howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Does Boris think Kent is a London Borough?
Audere est facere.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
yes martin he does.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Thanet has been housing people from London Boroughs for many years but only in properties already there and empty.
This is different as they plan to build the houses and the low prices would be attractive to those in London who can't afford to buy, the problem then is that prospective buyers would need a very well paid job in the capital to cover the rail season ticket of over £.5000 per annum.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
There is a major meeting in London March 19th to confront this matter.
Council Leaders & Planning officials from across South East & East of England are set to engage on Boris & his henceman Edward Lister's proposals.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
There is a major meeting in London March 19th to confront this matter.
Council Leaders & Planning officials from across South East & East of England are set to engage on Boris & his henceman Edward Lister's proposals.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
The commuter population is what makes many towns prosperous. Examples: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Guildford, Dorking, Leatherhead, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe, Hemel Hempstead, Harlow, Saffron Walden, the list goes on and on. None of those towns has much local employment but they are populated by affluent people.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Access to London , availability of housing built both on & off plan helps Peter.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Yes quite. If you build 'affordable' houses you end up with the wrong incomers. If you build aspirational communities you get prosperity.
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
Johnson seems power mad his mandate covers Greater London only But we have had "Boris island" out in the Thames Estuary, he has "decided" that the next river crossing should be at Dartford now this.
Judith Roberts- Registered: 15 May 2012
- Posts: 637
Peter is right. I think Dover needs nice new family homes for people to buy. We need new aspirational hard working people and to keep existing families in Dover. At the moment a lot of people move out of the town because there isn't much variety of good housing stock in the town. More people in the town will bring more services and shops and the regeneration we need.
I have spent most of the last 30 years in Market Harborough which has doubled in size during that time. It has gone from being an old fashioned rather run down town to a vibrant, thriving, country town with wonderful shops, restaurants etc. As the population has grown so have the facilities. The main employers e.g Tungstone Batteries, Crosby Valve, have gone but there are lots of new businesses coming in and more employment in the town. Some do commute to London, it is an hour on the train, but most work locally or within a short drive. Businesses will choose to locate where there are good communications and hard working, skilled, educated people.
Having said all that the local Harborians fight every new housing development, saying there are too many people and it is not like it used to be. It is human nature to resist change and hark back to an imaginary golden age.
Guest 1266- Registered: 8 May 2014
- Posts: 381
Statistically Deal is a commuter town, its working population to local jobs ratio is one of the lowest in Kent meaning people commute. There are already a considerable amount of people in Dover who also commute to London who are not all on well paid jobs. Unfortunately its a needs must choice for work so I don't see the high season ticket cost deterring people moving here. DDC have already opened the flood gates with Whitfield, Sholden, Walmer and Discovery Park housing development approvals.
Jack of Hearts
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
The majority of housing in Dover are relatively small houses, while many of the lovely Victorian larger houses having been converted into flats or bedsits.
Dover desperately needs more houses with a minimum of three bedrooms that will entice the professional wage earner here to spend their money regardless of where they work.
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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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Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,560
The developers of Buckland Mill need a kick up the rear to speed building work up, a few flats at a time is no good for Dover.
I would like to see the Council invest some money to get the whole site finished. Maybe they might even get a return.
Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
I arranged a tour around the Buckland Mill site last July for the River Dour Partnership, hosted by the developers and the Homes and Communities Agency. From what I can tell there is no need for DDC to invest in the site even if they could do or wanted to, it's a brilliant development and progress is going well but will inevitably be lead by demand.
Central Dover just doesn't have the space to build the size of house that is wanted by families, so high density housing is what will normally be built e.g. the post office social club site. Bigger family homes will have to built on the outskirts which means fewer facilities and access problems.
Judith Roberts- Registered: 15 May 2012
- Posts: 637
Absolutely agree with Jan. There are far too many small flats in Dover and not enough 3/4/5 bedroom houses. The paper mill site is huge and could have had a full range of property from starter homes and assisted living homes to large detached houses built there. That site is an easy walk into town and the local bus services in Dover are very good at least in the daytime.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,560
As I said it's very slow, at the current rate it will 20 years before it's finished.
I have some SEEDA leaflets and I believe most of the rest of the site is meant to be houses. This is the perfect place for some bigger houses.
Also Google "Buckland Mill pdf" and see page 11 of the brochure.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
Ray, surely they could build modern houses that are more than two storeys much like the Victorian house I live in which altogether has four levels.
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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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Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
Unfortunately Jan it's a brownfield site, so although I'm no expert I'd guess it's not suitable for that type of housing.
(Where's Kevin Charles when you need him!)
It's not just housing and won't be a gated site, lots of community facilities open to all -
details here.
Interestingly between my two posts there was an item on affordable rural housing on BBC's Countryfile.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
I'm afraid I don't quality as an expert either, Ray!
Many of the points raised here reflect DDC's Core Strategy which acknowledges the need for a greater variety of housing, including larger family homes. If memory serves me correctly, Dover has the oldest housing stock in Kent.
As Ray mentioned, the first phase of Buckland Mill is a very high quality development, and the plans for the site include larger, family homes. We've also seen some good quality smaller developments of larger family homes with Elysium Park coming to mind.
Progress is also being made on the developments at Whitfield, and not forgetting Aylesham.
