howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
Wont be cheap
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Simon Crowley- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
DDC should buy it.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,655
Simon Crowley wrote:DDC should buy it.
That would be no guarantee of a successful outcome anymore than any plans devised by a good developer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Crowley- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
It could quickly be decommissioned security size, and the homeless problem would be aleiviated in a place where on site help and training could be given to help people get back on their feet. Just seemed like an opportunity to help with a real proper problem to me....
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
What would you estimate the cost of buying and renovating to be Simon?
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
A good idea Simon .Im sure Cllr Back would be interested in your ideas.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,981
A good idea Simon .Im sure Cllr Back would be interested in your ideas.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Received this from Pat Sherratt.
In 2014 I applied to DDC on behalf of the Dover Society for this to be placed on the Community Asset Register.
Unfortunately DDC declined the application as “No evidence of a time in recent past where the premises further the social wellbeing and interests of the local community”
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#5, prone to escaping , many returnies have jump the wall and buggerd of not to be found again.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
In an ideal world DDC would buy the site, then help the community set up a Community Land Trust, which would lease the land and develop it as housing,
DDC can borrow money to lend to CLTs but is disinclined to do so, though to be honest there is probably less risk with this type of transaction than with those they have done for commercial land up at Whitfield
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 1165- Registered: 21 Jan 2014
- Posts: 22
Ross Miller wrote:In an ideal world DDC would buy the site, then help the community set up a Community Land Trust, which would lease the land and develop it as housing,
DDC can borrow money to lend to CLTs but is disinclined to do so, though to be honest there is probably less risk with this type of transaction than with those they have done for commercial land up at Whitfield
Good Idea Ross and it's not like DDC do not have an investment fund of just shy of £200m to do so I may raise the idea at my Scrutiny Panel Wednesday
Bought a house in the south of France the locals we're Avignon of it
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,470
Oh yes. Property investment by councils. What could possibly go wrong? (Clue - Vince Cable is correct for once in his life on this one)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/29/vince-cable-cash-strapped-councils-at-risk-credit-bubble
naff123's time this Wednesday might be better spent asking pertinent questions on the experience of the council so far in 'property investment' before encouraging further lunacy. It's bad enough council's wasting 'other people's money' (i.e. council tax receipts) in a way they would never do with their own money, never mind about doing it on borrowed money ............
Perhaps I'm wrong. I would like to think so. I suspect I'm not.
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
The challenge most CLTs have is that commercial lenders tend not to support them, the benefit to a local authority lending to them, is they have the security of both the bricks and mortar and the rent book and are allowed to charge interest on the loan...
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,470
Precisely Ross. Commercial lenders who have years of experience in such matters will not touch them with a barge pole as they are a bad risk whereas your locally elected amateurs will have a punt with your money as it 'seems a nice idea' and the business plan was peppered with words like 'community' and 'sustainability' and 'local' and if/when it all goes tits up nobody takes responsibility and it was always someone else's decision a few years ago and they are no longer councillors anyway.
Perhaps councils should stick to providing the services we actually need at a reasonable price? Once they show their expertise in providing the boring stuff like toilets, and clean safe streets, and a bit of parking, and emptying the bins then and only then should they branch out into the difficult stuff and having projects.
John Buckley likes this
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
No they wont touch them because generally many are new and have no track record. Long established CLTs do not have this problem.
With land-banking and crap social and private landlords the only way to solve the housing problems is to empower local communities to do it for themselves. There are numerous good examples of this across the UK
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Martyn Webster- Registered: 18 Nov 2017
- Posts: 49
Is there any update on the sale of the Citadel,or plans for its future? All seems to have gone very quiet,it seems to me.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,680
My understanding from correspondence with the Ministry of Justice is that they are in negotiations with a prospective purchaser and hope to announce details soon (though for them soon could well be in the next 5 years judging from their track record)
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,385
New owners.
https://techfort.com/
https://www.techfort-survey.co.uk/
It says:-
"The TechFort Group will redevelop UK’s most impressive fortress into a cutting-edge and world-renowned technology hub. "
Brian Dixon, Jan Higgins, Ross Miller and
2 more like this
Brian Dixon, Jan Higgins, Ross Miller, Judith Roberts and Pablo like this