign up as volunteers. They could have their photo taken sitting on Whip cars from Blackpool, plant a seed for Dreamland, view the plans and see models of Dreamland from the 1960s. There was music, vintage clothing, pantomime characters and live music. Souvenir newspapers were on sale for £1, providing information on the history of Dreamland and the rides that will form Phase 1 of the project.
 

The event has been well covered by the media. You can view the BBC South East Today news and ITV Meridian news items, and the event was recorded by the BBC's The One Show for use in a future edition.

It was also covered by The Mirror, Kent Online, Thanet Gazette daytime event and Thanet Gazette evening event. Dreamland is also featured in a recent article on regeneration in Thanet in Kent Online.

UPDATE 18 November 2013: Kent News reports on the event.

The news was covered by BBC News, ITV News, Isle of Thanet Gazette, Kent Online, Kent News, Heart Radio, Thanet Press Releases.

UPDATE 9 OCTOBER: The full judgment is now available to download here.

In partnership with The Dreamland Trust, the council 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 ll* listed Scenic Railway, the Grade ll* listed cinema building and the Grade ll Menagerie Cages.

During this time, The Dreamland Trust and renowned HemingwayDesign team, will continue 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.

Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr. Clive Hart, said: “The transfer of Dreamland to the council is another significant step towards creating a world class visitor attraction on this site. With overwhelming public support and the vital funds in place, we have been resolute in our commitment to deliver this landmark project and believe that the compulsory purchase of the land was the only viable option to save and restore the site.

“The continued legal challenge is nothing short of frustrating. The council has carried out significant urgent repairs to the important heritage assets and has been saddened to see the site stand vacant and unused for such a long period of time.

“With support from the Secretary of State, and the High Court, we are hopeful that the right outcome will be determined at the appeal, and will continue to do all we can to unlock the regeneration of this part of Margate.”

The Dreamland Trust Chairman, Nick Laister, said: "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 the 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."

The news has been covered by BBC Online, Kent News, Kent Online and Isle of Thanet Gazette. Blogs, social media and discussions at Thanet Lab blog, a blog from Cllr Iris Johnston, Thanet Life, the Save Dreamland Forum, The Dreamland Trust News Page, Dreamland Margate Facebook page and Save Dreamland Campaign Facebook page.

The GVD is the document that will enable the council to take final ownership of the area subject to the Compulsory Purchase Order.

The council has received legal advice to continue with the vesting process and not to delay this in light of the forthcoming Court of Appeal hearing.

Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr. Clive Hart, said: “We have all shared the aspiration of seeing Dreamland return as part of Margate’s heritage and have all believed in its contribution to the wider regeneration of the district.

“The journey has been long and difficult at times and even now is not over with the current Court of Appeal Hearing due to be heard at the end of September. Last night’s decision however is a significant step towards the council’s goal to acquire the site and to the overall delivery of the project to create a world class visitor destination in Margate. 

The GVD has been prepared and sealed this afternoon (Friday 2 August). There is a requirement to notify the owners of the site that the GVD has been made, which will then trigger the start of a 28-day period, after which ownership of the site will vest in the Council.

Judge Sycamore comprehensively dismissed a legal challenge over the decision to grant the council ownership of the site.

The council originally received approval from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the compulsory purchase of the site in August 2012. Current owners, Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company, then launched an appeal which challenged this decision.

Once title is secured, a funding package will open up to help deliver the project.

Chairman of The Dreamland Trust, Nick Laister, said: “The Dreamland Trust was confident that the Secretary of State had made the right decision for the future of the Dreamland Margate site and we are delighted that this decision has been found to be a sound one. The residents and businesses of Thanet have waited too long to see this important tourism site come back to life, and this decision means that we should be able to finally make a start. We look forward to working with our partners Thanet District Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund in implementing the world’s first amusement park of thrilling historic rides.”

The Dreamland Trust and Thanet District Council are working in partnership to regenerate the site to create the world’s first amusement park of thrilling historic rides, classic side shows, vintage cafés, restaurants and gardens.

The project will also celebrate the British seaside and popular culture. It is a major part of Margate’s regeneration programme, creating volunteer, learning, training and employment opportunities for the local community.

Thanet District Council Chief Executive, Sue McGonigal, said: “Today’s ruling from the High Court comes as very welcome news. We now have a clear mandate to progress with our plans to deliver a brand new and unique visitor attraction for the South East. With overwhelming public support, and the vital funds in place, there has been no doubt about our commitment to see this project through. Getting to this point has certainly been frustrating, especially with the site left vacant and unused for a significant amount of time. Our focus now will be to progress with plans to dramatically regenerate Dreamland and I look forward to seeing the potential benefits this will bring to Margate.”

The news has been covered in the media here: Kent News, Isle of Thanet Gazette, This is Kent, Planning Magazine and BBC News. Nick Laister of The Dreamland Trust and Sue McGonigal of Thanet District Council both appeared on BBC South East Today television news on the evening of the decision. Nick also appeared on KMFM and appeared as a guest on the John Warnett Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Kent.

