Prince’s Regeneration Trust Supports Trent Park Museum

This is a critical development and endorsement from the highest level – a reflection of the national significance of saving Trent Park for the public benefit.

They will be helping the team as it seeks to secure the space needed from Berkeley Homes, the new owner’s of Trent Park, to create a national attraction telling the extraordinary story that Trent Park played in winning World War Two, as well as highlighting its fascinating pre-war period.

The trust was born from HRH the Prince of Wales’ passion for UK heritage and his vision for enriching local communities through the adaptive reuse of important local buildings.

Campaign director and founder Jason Charalambous said “I am delighted the Prince’s Trust recognises the importance of saving Trent Park for the public and the nation. Berkeley Homes need to recognise the importance of providing sufficient space within their luxury housing development in the middle of our park to enable our team to establish a national museum for the benefit of the local community and beyond. What they have currently offered is no where near acceptable, however I am looking forward to continued constructive discussions with them in securing the space needed for a viable attraction”.

The campaign’s historical director, Dr Helen Fry said “we want the museum to continue the legacy of Trent Park as a site of learning, to tell the fascinating story of Trent Park’s critical war-time role so it is remembered by future generations”

Negotiations with Berkeley Homes and the museum team are still underway. They intend to submit a planning application in early September for an extensive luxury residential development of the heritage buildings and grounds, currently proposing nearly 260 luxury houses and flats. Berkeley’s current offer of less than half the ground floor and basement of the mansion is insufficient to sustain a viable museum and learning centre, and the museum team are requesting the whole ground floor, basement and half the stable block for the museum. A comprehensive business plan and concept for the museum will be presented to Berkeley Homes shortly.

After the war (during which it was an Mi6 run intelligence gathering prison for the most senior captured German officers) and its subsequent use as a teacher training college, it became part of Middlesex University and the site was intended to always remain as an educational establishment. With Middlesex’s departure it was eventually bought by the luxury house developers, and whilst the campaign team recognise that they intend to develop much of the site for housing, it is imperative the relatively small amount of space sought for a continued educational use is respected and supported.

Enfield Council as the local planning authority also have a responsibility to reflect the aims of the campaign – their role in handling the planning application will be watched and scrutinised closely.

Other key supporters include Iain Standen (the Chief Executive of Bletchley Park), actor Sir David Jason, comedian and actor Helen Lederer, former CIA/NSA Director General Michael Hayden, Sir Michael Bear (the former Lord Mayor of the City of London who is leading the team’s advisory board), and a number of leading historians, politicians and public figures.

Over 5000 people have signed an online and manual petition calling for the establishment of a museum, and a recent public meeting in Cockfosters attracted over 350 local people where the strength of feeling against Berkeley’s current proposals was very evident (see: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFCofeznyIwcXAvdyCQHkzygGuk8oA7b). The online petition can be found here: https://www.change.org/p/berkeley-group-save-trent-park-the-campaign-to-protect-enhance-our-nation-s-heritage

The attached photo shows the Trust’s Tiva Montalbano with campaign director Jason Charalambous and historical director Dr Helen Fry in front of Trent Park mansion.