Home Putting Melton First Saving the War Memorial Hospital Hill House Project Craven Lodge Messages & Support News Releases Clippings Archive Contact 09/09/2010 16:27 Hill House Project Hill House Project - Proposal 1. Introduction 1.1 Melton First proposes to develop the Melton & District War Memorial Hospital site into a regional centre for arts, crafts and design communication. It will establish links and work with educational centres in the region and become the country home-away-from-London for a prominent design facility. 1.2 Hill House Project will enable visitors and students to take a fresh look at our world and the place of creativity in it, enable exploration of the land as a creative source, and will demonstrate what can be achieved when people work together in an environment of natural beauty. 2. Hill House Project: 'From the land to the hand' 2.1 Hill House will be a special place that entertains, encourages people to action and provides the means for them to do so. 2.2 Not only will artists, designers and craft workers be in residence, some with their own workshops on site, Hill House will also become a centre for artistic creativity, with an intrinsic hotel providing resources for art and craft-loving guests to enjoy holidays where they can engage in a variety of courses, from candle-making to slate engraving, from willow working to jewellery design. This will all take place within an environment of natural beauty, only minutes from the centre of Melton Mowbray, rail and road links. 2.3 To achieve this, Melton First seeks to build a commercially aware, environmentally and ethically driven network of individuals and partners, learning creatively with and through the mediums of technology and communication, thus developing resources and relationships from the land to the hand. 3. Use of buildings and parkland 3.1 Many of the existing buildings will be retained in the form of studios, workshops, study and rest areas, seminar rooms, conference and discussion rooms. Others will become accommodation for students, guests and staff. 3.2 There will be a restaurant, buttery, large event and exhibition spaces - indoor and out, leisure facilities, a shop and all the usual necessities of living comfortably away from home. 3.3 All listed buildings will be retained and stored and the proposed Melton First site development will show these off to best advantage. 3.4 Trees and parkland will be essential to the design theme. A well-known horticultural broadcaster has been approached to advise on how best this may be achieved. All tree preservation orders will be respected and any trees requiring to be removed for reasons of crowding or disease will be replaced elsewhere on site. 3.5 Open parkland will be developed to encourage increased use by all sections of the local community, with statuary, mass planting, paths, seating, lighting, and unique 'natural' play facilities for children and young people. 3.6 A national competition will be held for the design of a lit sculpture, to be sited on the ridge of the hill, with local residents as well as celebrated designers on the competition panel. 3.7 A performance 'bowl' will be built at the lower end of the site, enabling the natural amphitheatre of water-side parkland to be used for concerts and musical events. 4. Melton First's determination 4.1 A 'fighting fund' has been organised by Melton First supporter, Melton Mowbray Building Society, so that others may demonstrate their belief in Melton First's aims and get personally involved. 4.2 Monies from the 'fighting fund' will facilitate the assembly of architectural drawings, full site plans and other details required by potential funders, and also by the vendors. 4.3 Main funders prescribe that the purchase of the site and the physical development of the Project should be financed concurrently. Melton First will therefore be able to make a precise monetary offer to the vendors as soon as funders have committed to the Project. 5. Finances 5.1 Melton First will shortly become a registered not for profit charitable trust. As a charitable trust we will benefit from gift aid, the Government giving us 28p for every £ donated. 5.2 Hill House Project will be built, run and administered by the charitable trust's limited company, Hill House Project Ltd, ensuring that commercial surpluses will guarantee its future. 5.3 Hill House Foundation will be established to develop educational programmes working to improve and fuse design, creativity and communication with horticulture and the natural environment, at local, national & international levels. 5.4 The Project will be independent of local and national government. Development monies will come in the main from regional, lottery, heritage, arts and individual sources, and also from commercial, educational and skills development grants. 5.5 Revenue will be generated from student fees, commercial and residential occupants, workshop rents, events, shop & website sales, artist commissions, consultancy and other sources. 5.6 Hill House will never be sold because it will belong to the community. Everyone contributing to the Project is promised a tangible stake in its future. Prepared by Melton First for Melton, Rutland & Harborough PCT: 17.3.04 Also in this section: Hill House Project - Introduction... Hill House Project - Benefits... Hill House Project - proposed Site Plan... How you can help the Hill House Project... Read some of Melton First's many letters of support, and send us some of your own...! Melton First       -       From the Land to the Hand