howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
dock rock seems to be every other year.
always very well attended and enjoyed by all.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
just a reminder that the exhibition opens this morning at the discovery centre.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
What time, Howard?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
cannot find the time anywhere peter, usually these things run from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
i understand that the top man from the architects will be there today to answer any questions.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
The architect will be there tomorrow Howard.
I have to say I was a little disappointed with the plans, they are just retail and more retail, not particularly imaginative at all. I had expected a mixed retail/residential development using the old lanes as a template; but the pre-war lanes which are not still there now are only reflected in the car parking arrangements.
It's Westwood-Lite; but it's all there is on the table and I wish they would just get on with it and get it built. At least it's better than staring out of my window at Burlington House until I retire.
And furthermore, there is nothing in the exhibited proposals containing anything of a commercially sensitive nature, so why was everything kept under such a veil of secrecy for so long? Commercial sensitivity was the reason I was given when I asked to see the plans under a non-disclosure agreement months ago.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
just got back from there, not overly impressed was expecting more of a mix too.
the main thing now is to just get on with it - we will not see the end of the car park and b********n house otherwise.
on the positive side the hotel taking precedence is a good idea and i liked the concept of a riverside restaurant.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Agreed Howard, it's not perfect but it's what we can have so let's get on with it and be positive.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Just been to see the development plans, hard to criticise the intention, its the execution I'm cynical about. There'll always be arguments for and against retail/residential etc, I'm in the anything is better than nothing team.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that's three of us just from here that will go with it.
i suspect that is the majority view of the towns residents too, i hope that personalities and ego do not come into play and further delay the regeneration.
we know what happened with the hospital, the fact is we all have different ideas of a perfect development best to settle for what is on offer.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Hopefully no do-gooders will get in the way of plans again like the hospital....
Let's all get behind it as anything that gets rid of the eyesore that are currently there is great
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Yes I was there this morning,and as I said anything is better then we have now,but will it go ahead,? I think looking at what has happen in the pass,it is just a PR again,I hope I am wrong,but !
Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
How battered we are that all we can muster is let's just get on with it and I find myself in that camp.
I did wonder what the view from the restaurant would be, overlooking the backs of the shops on Market Square. That would have been better with a view of the castle.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
The first thing I noticed was the wall. A very decorative wall, with its guard towers disguised as pillars and its nice expanses of sharp flint; scale me at your peril. A nice clear statement to passing motorists, "this is Dover now bog off".
Sure enough, there in the corner is the telephone mast base cleverly designed to represent a hotel. In the other corner a riverside café with a landscaped area (a note tells us that it can be used as overflow parking - I was worried for a moment there that we were going to be stuck with a green space).
The rest is a car park, but not just any car park, a car park with 15 (yes a whole 15) retail spaces. The accompanying artists impression show us how people can wander at will across this expanse of parking because obviously there will never be cars driving around looking for spaces.
Of course, everyone is so sick of the sight of Burlington house they will accept any half-hearted effort that sees it demolished and say, "let the DDC parking revenue"; sorry I meant, "let the regeneration begin".
Had I not seen what other developers envisage for areas of Dover and what other towns have done with their seafront areas I am sure I could fall for the "best we can get" line. I have said it before and will almost certainly say it again, "Dover deserves the best and not just the best it can get".
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
what is the option though chris?
if this is rejected then it is back to the drawing board and a new company brought in at great cost.
then a few years later we will be presented with another set of plans.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
Not having seen the plans maybe I should not comment but here goes.
1) Are we short of shop space............NO
2) Are we short of parking space in town...........NOT REALLY
3) Are we short of housing ............YES
4) From what I have read here is it a good idea............NO
What has been designated for leisure activities which this town badly needs, by the sound of it nothing.
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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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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i was surprised that some housing was not included, would have been very saleable as part of a new development fairly close to the seafront.
didn't expect to see any leisure provision, every avenue has been explored over the years to bring some to dover without success.
the demograph does not encourage it.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Ther are two big housing developments going on in the town right now,and on top ove that we might have a very big one going at Whitfield,there are others in the pipe line +more flats being made up ,lets see if they all get rented or sold off first. We will see one also going up at the top of castle hill.+ look into the local papers and see the pages of houses for rent and buy in and around Dover. Yes there are many young familys that need a good family home,and part of my own family is one of them,it is funding they need and good jobs,with that comes the funding to buy or rent a house that is already there.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
You are quite right Vic there is no shortage of places to buy or rent in Dover. The construction phase of the development will create a good many jobs.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Yes if it was to happen,but Dover needs it now not in ten years time.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
Went to see the exhibition this morning and had a chat with the architect. My first impressions are quite positive. At least with this development we get two smalller "anchor stores" and a variety of other stores of varying sizes. I think the new "Townwall" is a clever idea for hiding away the service area that will be required for the new stores backing on Townwall Street. I also think the "Market Place" is a nice idea by the river, but I guess it may be an issue once (!) the economy picks up and more lorries are on the roads. The other positive part of this scheme is that it includes the old P&O building (Fanum House) which was not in the original proposal. The petrol station stays for the time being, but may change in a phase 3 of the plans.