The evening started at 6pm with a brief welcoming address by Victoria Pomerey, the Director of Turner Contemporary. Then Nick Laister, chair of The Dreamland Trust, provided an update on the project and introduced the team. Designer Wayne Hemingway then presented his initial proposals and ideas, before Audience Development Officer Jan Leandro opened the floor for comments, suggestions and offers of help. The formal proceedings were followed by an opportunity for visitors to meet the team, including Project Director Mike Nuttall and Thanet District Council representative Grant Burton.
 

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. 

• November 2012 Newsletter
• December 2012 Newsletter

The Isle of Thanet Gazette has reported that top designer Wayne Hemingway is in talks with The Dreamland Trust to provide expertise for the design of Dreamland. They also reported the results of a survey that show massive support for The Dreamland Trust's proposals for Dreamland.

Dreamland's Scenic Railway featured heavily in the national news a couple of weeks ago when English Heritage included the ride in its list of buildings at risk. This news was covered by BBC News England, BBC News World, ITV News, The Telegraph and The Guardian.

The October 2012 issue of the Dreamland Trust Newsletter is now available to download. This provides an update on work on the Dreamland Margate project by The Dreamland Trust. This has already been sent by email to all those who have signed up for the Campaign. If you would like to get a copy of the newsletter before it appears on this website, please join our mailing list.

The website This is Kent also featured a Dreamland story about the possible early opening of parts of the park for events next year.

Chair of The Dreamland Trust, Nick Laister, 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. Along with our partners, Thanet District Council, we were confident that our plans would be found to be robust, deliverable and in the public interest. The Trust was very pleased to support the council in its efforts to secure the site to enable us to implement our vision, which has been shown time and time again to be the development that the people of Thanet most want to see happen.

“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. With our funding in place and our plans drawn up, today’s news is hopefully the final major hurdle that we will have to cross.

“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.”

Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr Clive Hart, 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.

“Dreamland is such an important asset for Thanet, and for thousands outside of the area, so we’ve always been clear that doing nothing is simply not acceptable.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work and determination to get to this point, with the council spending more than £1 million on carrying out urgent repairs to the neglected heritage assets.

“I’m thrilled that the Secretary of State is confident in our plans to help secure the regeneration of Dreamland, and today’s announcement moves us closer to delivering this greatly anticipated amusement park.”

The council will now work to secure title to the land, which it must acquire before access to the site can be granted and work can proceed. Securing title to the land will open up a funding package of over £10 million to deliver the project. Once the land is vested to the authority, the council will gain access to the site to allow important structural surveys to begin ahead of construction.

The 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 side shows, cafés, restaurants, special events, festivals and gardens.

The project will also celebrate the British seaside and popular culture, with a focus on youth cultural heritage. It is a major part of Margate’s regeneration programme, creating volunteer, learning, training and employment opportunities for the local community. The project is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, the Department for Culture Media and Sport and Thanet District Council.

The news has also been covered by BBC News, BBC TV News, ITV News, The Independent, The Guardian, Daily Express, Attractions Management, Isle of Thanet Gazette and Kent Online. It is also being discussed on a number of forums, including the Save Dreamland Forum, All the Fun of the Fair, UK Rides and the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain.

The Dreamland Miniature Railway Pack depicts the real 15" gauge railway which was an important attraction at the Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate from 1920 until the line's closure in 1980. This pack depicts the route during the late 1950s era and includes rolling stock from throughout the line's history. This route offers a taste of amusement park life - can you operate a consistent and timely service and keep the visitors happy?
 

ITV's Meridian News interviewed Peter Beck of MTCRC (the current owner of Dreamland), who discussed their proposals for the site. Mr Beck explained that the MTCRC proposals - now rebranded 'Dreamland Live' - involve a residential-led development which would require use of all of the grant funding currently held by Thanet District Council and The Dreamland Trust. Click here to view.
 

Another major figure in the amusement park world, Jimmy Jones MBE, owner and former managing director of Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, also died last night aged 73. He was chairman of the Pleasure Beach until his death and was previously its managing director from 1975 to 1992, after which he handed over to his son Albert who remains managing director to the present day. Jimmy Jones expanded the Pleasure Beach significantly during his time at the helm. Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach is home to the UK's only operating Scenic Railway.

Thanet District Council planning officer Ashley Hills will be giving evidence on Tuesday. Once her evidence finishes, the final witness, Dreamland Trust chair Nick Laister, will give his evidence to the inquiry. The current expectation is that Ashley Hills will take up most of Tuesday, with Nick Laister starting later on Tuesday and continuing through most of Wednesday.

On Thursday there will be a site visit and then each side will give its final statements to the Inspector before the inquiry closes. The inquiry is expected to close on Friday 9th March 2012 after four weeks of evidence.

