Finding the right path
The Mikyo Dorje Institute team has news to share about the direction of the project.
Over the years, the team has been searching for a suitable building for the Institute. The team has investigated many properties and considered several of them seriously.
In recent months, the search has thrown up challenges. Promising sites have been rejected due to planning restrictions, others because of limited size, and others because of purchase or renovation costs.
Karma Thinley Rinpoche's letter of instruction
Given these challenges, the team has decided to return to the original plan set out by Karma Thinley Rinpoche in 1975, that is, to buy land on which to build the Institute.
Members of the project team and some of the trustees discussed this idea during the period at Changlochen. On the last day of the summer course, the team shared the idea with Lama Jampa Thaye. The team's proposal was to buy a piece of land, secure planning permission and build the Mikyo Dorje Institute step by step.
Lama Jampa was enthused and he instructed the team to go back to England and buy a suitable plot. He said that he looked forward to sharing the news with Rinpoche and His Holiness Karmapa, once the land had been acquired.
Early sketch of the Mikyo Dorje Institute by Karma Thinley Rinpoche.
Initial steps
The search is focused on Staffordshire, in accordance with Lama Jampa's advice. The team had approached Staffordshire county council's Planning Department in 2022 and received a warm welcome - the planners were keen to see the Institute there. The team is currently approaching regeneration officers for the local authorities within Staffordshire.
Once land has been purchased, Lama Jampa would like the first phase of development to be a traditional Tibetan-style temple, with subsequent development of accommodation and catering facilities.
The team has spoken with a building development advisor and is taking the following steps:
Developing a concept plan with an architect from the Dechen community.
Once complete, sharing that plan with a quantity surveyor to calculate initial costings.
Consulting with regional development officers to help identify suitable locations.
Seeking land by approaching major landowners and land agents.
The concept plan will support pre-planning and a more detailed architectural piece will be commissioned in the future.
Cannock Chase Sherbrook Valley, taken by William Hook (license).
Once the concept has been fully developed and costed, and a site has been identified, the team will consult with local planning departments and submit a pre-planning application with the support of a planning consultant. If the response to the application is favourable, the team will bid to purchase the land and begin development.
Concurrently, the team will seek financial advice from Triodos Bank, with the support of a mortgage advisor, who is currently considering the financing options for the development and repayment structure for any loan required to build the Mikyo Dorje Institute from the ground up.
Keeping everyone updated
The team is happy to have conversations via email, in-person or on the phone.
The next newsletter will share further progress.
Thank you for reading,
Best wishes
The Mikyo Dorje Institute project team.
If you enjoyed reading about the Mikyo Dorje Institute, share this page with a friend!