BREAKING NEWS! - Planning Permission granted for redevelopment of Undershaw.
Waverley Borough Council voted 7 to 1 in favour of officers' recommendation to grant the planning permission for residential development of the former home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on 9th June. More on this story to follow.........
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A worldwide appeal for help to save Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former home at Hindhead as a visitor centre for the public to see Sherlock Holmes memorabilia and interpret the landscape, has failed to generate any viable schemes so far.
But pressure from Hindhead Together to maintain public access to the historic building that Conan Doyle built for his consumptive wife Touie, has encouraged the Directors of Fossway , the company that owns Undershaw, to think how to achieve an element of the visitor centre idea within their plan to convert the house into residential units.
The developers, Michael Wilson Restorations, specialise in restoring listed buildings, and pride themselves on maintaining the heritage and historic elements within each project. In response to the public interest, Michael Wilson has told Hindhead Together of his plans to build an open sided pavilion, accessible to the public, within the grounds.
This would provide visitors with views of Undershaw, and could contain a permanent display board telling the history of the house and Conan Doyle.
“Sir Arthur Conan Doyle designed the house and it would be a shame to sever all connections between Undershaw and such a popular author,” said Mr Wilson. “We are keen to incorporate some sort of interpretive experience for the public without compromising the conversion
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“The idea of an open sided pavilion allowing people to see Undershaw and read about it is our contribution to preserving its historical significance.”
Caroline White of Hindhead Together said: “This addition to the original plans demonstrates that the owner has an understanding of the importance of the heritage relating to the area. It would be vital, however, to ensure that access to and maintenance of the pavilion were conditions of the residential planning permission. If built, the pavilion would allow literary lovers across the world to visit the site and would in turn retain the historic significance of Hindhead as a focus for the history of the Hilltop Writers.”
Planning applications have yet to be submitted to Waverley Borough Council and, until they are, there is no guarantee of their content. It is anticipated that such an application would be likely within the next couple of months.
At present, ongoing work is being done to safeguard the building from further deterioration, to keep the site tidy, and prepare the building for permanent repair in the event of consent. On-site attendance continues as a deterrent to vandalism.
Whilst the ambition of a heritage and visitor centre may not be realised, careful restoration of the property, along with a high quality area open to the public for quiet contemplation has the potential to be a significant benefit for the Hindhead area.
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