Sunday 8 November 2009

Latest News - Pavilion for Undershaw

Reported in the local newspaper, the Herald this week was the news that the owners of Undershaw, the former home of Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, have offered to include "an element" of a visitor centre in its plans for the Grade II-listed building.

A worldwide appeal for help to save the author's former Hindhead home as a centre for fans of Sherlock Holms has failed to generate any viable schemes so far.

But following pressure from Hindhead Together - a community partnership formed to oversee the ongoing regeneration of the Hindhead area - owners Fossway, have agreed to incorporate a 'pavilion' for visitors within plans to convert the house into residential units. Developer Michael Wilson has told Hindhead Together of 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.

This is a very clever move by the developer, and if a sponsor is not found in the forseeible future it is a plan that we may have to accept. Planning applications have yet to be submitted to Waverley Borough Council for the most recent project, 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.

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