Almost 18 months have passed since the 46-year-old announced his ambitious proposal to transform part of Allendale’s Grade II listed Osborne House into a haven for Daleks and Cybermen.
But Mr Cole, who is a teacher at Ovingham Middle School, said work was progressing behind the scenes after he received planning permission to change the use of Osborne House’s cellar, where the museum would be based.
He said: “I initially stated that we wanted to be up and running by the summer of this year, but realistically, we are looking towards 2018 now. We are working with a Grade II listed building and it has been quite a process to go through the planning stages.”
In May, Mr Cole is set to launch an online fund-raising campaign through Kickstarter, which helps artists, musicians, film makers and designers find the resources to turn creative ideas into reality.
He added: “We’ve already invested a lot of money into this project, and we just need another £10,000 to get us over the line.
“I honestly believe there is a lot of interest in this type of museum, and it will bring a lot of people into the Allen Valleys.”
Mr Cole said the new museum would initially be open at weekends and one day through the week.
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