howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
thought someone would have raised the subject of the two page spread in the express last thursday looking for signatures in order to call a public meeting.
looks like everyone here was as underwhelmed as me.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
#2
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
no link yet but it seems to have been orchestrated by your party keith, lord ripley will probably know more.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
#4
I don't now that much about it ,but I think its connected to big council tax money being spent on consultants with no progress.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#5
he has got an headache howard,
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#6
Let me just say this for Dover to move forward the D.D.C, must stay as it is,if next year we see any other party take over,will put back the plans for Dover by 5years or more,we must hope the ones there now have at last got their act going and we see the changes that Dover needs,at this very time it would be a very bad move to see others taking over.I am not in any party now and that will remain that way.Having a public meeting means nothing you aready know that with all the cutbacks that it will be sometime before we see big changes. All you will get is members of the partys just shouting each other down and the public doing the same. Nothing will come out of any meeting at this time. If there is one I will not be going nor will I sigh any petition.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#7
fully agree it is time for stability, pointless petitions and meetings count for nothing in the grand scheme of things.
cineworld are on board, marks and sparks have committed themselves to dtiz and a hotel group have signed up.
fingers crossed that the tide has turned in favour of dover.
John Buckley
- Registered: 6 Oct 2013
- Posts: 615
#8
Howard, you may well be correct, but from a "man in the street`s" perspective, it would appear that a very long time has elapsed without much happening. I regret that I haven`t actually seen, as yet, the petition in the Dover Express as mentioned so have to admit to some ignorance regarding this matter.
However, let`s hope that something positive does materialise, but we`ve had assurances and promises before on this haven`t we?
Keith B raises a valid question though that would be interesting I guess for ratepayers in general to be aware of and that is how much to date has actually been spent on consultants fees on this everlasting project? Anyone know?
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
#9
Dover is certainly not unusual in seeing a delay to its town centre regeneration plans. The recession has impacted developments across the country as rental and capital values fell, development funding became more difficult to obtain, and consumers reigned in their spending. That is now changing and Dover is well placed to take advantage of the investments already announced by both Cineworld and M&S.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#10
john
the article referred to 35 years of failure, no argument there but central government, local government and money grubbing property owners are all equally culpable.
do we drag in retired politicians national and local, council leaders and chief executives to account for themselves?
the truth is that the poor saps that have inherited the poison chalice in a bear pit atmosphere at a proposed meeting will be laughed at and the following morning nothing will have changed.
John Buckley- Registered: 6 Oct 2013
- Posts: 615
#11
Thank you very much both Howard and Kevin for the info`. As I said, I was completely unaware of the article (petition) referred to but, WOW, is that really true, 35 years of inaction? I`m actually out of my own comfort zone here because I`m not really up to speed on this particular issue ( perhaps I should be! ) but that does seem to be an incredible delay even allowing for an economic downturn etc. What happened during the other 30 odd years I wonder? ( or rather what didn`t happen should I say! ) That`s got to be some "Guinness book of Records" mismanagement by anybody`s standards surely?
Better not try and answer this one Howard, you might be up all night!
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
#12
The original DTIZ plans were announced in 2007, incorporating a large supermarket development. The proposed operator pulled out in 2010 so the opportunity was taken to review the scheme at that time. In my personal opinion this has created a much better scheme with a good mix of retail and leisure. Yes, it's taken time due to the recession, but the recent announcements by both Cineworld and M&S is a sign of renewed confidence.
John Buckley- Registered: 6 Oct 2013
- Posts: 615
#13
Thanks again Kevin, let`s hope that for the good of the town it all comes to fruition within a reasonable timespan.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#14
certainly interesting development
I don't read that paper so would have no idea of content
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#15
As we all know Dover has been let down over the last 40years,but it has been done by all partys not just the blues,but I think most of us are in agreement that this not a good time for any change at last still very slow but Dover is picking it self up off the ground,true we still have shops closing in it ,but some of them this time round is because of the shopkeepers are wanting to call it aday,like my mate in the pet shop.both he and his wife are wanting to spend more time with each and they like the rest of us are geting on and need to take it easy.It is still very hard out there to make a living out of shops and councils need to help them as much as they can by lowing the rents etc.but we all know that will not happen.
Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
#16
Kevin Charles wrote:The original DTIZ plans were announced in 2007 . . . .
Kevin, wasn't that though just the first public presentation of a design? I remember being at a meeting in 1998 when progress on DTIZ was discussed and plans were supposedly well under way.
I also remember in 1979 as part of a public consultation every house received a document showing options for extending the A20 to the docks. The logical option and the one preferred by most residents was to take it to the north of Dover to meet up with the A2 at the Lydden Hill traffic lights at a new roundabout and then dual the A2 to Jubilee Way.
Further back in 1971 the York St dual carriageway knocked the heart out of much that was left of historic Dover to get the Eastern docks traffic away from the town - and after ten years that purpose became redundant.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#17
when i moved here in 2002 i was told it was a done deal just a matter of waiting for construction to start.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
#18
Hi Ray. I'll have to defer to age and experience on that one .... I wasn't even at school in 1971! I guess there have been many plans but with Cineworld and M&S onboard it looks like this is one that fits the current strategy of some of the big high street names.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,599
#19
The petition
http://moderngov.dover.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=5&RPID=3376961&HPID=3376961
We the undersigned petition the council to , in the persons of a) the Leader and Cabinet, b) the Scrutiny Committee and c) the Chief Executive and the Head of Regeneration, call a public meeting and present , within 8 weeks of the closure of this petition, a full and detailed summary of costs incurred, progress made and forward plans to secure the completion of the Dover Town Investment Zone. The presentation should allow questions from the floor without notice and provide full disclosure of status, costs (capitalised and expensed), plans, accountabilities, timeframes and reasons for past inabilities to deliver. We respect the existence of certain commercial in confidence factors which should not be used as a shield to full and proper disclosure.
The St.James development has no sign of material progress after many years of effort. Occasional press releases suggest progress is being made but this is yet to materialise into development work becoming visible. The public are entitled to understand what has happened in significant detail. Effort on this project is evident, but outcomes are not.
This ePetition runs from 16/01/2014 to 15/01/2015.
78 people have signed this ePetition.howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#20
any possible meeting would take place in march/april 2015 - the run up to district council and general election.