Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Sorry David, meant you.
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Guest 782- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
Back to the office now!!
Paul, that was an unfortunate slip - I am not the voice of David you know! Since he became political I have kept my distance (especially with people refering to him as wierd and creepy), I don't need to be tainted by his brush with all the other things I am trying to achieve!
Anyway, I have lost potential letting applicants to DP that would not be appropriate to discuss, but I have directly lost tenants from Landlord clients - most recently Stirling Cross and NAG. These offices remain empty with no interest in them despite the Landlords spending money on them to make them even more attractive.
All the while rent and rate incentives are being given places like DP will be a success and skew the real market in the surrounding towns. However, we must also recognise that we are in changing times. The electronic age means that the need for offices is changing and this is reflected in the Innovation Centre set up at Coombe Valley which is also somewhere we lose potential lettings because of the all-inclusive rentals available.
Encouraging Landlords to further invest in their offer is not easy when they are without the income they once relied upon, and also being clobbered with empty rates costs. Government is unfortunately the architect of this situation and I doubt this or any successor regime will act to do anything about it. The pushing back of the revaluation from 2015 to 2017 so that this issue does not impact on the election is a pretty dishonest move to distract attention. The valuations will go significantly down which would mean that the rate itself will increase hugely in order to maintain or enhance the level of income required. A complete re-think is necessary, but it will take strong and decisive leadership to bring it forward. Unfortunately we are not over blessed with leaders or leaders-in-waiting in the corridors of Westminster and no one will particularly relish the potential for a "Heseltine" on the business rates.
Will there be rent and rate incentives to get business in to the DTIZ sheds I wonder?
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Certainly no rate incentives for DTIZ. I don't know the rents that the developer is achieving, as you know these matters are commercially sensitive.
I too am disappointed that the rate re-valuation has been further delayed but I suppose the extension of reliefs & the new £1k initiative is to be welcomed.
There are 83 firms now located at DP. Many of the locals are servicing new businesses & the site is becoming sustainable with , finance, legal, HR & marketing all satellites of local Kent businesses. New catering outlets are also providing on site opportunities for the 1600 plus jobs.
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
Paul, I would suggest that if you don't know the rent being charged you certainly should.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
This is why shop premises are empty in Dover, rent £35,000 rateable value £54,000, plus utilities and staff wages, one has to have high takings just to cover the outgoings.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-to-let/property-16021047.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=commercialrenting-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 664- Registered: 23 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,039
Vic, cheerio, then, and all the best.
Kevin, great news about industry relocating to this area from China. Simon, there does indeed seem to be a vibrant cafe culture developing in Dover and I agree that Dover town centre should be the priority. I have said before that I fear we are creating a development doughnut.
I don't think anyone in Whitfield would object too much to a couple of new estates being built there - nothing unreasonble about this kind of organic growth. But no more than that.
It would make the pill easier to swallow if some economic benefit were visible other than simply farming council tax payers to stay solvent.
Guest 1266- Registered: 8 May 2014
- Posts: 381
Hello Forum,
I have recently moved into the area and just wanted to give an outsiders view, apologies this might be brutal.
It seems to me that Dover town has been left to decay for many years whilst the district council peruse a big statement development like the current DTIZ plan rather than encourage smaller regeneration developments to nurture. During this time Deal has flourished and become a very desirable location. Even excluding the Sholden and planned Walmer developments house building in Deal exceeded Dover by a considerable amount last year.
Rather than develop a district wide strategy of providing services for Dover, Deal and Sandwich the council seem intent on centralising services and facilities in Dover, presumably to generate more stimulus in the Dover economy. However I feel this is doing a lot of damage. There are a lot of people in Deal and Sandwich who are making noises about the inequality of services like the hospital for instance.
If the DTIZ is not to become a white elephant it will need to attract people from all over the district and further afield but I suspect in the current climate people will boycott.
Jack of Hearts
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Jack ,I suggest you look at the Local Development Framework which describes exactly the aspirations for each community after consultation with them. It is on the DDC website . TheCore Strategy is the part you need.
Guest 782- Registered: 4 Oct 2012
- Posts: 357
Jan, this is a very good example. The last proper tenant was paying £57k a year in rent. The most recent one was only paying rates and still couldn't make it work. The building is huge, delapidated to an extent and no one wants to take on such liabilities. The Landlord was even willing to allow the Dover Big Local and Dover Community Association to use it without rent as a town centre community hub. They are now in receivership so goodness knows what will happen now - or when!
What will become of M&S which, although dividable, is much much larger and therfore a bigger problem.
Guest 1266- Registered: 8 May 2014
- Posts: 381
Hi Paul, I am 99% sure that the community in Deal and Sandwich don't want to travel to Dover to visit a hospital or cinema.
Jack of Hearts
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
welcome to the forum jack, swings and roundabouts on the hospital and cinema front.
in recent years deal hospital has had more going for it than buckland which has been reduced to nurses in the minor injuries unit and little else.
the new buckland will have a lot more facilities but will not be a general hospital therefore margate will be the destination for deal and sandwich people.
the cinema chain chose the location with the geography playing a large part in their choice bearing in mind the multiplex at westwood cross.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
You're right about the hospital Jack and they won't have because Deal's is staying. As for the cinema well that's up to the customers who they support. Hope the Regent thrives & Cineworld is a roaring success . Different animals.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard,dont you meen a polyclinic,on saying that it will not have any surgical,medical wards at all.apart from that no 24 hour a&e.
Guest 1266- Registered: 8 May 2014
- Posts: 381
Thanks Paul, Howard. Clearer picture now
Jack of Hearts
Guest 714- Registered: 14 Apr 2011
- Posts: 2,594
How can the regent thrive if KCC block it
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
because kcc are a bunch of tory knobs and deal is not a posh town plus there is a lot of ex miners that live there.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
Welcome to the Forum, Jack. As someone who is new to the area I'm interested in your assessment that 99% of people in Deal and Sandwich would not want to come to Dover for the cinema or hospital. Why not?
Yes, Dover is a very different town to Deal not least because it is home to Europe's busiest passenger port and provides a lot of employment for people from Deal as well as Dover!
It never ceases to amaze me that there appears to be such resentment between different parts of the district.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
we live in a very diverse district - dover, deal and sandwich are 3 very different towns and the villages have their own individuality.
I don't think there is any resentment other than the usual "why are they getting something and we are not" thing that happens in any spread out district.