FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR LODGE DEVELOPMENT AT DOBWALLS
One of Cornwall's longest standing visitor attractions is preparing for the 'most exciting stage of its evolution' after receiving the green light for the first phase of a two pronged multi-million pound development.
Dobwalls Adventure Park has received planning permission to create a development of 15 highly eco-friendly Retreat lodges. Work on developing the lodges, which will benefit from Moss Sedum roofs, sheep's wool insulation for the walls, floors and roofs and energy efficient heating systems, is due to start early next year.
"We are delighted to have been granted planning permission for the lodge development and are also increasingly optimistic that our hopes to create an iconic arts centre for South East Cornwall will become a reality following a series of very positive meetings with Caradon and the Highways Agency," said Dobwalls owner Malcolm Southern.
As a result of the likely 18-month building development, which is planned to take place at either ends of the current Adventure Park site, Dobwalls owners have had to take the decision not to open the park in the 2007 season to allow the transformation to take place.
According to Mr Southern, although not being able to open the park in 2007 is tinged with some sadness, the practicalities of having construction traffic and building work taking place on site made opening the park from a health and safety perspective unrealistic.
"The lodge development will act as a catalyst for the arts centre which will not only create a fabulous venue for artists, sculptors and jewellery makers throughout Cornwall and the South West but will also include a high quality restaurant and conference facilities, all of which will create year round, good quality employment.
The eco lodges will include the very latest energy saving and conservation features and form the first phase of the project. Pending planning permission, the arts centre will follow on, ideally with a likely completion date in the second half of 2008.
However, the Southern Gallery - one of the countries leading art dealerships, remains vibrantly active, hosting a continuing schedule of shows and exhibitions" added Malcolm.
Ends 20 December, 2006
Issued by Graham Buckley/Karen Adkins of Mercury PR on 01872 561120.
For further information/interview opportunities contact Mercury PR on 01872 561120.
£5.5 MILLION ARTS CENTRE GETS THE GO AHEAD.
The owners of Dobwalls Adventure Park are celebrating after their plans to create a £5.5 million iconic arts centre on the site were given the green light by Caradon District Council.
The Southern family, which have owned the site for over 50 years - say they are now looking forward to creating a breathtaking venue not only for South East Cornwall, but also for the South West as a whole.
The eye-catching, circular two three-storey centre, will be moulded into the landscape to minimise any above ground visual impact, with a large glass atrium allowing natural light to flood in.
In addition to boasting a range of studios, galleries and exhibition space, the centre would also provide a range of conference facilities , restaurant and coffee shop. creating year round employment and providing a wide range of visitor facilities.
A train track - for which the site has become renowned over the past three decades - carrying one of the Dobwalls miniature locomotives has also been incorporated into the design, offering the customers the chance to travel from the car park to the cultural centre and bck around through wonderful landscaped scenery.
Malcolm Southern, said he and his family were absolutely delighted to finally get the green light to build what he believes will be one of the most popular venues in the South West region.
"It has been a long time coming but we are excited to have finally got the go ahead for the arts centre and are now looking forward to creating an unrivalled international destination.
"From a design perspective the building will be unique, effectively being built into the existing contour of the land, with a fantastic glass canopy roof flooding it with light. It will provide the most superb venue for all types of art - from some of the fantastic local and regional artists working with paint, glass and ceramics through to international artists in their own right."
"There will also be a strong emphasis on the restaurant and coffee shop which will provide high quality food, focused on using local ingredients wherever possible, in addition to conference and meeting facilities and masses of green amenity space, allowing people to come on the site and simply enjoy the acres of parkland that we will have," said Malcolm.
"Since we announced our hopes to build the centre we have been overwhelmed by the sheer level of interest and support and can now look forward to turning our plans into a reality," he added.
According to Malcolm, the plans for the arts centre were borne out of the need to adapt to the changing face of tourism in the South West.
"We cannot ignore the fact that tourism is changing in the South West with fewer and fewer families coming to the area and more people coming in search of the culture, art and creativity which has made the region so popular.
"This multi-million pound development reflects both this changing visitor demographic and, as a family, our love of art and the environment. Just as importantly it will create year round employment, rather than seasonal temporary employment, which we previously had with the theme park and provide a visitor and community focal point for South East Cornwall," said Malcolm.
