Plans have been revealed for this year’s Longleat winter exhibition, which will include an increased number of installations to mark its 75th anniversary as a tourist attraction.
The designs submitted to Wiltshire Council show proposals for a huge archway flanked by 5m-high giraffe models and other animals.
The theme of this year’s installation will be “time”, to remember Longleat House being the first stately home to open to the public in 1949.
There will be 19 themed areas, from “ancient Egypt” to “Antarctic exploration”, and the centrepiece will be a projection shown at the front of the main house.
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The plans suggest that the Age of the Dinosaurs area will present model dinosaurs up to 9m tall.
According to an application, the winter event has become an essential part of the park’s business plan, providing around 15 per cent of annual visitors.
The application concludes: “Although temporary installations have increased in frequency, there remain periods of the year when the house and grounds can be viewed without the distraction associated with installations.
“These are published on Longleat’s website for guests who might wish to visit during these periods.”
Wiltshire Council should make a decision by Friday, September 20.
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