Two and a half sisters...
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
27 March 2010 17:3644756yes sid them as well. - 29 March 2010 08:5144951From DDC:
"As you may be aware the land in Question belongs to the Ministry of Defence and unfortunately, we have no planning control over this."
Been nice knowing you :) - 29 March 2010 09:2144957One for Gwyn to take up then.
- 29 March 2010 18:4745023maybe that is why the MOD chose now to pull them down.
they knew that the people who would ask difficult questions would be too busy electioneering. - 29 March 2010 18:5045026But Gwyn isn't doing anything so has plenty of time to fight Dover's corner! Why is he so silent all the time?
- 29 March 2010 19:0645035i doubt is there is anything gwyn can do here, if there was chas would have been on the case.
maybe the libdem chap will enter town in his superman outfit and deal with the problem?
just needs road directions now. - 29 March 2010 19:2045039Wouldn`t it be great if you could get at the root of it all as to who came up with the suggestion of demolition to start with, who agreed with it and above all, who gave the order for the actual demolition? When I see things like this happening, it`s where I try to get my head round one lot of people trying to preserve our heritage, while at the same time, another lot are trying to destroy it all. We`ve seen it happen all over the years, and again it`ll be our future generations who view it all and ask, how did they let that happen? High time these faceless arses get named and shamed! (Back in five, just getting my blood pressure tablets).Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 29 March 2010 19:2745040colin
the MOD are a law unto themselves, if put under pressure, they could use the one about "national security".
always works. - 29 March 2010 19:3045042Couldn`t have been under much pressure with all those illegal immigrant`s coming in Howard. Must have been the biggest security threat ever!Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 29 March 2010 20:5645057Not one for Charlie, Howard, he isn't our MP yet! Our ONLY presence in government is The Ghost or Blair stoolpigeon, aka Gwyn Prosser. He should at least try to get answers, this happened on his watch and in his own back garden. I don't expect him to get the thing re-erected but he should demand and get us an explanation. Stop making excuses for him.
- 29 March 2010 22:1545071nice try sid, chas has been very vocal in his opposition to the privatisation of the harbour board.
what is so different to the swingate issue? - 30 March 2010 06:3145086There isn't any real difference.
If it's MOD land, then maybe it was a cost-saving exercise, so it would have been the Government.
This is part of our history being taken away and like so mnay other things that's happened to Dover over many years, it's official vandalism, nothing less.
Roger - 30 March 2010 13:1045123Or rather, legalised vandalism Roger. Yet, if some yobbo defaced a war memorial, never mind wrecking it, what would we be saying about him on here, apart from hang the B.....d?Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 30 March 2010 14:3145132We'd be saying "why didn't Charlie deal with it" probably, after all, our MP has NO repsonsibilty for Dover it seems, apart from asking pre-scripted questions of Gordie in the Hoose when he bothers to go!
- 30 March 2010 19:1345187i think you will find that he has one of the best attendance records in the house sid.
no doubt your reply will be, why is he never in dover? - 31 March 2010 14:4045246Well as you all know by now the tower was demolished because the structure was in a deteriorating condition and was a health and safety condition.I did think that some time ago and put that concern on the Forum,and taking that the other two was also put up at the same time how long before we see them coming down to? and can they be saved?
I would like to think they could be,if not both just one of them but this would mean £1000s of pounds needed just to save one and where would that funding come from it would need a trust set up, can that be done? over to you. - 31 March 2010 14:5345250Wouldn`t the national lottery be able to help, as they do fund a variety of things?Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
- 31 March 2010 15:4945254Colin.It would be nice to think so, but in this case I do not think they would.I am vey sorry to say but I think we will see the two of them coming down over the next few years or even before that.The cost of keeping them there just to look at will be to much.We could be looking at 1million pounds and that kind of funding is not about.
- 31 March 2010 17:4245292I have been a member of what was CHiDE and is now DEHS, the Defence Electronics History Society, for many years. I have forgotten to renew my subscription but am about to do so. It occurred to me this afternoon that they might not know about this demolition as it came as such a surprise to us who are living here. I fired off a quick email and have had an instantaneous response, emails reproduced below.
To: Chairman DEHS
As an erstwhile member of the DEHS (must have unintentionally let my subscription lapse as I have not received any newsletters for yonks, must renew), it occurs to me that you may not be aware that one of the three ex Chain Home radar masts at Swingate in Dover was pulled down this week.
This is being discussed at present on the local Dover Forum and the link below will supply additional information. You will also see on there an article which I wrote for the Dover Express some years ago.
http://www.doverforum.com/letters/viewtopic.php?id=3974&p=2
The MOD own the land so they can pull down the masts without any consultation. One of the remaining masts is operated by the Royal Signals and the other has broadcasting aerials on it. Presumably when they are surplus to requirements, they will also be pulled down.
As with the one at Bawdsey, they will be in poor nick after all these years, although one is of later construction as the original was replaced.
Would you be so kind as to let me know the views of the society on this matter. Do you think that one should be preserved, preferably with the platforms and aerials reconstructed as per the original, similar to the one at Great Baddow? Do you think that this is impossible and some other form of commemoration should be devised such as a diorama somewhere in Dover?
There is a immense of amount of history spanning several millenia in Dover, most of which is entirely ignored due to lack of funds. This does not bode well for commemorating the Chain Home radar station. Would you be aware of any sources of funding to do so?
Best regards
Ed Connell
---------------------------
Reply received from Chairman DEHS:
Hello Ed
First of all, we would be delighted if you rejoined us - details on the website.
Thank you for advising me of the demolition of one of the Swingate towers; a tragedy.
Is it not practicable for those of you within the local community to apply for these to be spot-listed as structures of considerable historic significance? We would be happy as a society to support such a move, though you as locals have to provide the motive power.
Regarding restoration to provide the platforms etc, the prospect of doing this is extremely unlikely without a significant and active local support group; even then, because of the problems of finance, it is doubtful - you will recollect that the BBC Restoration programme brought Bawdsey to public attention with a similar plan for its (demolished) towers, but this has not prospered, and currently the only grant-giver of any size, the National Lottery, is well and truly drained by the Olympics (and likely to be so until 2012 at least).
It is more likely that preservation in the form of a diorama would work; do you have a logical place locally where that might be situated?
Best regards
Phil
Dr Phil Judkins, Chairman, DEHS - 31 March 2010 19:4445313Ed, I had replied to the person at DDC to see if it is possible to list the remaining structures, and await a repesonse
The forms are here
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19800Been nice knowing you :)