Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,083
Ross Miller wrote:
This is an opportunity to be bold and imaginative, not only with the style of units but also with the level of community involvement and construction methods.
Absolutely Ross, but realistically, how many houses or housing developments can you think of over the past say 50 years in the district which are of any architectural merit or worth?
Why the Hell for example could we not have built the local equivalent of the Brunswick Centre in St James providing both retail and a mixed- use residential development rather than a car park surrounded by some sheds selling stuff?
Photo - Brunswick centre (above)
IF we are going to build 300 homes somewhere why are we not building high density high quality housing for people rather than a load of Letraset semis arranged around acres of tarmac so we can all park our 1.6 cars outside our font doors?
There IS good design out there. There ARE excellent talented young architects champing at the bit to build housing for the future rather than a 2/3 scale model village based on a past which never actually existed.
Unfortunately there are far too many planners and councillors who have no background in design and who spend their time providing supposedly what the people 'want' rather than showing them a future they could have.
Here's a load of pictures of what the future could look like. Sorry about the lack of parking spaces for 1.6 cars! And before any prat says would I live in one, the answer is I already live in a four story terraced house with inadequate parking.
It's called a Victorian terrace and apparently it's 'much sought after' and worth a small king's ransom.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/261208847109373146/"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,878
I agree about St James it was a missed opportunity but we are stuck with it. The majority of those in the pinterest link (before it wanted me to join) reminded me of this old Pete Seeger song.
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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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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
# 62, the main picture is nice looking until shops or what ever starts closing down etc, then its open to graffiti and other vandalisam creeps in along with drug dealers/ loansharks move in. end result a run down concrete wasteland that no one wants to live or move to.
Pablo- Registered: 21 Mar 2018
- Posts: 614
Another huge missed opportunity was the Western Docks scheme where there was potential to build something worthwhile like the Brighton Marina development.
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Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,257
Pablo wrote:Another huge missed opportunity was the Western Docks scheme where there was potential to build something worthwhile like the Brighton Marina development.
That is still on the cards for a future phase of development around the Wellington dock.
If there's money in it DHB will go for it!
Arte et Marte
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,083
Reginald Barrington wrote:That is still on the cards for a future phase of development around the Wellington dock.
If there's money in it DHB will go for it!
Correct. 700 housing units projected. NOT just round the Wellington.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Reginald Barrington- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,257
Do you have a link to it captain, I can't find the docs in my files!
Arte et Marte
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,083
Power-point Presentation to DDC councillors at open meeting. Will chase up.
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"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,083
Quick search:-
2010 DDC Core Strategy
4.13 The majority of the site is owned by Dover Harbour Board and Dover District Council although
the remaining parts are in other ownerships. The Harbour Board and District Council are working
together to enable redevelopment. Some areas, such as that including listed buildings at New Bridge
are included within the overall site for context reasons; this should not be taken to imply an intention
for their redevelopment.
The Proposal
4.14 The site is suitable for a mixed use development comprising
Residential - minimum of 300 new units with potential for up to 800
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Reginald Barrington- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,257
These are from Guy Holloway architects, were these the same models as at presentation?
Arte et Marte
Button
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,057
I doubt it; wouldn't 2010 be back in the days of Terminal 2? Same sort of idea though.
(Not my real name.)
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,083
Presentation included a list of numbers of dwellings proposed at various sites in district.
I was surprised at number down for DWDR so queried them after meeting and was told they were correct.
Personally I'd be all for it.
700@+£300,000 〉£200 million ≈ cost of project
Not green field, access to A20, close to rail. Ideal for rich retired and high income commuters.
Does anyone really believe DHB are spending £200 million to make a platform for a larger onion shed?
Let's just hope when all is revealed some prat doesn't start bleating about social/affordable housing which would lower the tone of the whole place.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I have re read post 58.It makes a lot of sense.We need good quality homes to attract people with spending power.People who will invest in job creation so our younger people stay in Dover and save for a house or flat.It was instilled in me as a child to work and save.I had a paper round when I was twelve and a full time job at fifteen .When I married my husband and I bought a maisonette.When we moved to Essex we had a small three bedroomed house.In River I wanted a lovely house in Lewisham Road but we could not afford that.
Young people cannot expect always to be housed by the council
There are affordable homes in Dover,flats and small terraced houses.You have to inspire.
Sadly I did not get my dream home but I have a nice little semi here in River.We donot need all these so affordable homes on prime sites.
Here in a River there are still nice little terraced homes.
When you set up home it’s a gradual process You can’t have everything handed on a plate.I sometimes listen to conversations on the bus .Money for nail extensions,mobile phones .
Good old Council will house us when next baby comes along.!,l
Judith Roberts- Registered: 15 May 2012
- Posts: 637
I think the majority of young people work hard and have similar aspirations to previous generations. It is hard to save for a deposit and pay rent at the same time even with two salaries.
Spending patterns change over time and a mobile phone is much more affordable than a landline was years ago. I hate nail extensions but they are the equivalent of the weekly hairdo my mother's generation (more commonly living in social housing than now) bought.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
"There are affordable homes in Dover,flats and small terraced houses.You have to inspire.
Sadly I did not get my dream home but I have a nice little semi here in River.We donot need all these so affordable homes on prime sites.
Here in a River there are still nice little terraced homes.
When you set up home it’s a gradual process You can’t have everything handed on a plate.I sometimes listen to conversations on the bus .Money for nail extensions,mobile phones .
Good old Council will house us when next baby comes along.!,l "
I can only see one 2 bedroomed terrace for sale in River - £.240, 000, cutting down on nail extensions won't make much difference to a young couple trying to save a deposit of about £160, 000 in order to get a mortgage.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Well the houses deposit might seem high Howard but then wages are higher than when I had my first home.We just about had enough for a deposit.If you have saved for say five years two of you go some way to getting a deposit .
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,083
Many millennials are helped to put their first foot on the housing ladder by their parents nowadays including finding money for their first deposit .
Unfortunately this often involves their parents dropping dead and the kids getting an inheritance .....
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Flats in River are less .
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,878
Captain Haddock wrote:Many millennials are helped to put their first foot on the housing ladder by their parents nowadays including finding money for their first deposit .
I helped my grandson with his deposit, without which would he and his wife and child would still be living with us while they saved...............I call it a very wise and sensible thing to do.
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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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Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
Why should the young and the less financially well off have to settle for inferior quality homes and flats, as many comments on here seem to be suggesting?
Doesn't everyone deserve a decent quality place to call home?
There is no excuse other than developers profits for the lack of good quality new homes that are affordable and cheap to run. Currently most developers target a profit margin of c30% and where it looks like it will fall below 15-20% seek to be exempted from both S106 levy and affordable housing requirements.
As for the re-sell housing market it strikes me that estate agents and owners are over pricing housing in Dover and its environs by a good 20% plus.
"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