The inquiry, which is being held at the offices of Thanet District Council in Margate, is open to the public all week, with visitors able to watch from the viewing gallery in the main council chamber.

The inquiry reopens again on 6 March when the Council's main witness, Ashley Hills, gives evidence, followed by the final witness, Dreamland Trust chair Nick Laister, who will give evidence on 6 and 7 March. The inquiry will then finish with a site visit and closing submissions from both sides.

Full details of the inquiry, along with summaries of each day's proceedings, can be found on the Dreamland Public Inquiry pages on the Thanet District Council website.

The Inquiry has been covered extensively in the local media: Your Thanet, Isle of Thanet Gazette, Thanet Extra on Friday 6th, Monday 9th and Friday 13th January, Kent on Sunday, BBC News, Kent News, This is Kent, Attractions Management. It has also been covered on CoasterBuzz, Ozseeker, Thanet Press Blog and  William Scobie's Blog.

The 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 side shows, cafés, restaurants, special events, festivals and gardens. The project will also celebrate the British seaside and popular culture, with a focus on youth cultural heritage. It is a major part of Margate’s regeneration programme, creating volunteer, learning, training and employment opportunities.

• the restoration of the Grade II* listed Scenic Railway, the historic rides collection and the Grade II listed menagerie cages, along with repairs to the Grade II* listed Dreamland Cinema building,
• the reopening of the main park entrance,
• the introduction of a dedicated learning centre, exhibition area and community space,
• the refurbishment of the existing car park and new events space, which will also double as an overflow car park.

This is now fully funded, with £3.7 million from the Sea Change fund, £3 million from the council and £3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The HLF grant will be available to fund project costs, once the council has demonstrated full control over the Dreamland site to the HLF’s satisfaction. Despite lengthy negotiations with the land owners, there was no progress in transferring the amusement park site to the council, leaving no option but to take CPO action.

Chair of The Dreamland Trust, Nick Laister, said: "The Dreamland Trust fully supports the action being taken by Thanet District Council to secure the regeneration of the Dreamland site. Given the lack of progress by the landowners, who have owned the site since 2005, it is essential that the CPO succeeds; otherwise this once-in-a-generation opportunity to reopen the park and repair these important listed buildings will be lost. We believe that our joint proposals for the site are deliverable, viable and will create a unique visitor attraction for Margate.

"There are no other proposals on the table that will retain the site as a tourist attraction, as required by the Local Plan, and which are deliverable and sustainable. Our proposals will keep the entire site in amusement park use and return Dreamland to the status that it enjoyed until very recently, at the heart of Margate's visitor appeal. I will be personally attending the public inquiry and giving evidence in support of the CPO on behalf of The Dreamland Trust."

Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr. Clive Hart, said: “Doing nothing on the Dreamland site is not acceptable. It’s already remained vacant and virtually unused for more than five years now and I understand the previous council administration has spent the last couple of years looking at various proposals from the landowners, trying to reach an amicable solution with them. It’s our view that the landowners’ proposals won’t achieve the regeneration of Dreamland.

“Having already spent a considerable amount of time and money trying to come to an agreement with the landowners, the council is left with compulsory purchase of the site as the only way forward. Dreamland is a precious asset, not just for people in Thanet, but the whole country and we cannot afford to lose it. The council and the Dreamland Trust have the desire, ambition and resources to get the first phase of work done on the site. This will then encourage further investment for future phases.”

The council’s contractors Coombs (Canterbury) Ltd. started work on the Dreamland Cinema building in May 2011, after the council served a series of Urgent Works Notices on the owners of the building. So far, structural repairs have been carried out to the steel frame and concrete and to the doors and windows, along with re-pointing. Some of the roof structure has also been replaced, due to its poor condition. The work is expected to be completed by the spring.

The Public Inquiry is expected to last for approximately two weeks, although as it will not sit every day, it may last until the end of January. The Inquiry is being held in the Council Chamber in Cecil Street, Margate and is open to the public. More details of the Inquiry can be found on the Council's website.

Once the Inquiry concludes, a report from the Planning Inspector is expected in late February or early March. This will then be submitted to the Secretary of State, who will make a decision on the case. This may not be known until May or June.

Councillor starts petition

Dane Valley ward councillor William Scobie has started a petition to present to the Inspector at the Inquiry. Up until the 10th January he will be running this petition to make it absolutely clear that people want Dreamland back up and running. If anyone is interested in getting involved in the petition please contact William on 07792416865 or email him. He is posting regular updates on how the petition is going on his blog.

On his blog, William says: "I am not going to suggest that this campaign is necessarily going to change the decision as they will be looking at the planning side of it, however we need to make sure that the Planning Inspector is in no doubt as to what the people of Margate and Thanet want for the Dreamland Site."

You can also help William by printing the petition and getting signatures yourself. It can be downloaded here.

CPO in the news

The Dreamland CPO Inquiry features extensively in the local press, including Your Thanet, Isle of Thanet Gazette and Kent Online,