Last updated at 19:45, Thursday, 02 August 2012

The driving force behind the Roman Maryport project has left the Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Trust.

Trust chief executive Linda Tuttiett confirmed this week that Mike Baker had taken up a position in Scotland.

A bid by Mr Baker to secure funding for the Roman Maryport project had nothing to do with his leaving, she said.

She said the trust was still committed to the Roman Maryport project and was looking for “a new way forward”.

She said that the trust was looking at nothing less than a first stage project which would cost £6.1 million.

Phase one of the original £11 plan would see the creation of a visitor centre, exhibition area and a more basic cafe than originally envisaged.

All would be housed within existing Camp Farm buildings and no new buildings would be added.

She praised Mr Baker for the work he had done and said he would be a loss to the organisation.

But she added that the trust and the Roman Maryport board, along with HWT project manager Trevor Atkinson and herself, would continue to work to ensure that the project becomes a reality.

She said: “We will still put in a planning application by October which gives us three years to get the project up and running.”

Mrs Tuttiett said one small element of the funding portfolio had prevented the trust from obtaining grants to begin work on Roman Maryport to date, and it was now looking to a wider range of funding support.

First published at 19:22, Thursday, 02 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk