The post you are reporting:
I don't think I've seen a planning application with so many separate documents (47). A lot of effort and money have gone into the preparation of this.
I was sent this, this morning - it's a recent extract from the London Evening Standard:
The Kent coast is moving closer to London. As high-speed trains slice a staggering two hours off the return journey time to Folkestone and Dover, an ambitious regeneration programme is rolling out waves of optimism for the future of these historic harbour towns.
Towns that were for so long merely departure and arrival points for tens of thousands of Channel-hopping holiday-makers are being revitalised to attract London commuters and weekenders looking for that elusive combination of an accessible seaside location and value-for-money property.
While other parts of Kent's coast (notably Margate and Whitstable) have been on the London radar for a decade and more, run-down Dover and Folkestone were passed over, unable to reverse the decline that set in during the Seventies. The new high-speed rail link has been the game changer, attracting investment and kick-starting the masterplan for change.
In their heyday these were both elegant Victorian seaside resorts. Extensive bomb damage during the Blitz eroded their appeal but some prized architecture and an array of period properties remain. The restoration programme includes showpiece cultural and leisure venues, new marinas and a makeover of the promenades. Smart apartments with spectacular sea views are coming soon.
Famous for its white cliffs, Dover has been Britain's gateway for centuries, with armies of invaders, migrants and returning soldiers landing on its shores. In searching for a solution to reunite the seafront and the town, which had become a mere adjunct to Europe's largest roll-on, roll-off ferry terminal, planners studied Barcelona, which was so successfully regenerated prior to the 1992 Olympic Games.
An initiative was born called Sea Change, which aims to connect the famous hilltop castle with the refurbished esplanade and provide Continental-style pavement cafés via a "land bridge" along the way. A castle-to-coast cable car is also planned.
"About 14 million people a year pass through the bottom of the town, which is cut off by a trunk road and the large volume of trucks," says Tim Ingelton, head of regeneration at Dover District Council. "The land bridge will make Dover a walkable, connected town."
From £225,000: flats at Western Heights, Dover.
More than 6,000 new homes are in the planning pipeline. The two key sites are the 25-acre Western Heights, an elevated strip of land with some of Britain's most impressive coastal fortifications, and the 275-acre Farthingloe Village, a new settlement that will include a country park.
"Our target market is people who currently live and work in London," says Kevin Dougall of developer Priory Land. "Dover Priory train station is a 10-minute walk and the views across the Channel are breathtaking."
The first phase of 400 new homes is due next year. Prices will start from £225,000 for a two-bedroom apartment and £325,000 for a four-bedroom house. Farthingloe Village sits at the end of a heritage trail being created by the local council.
The housing will be grouped around a village green and neighbourhood shops. Prices will range from £175,000 to £400,000.
Not done and dusted, but it does paint a good picture of Dover - one that we should all aspire to ?
Whether people work in London or locally, they'll spend their money here and we need high-end earners.
Have a good meeting tonight.
Roger
Roger