The arts centre is the second phase in the evolution of Dobwalls Adventure Park with Falcon Ridge - a development of 15 high quality, highly contemporary eco friendly lodges incorporating the latest environmentally friendly features such as Moss Sedum Roofs and Sheeps Wool floor and wall insulation - well under way and due to be completed in August.
Dobwalls Adventure Park was one of the first tourist attractions to open in Cornwall over 30 years ago and the first to diversify from what was previously one of the county's largest pig farms.
UNIQUE AUCTION OF MINIATURE STEAM AND DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES SET TO ATTRACT GLOBAL INTEREST
The most unique collection of passenger carrying miniature steam and diesel locomotives anywhere in the World is to be auctioned in Cornwall.
The collection, widely regarded as the premier collection of 7 and a 1/4" locomotives - exact replicas of original locomotives built by the Union Pacific and Rio Grande railroad companies - will be sold by sealed bid auction at the end of November.
Over the past 35 years, the collection of eight locomotives have run along two, mile long tracks at Dobwalls Adventure Park, near Liskeard in Cornwall, carrying almost 7 million passengers between them.
Now the replica locomotives - four steam and four diesel - will be making tracks for a new life after the decision to auction them was made as a result of Dobwalls Adventure Park - which was one of Cornwall's most popular tourist destinations for over three decades - being redeveloped.
The locomotives were built from the original drawings for the full size locomotives, which were then scaled down exactingly, with every part reproduced in perfect detail. Since then the locomotives have been lovingly maintained by the Southern family who created Dobwalls Adventure Park and ran it between 1970 and 2006.
The Locomotives that make up the collection include:
William Jeffers (Big Boy 4008) - The only working passenger carrying model remaining anywhere in the world of what were the world's largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built.
Queen of Wyoming (Northern FEF-1) - A stunning model of one of the most successful classes of steam locomotives ever built, affectionately known as the mighty 800's.
Queen of Nebraska (Northern FEF-3) - just like the original prototype FEF-3s, the Queen of Nebraska is fitted with twin blastpipes and chimney and smoke deflectors like the originals.
Otto Mears - A highly popular K37 class steam locomotive named after General Palmer's (the builder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad) chief engineer and surveyor.
Mathias Baldwin - an extremely fine model of the highly abundant, successful and eye-catching General Purpose Class diesels built by EMD (Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Ltd).
Spirit of America - This is a replica of the Class E8 twin unit passenger diesel, many hundreds of which were built by the EMD for numerous US lines in the 1950s.
Pioneer - the Pioneer locomotive represents the EMD 45 'Cowl' diesel, built originally for passenger service on the famous Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
Centennial (Class DD 40-X) - a truly unique working model of the World's largest and most powerful diesel locomotive.
According to owner Malcolm Southern, enquiries about the collection have already started as rumours of a possible sale spread through the rail enthusiast community.
"The decision to auction the collection is one that is mixed with both sadness and excitement for us. The locomotives have been a central part of our family for the past 35 years with three generations working on them.
"When you consider that they have pulled almost 7 million passengers and in some cases are the only remaining working examples of the original trains built by the Union Pacific and Rio Grande railroad companies left on the planet, it puts into perspective just what a unique collection this is.
"As far as we are aware there has never been an auction of this kind - both in terms of size and uniqueness of the material - anywhere in the world so we are expecting a great deal of international and UK interest.
"With the redevelopment of what was Dobwalls Adventure Park, creating a multi-million pound international arts centre and 15 beautiful and contemporary holiday homes, the reality is that the collection would lie dormant and slowly mothball, which we absolutely do not want to happen - hence the decision to hold the auction.
"It is a fully working collection and is capable of bringing great enjoyment. We want to see the trains go to good homes, so that generations to come are able to experience what are pieces of working history," said Malcolm.
"We have already received enquiries and interest both in the UK and the USA and believe that the auction of locomotives will attract a great deal of international interest.
"In an ideal world, they would be sold as a collection but we have to be realistic and as a result, each locomotive is available as a separate item," he added.
Mike Lamb of Severn Lamb, whose company made many of the locomotives believes such a collection will never be seen again.
"In our opinion it is highly likely that a collection of this kind will never be built again, let alone come onto the market so this auction really is a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Mr Lamb.
Full details on each of the trains that make up the auction and their reserve prices can be seen at www.locomotiveauction.com. Details are also available by request on info@dobwalls.com or 01579 320325
Sealed bids must be made by November 30 (23.59 GMT).
