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The purpose of this planning application is to seek planning approval in detail to construct a new vehicle exhibition building in the grounds of the Milntown Estate. There is an already extensive collection of vintage motorcycles, vintage cars and memorabilia housed in poor conditions within the Estate and the proposed new building would allow the general public unrestricted access to the vehicle collection.
In addition to the existing Milntown vehicle collection, which numbers 21 complete vintage motorcycles and 4 vintage motor cars, other exhibitors have expressed a desire to either donate or show vehicles or collections connected with the motor/engineering history that would be on display within the proposed new building.
The motorcycle collection is stored within an existing flat roofed Garage adjacent to the main house and the cars are in garages adjacent to the original Mill building on the Estate. Unfortunately, the cramped storage conditions deny the public proper access to view the vehicles as there is just not enough room within the buildings to allow visitors unrestricted and safe access to move freely around the vehicle collections.
Should planning approval for the proposed new building be granted, the space created will provide a light airy building suitable for housing the whole collection and would allow the general public full and safe access to view this unique collection of vintage vehicles and memorabilia left with the Estate by the late Sir Clive Edwards and late Bob Thomas.
The Trustees have an extensive planned programme of works to develop Milntown in an imaginative way to not only attract the Manx public, but also visitors to the Island. The general public currently visit and enjoy the gardens and House, but the proposed new exhibition building and vehicle collections that have an historic attachment to the Estate, will provide a new attraction appealing to a wide and varied audience.
The first phase of construction of the new Café / Restaurant development has now been completed and this, together with opening of the gardens to the general public, has formed the first part of the programme of works to develop the Estate. There has been a tremendous response from the public to visit the new facilities and the Trustees wish to build upon this enthusiasm to develop the Estate with added visitor facilities and experiences.
The seeking of approval of the proposed vehicle exhibition building, should it be granted, will enable the next phase of the development programme to proceed, providing display of the vehicle collection within the grounds as an added visitor attraction.
Attached to this summary outlining the reasons for submission of our planning application is a brief history of The Milntown Estate and Estate Development together with a number of colour photographs indicating the existing storage conditions for the motorcycle and vintage car collection which are not currently accessible to the general public.
The Milntown Trust Registered Charity Number 754 Milntown, Lezayre Road, Lezayre, Isle of Man IM7 2AB Telephone: 01624 812321; Email: [email protected]
Milntown is a large, registered, historic estate situated in the north of the Isle of Man and contains a 44 room Mansion House, two cottages, a mill, garages, greenhouses and other outbuildings. The 15.5 acres of estate grounds incorporate woodland, parkland, walled orchard, walled kitchen and fruit gardens, fishpond, millpond, millstream and many beautiful borders. The present structure of the House was completed by 1830, but it is believed that substantial parts of the building date back to the 16th century.
The Estate was owned by the Christian family for almost 600 years, having been purchased in the early 15th century. The direct family line died out in 1918. The Christian's were very important and powerful people, with most of the male members of the family holding the office of Deemster (Judge) in the Isle of Man, or other high office. Illiam Dhone, the Manx national martyr during the Civil War period, was born and lived in the house and Fletcher Christian (of Mutiny on the Bounty fame) was from the same family
After the Estate was originally disposed of by the Christian family, in the late 19th century, the House and grounds were used to provide a girl's school. The property subsequently became a hotel and a pub, before returning into private hands.
On the death of its last owner, Sir Clive Edwards, in 1999 the Estate was left in trust, with the initial purpose being to allow Sir Clive's long time friend, Mr R D Thomas, to live out his life there. Since the death of Mr Thomas, in 2003, Milntown has been run as a private Charitable Trust, administered by four Trustees.
To facilitate the requirement that the Estate should be used for the benefit of the public the Trustees have embarked upon a development plan, which is the result of a scoping study report commissioned by the Trustees and prepared by specialist consultants, Carys Howell Associates.
Cont. over
The Milntown Trust Registered Charity Number 754 Milntown, Lezayre Road, Lezayre, Isle of Man IM7 2AB Telephone: 01624 812321; Email: [email protected] The Estate is now being developed and opened to the public. This work also included going through the conversion process necessary to gain organic certification by the Soil Association, with the aim of showcasing organic gardening methods. The gardens now have organic certification.
The first phase of the development work commenced in October 2008 with the construction of a café/restaurant, together with associated parking and facilities. The café/restaurant opened to the public on the 12th February 2010, together with the Estate's grounds and gardens. The catering operation is in the capable hands of Simon Child (chef) and Jennifer Monro (front of house), trading as Milntown Catering Limited.
The second phase of the development will be the opening up of certain rooms of the main House for public admission. This is likely to be in 2011 or 2012, after various refurbishment works have been undertaken, although some limited opening may occur before then.
As a third, longer term, phase it is intended that the vintage car and motorcycle collections belonging to the Trust will be housed in a purpose built exhibition hall. The Trust has also been offered various other collections which would complement the vehicles and provide a broader range of interest.
A later phase will be the renovation of the Water Mill to a suitable and safe standard for visitors. This may include the re-instatement of the necessary stones and machinery to enable milling to again be undertaken. The main drive mechanisms, and the wheel, are all in place and in working order.
We hope you enjoy your visit to Milntown, and that you will return to see us many times as our development work progresses.
Café/Restaurant Bookings 818091 Milntown Website www.milntown.org
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