Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#1
Nearly drove into the back of traffic earlier on the Deal Road when a load of large heavy vehicles with orange lights headed into Connaught Barracks !!!
Some huge training exercise I'd imagine ??
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 1694- Registered: 24 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,087
#2
I saw a gathering there as well earlier, there was tanks and soldiers and stuff heading into the parade ground from the Deal road.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#3
Perhaps Connaught Barracks will be requisitioned by the MoD?
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#4
What an brilliant thought, Alex. Fancy a ministry of defence owning a barracks. How original.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#5
yes fancy that,soldiers in barracks with tanks,quite novel really.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#6
The MOD have rented back the Bks for training that is why the buiding of homes is held up,The company are geting alot of money (1)For buying it up at a low cost,(2) For renting it back to the MOD,I found this out when we was up there last year.I do not know anything about the tanks etc up there at this time.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#7
There are dozens and dozens of huge truck up on the parade ground - didn't fancy getting arrested taking a photo !!
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#8
last time(the only time in fact) i was up there there was a nepalese looking security guard giving me looks because i was taking photos.
seemed a lot of wasted land and facilities there.
the guard was in a portacabin -decent size though.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#9
It's not military land and owned by the Homes and Communities Agendy.
Talks are ongoing with regards the future use of the fort, but I'd imagine that the proposed Eco housing will depend on this and the economic climate
Perfect site for a prison though............................................
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#10
the sign clearly states that it is the property of the "homes and communities" agency so it looks like one government department is paying another to use it.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
#12
Movement on phrase 1 which will be Officers Mess site overlooking Connaught Park.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
Photo courtesy of DDC from yesterday.
The consultation continues today from 10 am until 3 pm.
Guest 1391- Registered: 1 Nov 2014
- Posts: 199
#14
Great to see progress on this site.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,599
#15
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-business/county-news/former-barracks-to-become-500-48613/
Up to 500 homes will be built on a former barracks as the Government tries to fast-track construction of affordable housing on publicly-owned land.
Connaught Barracks in Dover, an ex-MOD site, has been selected as one of five areas across the country to receive a share of £1.2 billion of Treasury cash to build 30,000 starter homes by 2020.
The 136-acre garrison has sat derelict since the 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment left in 2006.
The Homes and Communities Agency bought it in 2008 but said it had laid dormant because private developers considered it too big a challenge, due to the complex demolition works and utility upgrades required.
The Government said it would save taxpayers' money by commissioning constructoin directly and said up to 40% of the homes built would be affordable starter homes.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Today's package signals a huge shift in government policy.
"Nothing like this has been done on this scale in three decades - government rolling its sleeves up and directly getting homes built.
"Backed up with a further £1.2 billion to get homes built on brownfield sites, it shows we will do everything we can to get Britain building and let more people have the security that comes with a home of their own."
Communities Secretary Greg Clark, who is the MP for Tunbridge Wells, said: "We're pulling out all the stops to keep the country building with a clear ambition to deliver a million homes by 2020 and support hard-working people into home ownership.
"Today's radical new approach will mean the government will directly commission small and up-and-coming companies to build thousands of new homes on sites right across the country.
"This, and the £1.2 billion new starter homes fund, will help thousands of people to realise their dream of owning their own home."
Martin Hart, managing director of Folkestone-based house builder Pentland Homes, said: "I have been looking at the site with the HCA for the past two years, assisting where I can.
"Its a good brownfield site in a great location but it needed to be cleaned up and serviced. The HCA can now do this.
"I have been pushing for these large Government sites to be delivered in small parcels so that SMEs can get a better share of the housing land market.
"Its great news that the Government has listened and is now looking to deliver."
The other four sites announced as part of the first wave of development are Northstowe in Cambridgeshire, Lower Graylingwell in Chichester, Daedelus on Waterfront in Gosport and Old Oak Common in north west London.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: "When it comes to building new homes, the availability of small sites is the single biggest barrier to SME house builders increasing their output.
"Any measures that the government can introduce that will increase the number of small sites suitable for SME house builders will help address the housing shortfall." howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#16
Has to be great news as Dover needs starter homes to keep younger people here in an ageing population.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#17
This is good news indeed. The result of much hard work by Natalie Elphicke.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#18
I just hope they will be the sort of home my grandson and wife are looking for, in other words actually affordable but not little boxes.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Andy B
- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,829
#19
i,ve yet to see a house which you can really call affordable.The prices they ask are still way out of touch for many and the way that they just seem to throw them together now i wonder how long they will really last.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#20
I might be wrong but I thought there was now a minimum size of room in new builds.
