The post you are reporting:
Chris is correct (#1004), Dover is dying on its feet, our children have moved away ... not because of housing but the lack of prospects ... jobs. Like many of our friends kids, they have gained excellent degrees and been offered jobs elsewhere.
What graduate jobs are there in this area? Now with the demise of Pfizer's, not many and that SWWood (#1005) is what we should be looking at.
There is no logic of providing 'Executive' homes on two of our major assets - which could be gently exploited for tourism the nationally acclaimed Ancient Monument and the unspoiled AONB Arthurian valley of Farthingloe.
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) section 116 p27 indicates that planning applications for major development in designated areas must have exceptional circumstances and it must be demonstrated that they are in the public interest. In the Local Development Framework p40 para 3.30 states that the individual sites for extensive development are: Dover Waterfront - 300 homes; Dover Mid Town - 100 homes; Former Connaught Barracks - 500 homes; Whitfield urban extension - 5,750 homes giving 6,750. Neither Western Heights nor Farthingloe were mentioned.
Any more and DDC only has to look at the NPPF p6 para 17, which encourages the effective use of land by reusing brown-field sites, such as the St James area and the Buckland Paper Mill site. Plus, of course, the No Use Empty Properties Initiative - which DDC says it actively supports.
As for schools, Ray Newsam (#1010) NPPF p17 para 72 states that the Government attaches great importance to ensuring that a sufficient choice of school places is available to meet the needs of existing and new communities. LDC-Open Space Policy and Standards (LDC-OPS) requires designated play areas for developments of 15 family dwellings or more. The China Gateway International (CGI) Social and Economic Report p22 para 9.78 states that their proposed development anticipates having 1,572 residents and as I have already noted above (#969), CGI plan 705 residences. Regarding schools CGI P&R p31 para 7.16 says that local schools will cope.
Finally, on this posting, Health Care. CGI have the same cavalier attitude. In their Transport Assessment document (CGI-TA) p23 para 4.2 19, the White Cliffs Medical Centre, in Folkestone Road appears to be the main provider of the GP service for the proposed 1,572 residents. The company give Buckland Hospital as providing hospital facilities.
I note that Reg Hansell - the great destroyer of the proposed £20 Dover Community Hospital has jumped on the Western Heights/ Farthingloe bandwagon. As a result of his and his cronies fight to block the £20 Community Hospital that I won, this once fine hospital is now a mere Health Facility. Hence, the residents of the CGI proposed development would be obliged, as are the people of Dover, to go to William Harvey Hospital at Ashford - down the A20 for such services. Thus, as far as the proposed development is concerned, defeating the objective of sustainability.
Lorraine
