One of the country’s most popular open air museums has warned its operations are under threat from a property developer that claims the family attraction is disturbing the “peace and privacy” of its new gated private estate in Buckinghamshire.
The property group Comer Homes bought Newland Park, an 18th-century estate, for £15m in 2011 and was given planning permission for a 309-home development five years later.
The Chiltern Open Air Museum, which has 37 rescued historic buildings, is on the estate. One of the conditions for planning permission for the luxury homes was that the freehold of the museum would be transferred to it “for the sum of £1”.
But six years on, the freehold has still not been transferred and the museum now claims that Comer Homes is threatening its future.
The site has been a filming location for popular shows including Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife and Horrible Histories. But the developer objects to filming involving “HGV vehicles, large numbers of actors and production team members” which it says causes significant disruption.
The museum says it was forced to cancel its popular Halloween event on 28 October, which attracts about 2,000 people, after Comer Homes barred access with concrete blocks to a field it owns on the estate that is used for public parking by the museum.
The original agreement stipulated the land would be used solely for the purpose of the museum. The developer claims the museum’s commercial operations are in breach of its lease.
Fundraising enterprises marketed by the museum include wedding ceremonies, receptions and party events which are advertised from 6-10pm. The property group has complained of fireworks and “loud music playing until the early hours”.
A legal firm representing the developer wrote on 30 September threatening action over plans for filming on the site in October. The next day the concrete blocks were placed at the entrance to the field used as an overflow car park.
“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the cancellation of our Halloween Spectacular,” said the museum in a statement on 7 October. “We save and reconstruct historic buildings that are under threat due to development and now we too find ourselves under threat.”
Elisabeth Parsons, a co-founder of the newly formed Save Chiltern Open Air Museum, said: “Comer Homes should honour the agreement to hand over the freehold. They’ve misjudged the local population and the love for the museum among so many people who have visited with their children or grandchildren.”
The museum opened to the public in 1981. Its buildings include a Victorian toll house, a granary and a 16th-century barn.
Comer Homes says it considers the museum as a “fantastic community asset” and was willing for the Halloween event to be held. It said it had been a supportive landlord, permitting its field to be used for parking.
It said it stated on “numerous occasions” it was willing for the Halloween event to go ahead, but did not receive any request for additional parking. It said it blocked access to the field to prevent fly-tipping.
It said: “We also wish to stress our continued commitment to transfer the freehold to [the museum]. However, this is a complicated process and one that requires dialogue between the two parties.
“There have been repeated breaches of the current lease agreement, with one such issue including loud music playing until the early hours. This is a situation we must resolve ahead of the first residents moving into Newland Park to ensure their peace and privacy is not disrupted.”
It said it did not want the museum to end all its commercial activities, but was concerned at the traffic generated by filming and late-night music. It said it was to hold talks in the hope of resolving the issues.
The Comer Group was established more than 30 years ago by brothers Brian and Luke Comer, who are originally plasterers from County Galway, Ireland. The brothers are reported to have moved to Monaco as their international property business expanded.
Peter Strachan, Buckinghamshire council’s cabinet member for planning and regeneration, said the developer had not transferred the freehold because the negotiations were still continuing and the council was reviewing the issue.
The museum said: “Our main objective is always to be a museum, but we are an independent charity and have to raise our own income. Any restrictions would have a serious impact on our ability to achieve our charitable objectives.”
The museum said it had never permitted fireworks on site and that it was not aware of any instances of loud music at night.
