 |
Home
More background about the Mill Project
Latest News
How we got started
Update November 2005
Previous Project Updates
|
|
|
|
How we got started
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Here we will try to give you a flavour for the project from its beginnings to where we are today
- the very early days when when we first began to think about the possibility of doing something to improve the mill
- how those first ideas evolved and we began to work on obtaining an LHI grant
- you can also see how we are progressing by looking at our 'Latest News' pages where we will aim to post regular updates every month or so.
The Beginnings
==========
For most of us The Mill had always been 'there' - as the Volunteer Ranger group worked in the dene, its location meant we often walked past it several times a day as we went to whichever site we were working at for our routine conservation jobs. It always seemed rather sad - ruined, neglected, with very little information available at the site for those visitors that did venture into the outside rooms that were accessible. Our early ideas for it ranged from 'clear the weeds and spread some gravel around to tidy the place up a little' to 'lets restore the mill and get the waterwheel working again'. Well, the former seemed hardly significant, whilst the latter seemed a huge piece of civil engineering far beyond the various skills we had in our group. But over time we thought about and came to our manageable compromise - yes, lets clean the place up, but lets also try to widen its appeal by making the site more welcoming to visitors. We stopped short of the full restoration (for now !) but the project was going to be worthwhile and would make a difference to visitors.
Applying for the LHI Grant
=================
The fact that the grant available was to be in the range '£3-25,000' helped us scope the project. We began with a large list of possibilities, with very little idea of their cost. So we talked to people - from county archaeologists to the team that operate another (restored) mill in the area (Path Head Mill - well worth a visit) to help shape our ideas. We also began to get estimates for work to see how possible costs might fit into any grant we might aim for.
From those early beginnings the project gradually became quite time consuming. Some of the costs were quite surprising and caused lots of juggling with budget targets as we looked at priorities and options. And we soon learned the impact on the workload that came from wanting to work on a Listed Building ! There is quite a bit of paperwork in applying for any grant - but whilst the LHI gives lots of support in completing the grant form, there is almost none for the planning applications and supporting documentation required for Listed Buildings. So whilst the LHI Grant pays for the work, you also need to get the Planning Consent which will allow the work to proceed. This part of the 'form filling' probably took us 3 times as long as the LHI application, with the process going through several phases. Just when you think you have got the problem 'cracked', with all the correct photographs, site drawings, and detailed - so, so detailed - work descriptions accepted and approved - then they tell you about the next phase. More details, more drawings, more forms to complete. But finally you DO work through it - it took us almost 2 years - and it's deeply satisfying to see the grant going into the Project Bank Account and being able to actually start work.
Latest News
========
If you would like to see how we are progressing, then look at our 'Latest News' pages. We will also keep the old versions of these updates available so you will eventually be able to see the whole story of the project from start to finish.
Further information:
 Back to Old Mill Home Page
|
|
|
|
