Margate Dreamland: Wayne Hemingway to design new site

Thanet District Council has in place almost £10m to create an amusement park of historical rides

Wayne Hemingway has been announced as the designer for the revival of a historic theme park in Kent.

Mr Hemingway, his wife Gerardine, and the HemingwayDesign team will create the overall scheme and branding for the disused Dreamland site in Margate.

It is hoped that stage one of the project to turn the site into a £10m heritage park will open in 2014.

Mr Hemingway said he was "excited about bringing a new vibrant life to an iconic British seaside institution".

"Having visited Margate over the past few months and seen the grassroots creative revolution that is taking place, we are thrilled, nay cock a hoop, at the potential of the place and can't wait to get stuck in," he said.

"We fully understand the scale of the task but with the creative community of Margate and environs we can deliver something of international significance."

'Genuine passion'

The park will be run by the Dreamland Trust, which will be given the site by Thanet District Council for a peppercorn rent.

Chairman Nick Laister said he had no doubt HemingwayDesign would bring the trust's proposals for the site to life, exceeding its expectations.

"Wayne and Gerardine and their team have a genuine passion for the British seaside and for the Dreamland Margate project," he said.

"I am delighted to welcome them on to our team."

The heritage amusement park is seen as vital in the regeneration of Margate, along with the Turner Contemporary art gallery which opened further along the seafront last year.