"Battle of Britain Museum" under threat

The future of the Battle of Britain museum at Bentley Priory, the RAF headquarters during the world famous 1940 air-battle, is in doubt following the collapse of the sale of the property.

 

Perched on a hill commanding views across the whole of London to the South Downs beyond, the building is revered as the nerve centre of the Battle of Britain.  Bentley Priory is seen as the spiritual home of "the Few" – the World War II fighter pilots who fought off the German aerial invasion in 1940 against all the odds.

 

Watch an interview with Flt.Lt. William Walker - one of those extraordinary men - here.

Now there is a real risk that the last remaining pilots who fought in the battle will not be alive to see the opening of the museum.  There are just 100 remaining members of the Few worldwide, the youngest of whom is 87 years old.

 

 

 

VSM Estates had planned to sell Bentley Priory for conversion into apartments and a museum by 2010.  The deal underpinning this plan has now collapsed and the museum's trustees say the building will be moth-balled until the middle of next year.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge KCB, chairman of the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust, said: "We are disappointed in the delay caused by the site failing to sell, particularly as we planned to open the museum to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 2010.  However, there is still a viable strategy for delivering an exciting and innovative museum and centre of education and protecting the heritage that is Bentley Priory."

The site is rich with the history of the Battle of Britain.  Air Chief Marshal Lord "Stuffy" Dowding, who led the operation, worked 48-hour shifts in his office there.  His leather-topped desk, many of his papers and other effects still occupy the room with its views across a stone balcony to the formal Italian garden below.

 

Harrow Council, which gave planning permission for the development, has now written to Sir Bill Jeffrey, the permanent secretary of the MoD, urging him to intervene.  In the letter, Marilyn Ashton, portfolio holder for planning, development and enterprise at Harrow Council, said the sale to a housebuilder had "fallen through due to a slump in the property market".

 

She said: "While the site remains unsold, there is no prospect of this museum opening. There is therefore the real risk that this crucial piece of World War II history will be effectively mothballed, possibly for years, until the economy stabilises."

 

"Given that the Government feels able to rescue banks with hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money, I hope you will agree it should be able to find a way to support a museum at a site which - and this does not overstate the case - ensured the UK's freedom in the war against Nazism."

 

An MoD spokesman said: "Unfortunately, economic factors are affecting the sale of Bentley Priory.  We are confident that existing plans for a museum on the site are the best solution for preserving its heritage and work is continuing to find a developer to take these plans forward."

 

"We are determined to make the best possible use of the defence estate and this includes releasing what is no longer required in order to fund world-class equipment, facilities and accommodation for our Armed Forces."

 

Watch an interview with Flt.Lt. William Walker - one of those extraordinary men - here.