Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
5 November 2010
07:3478541#1
DDC PRESS RELEASE ( Nov 4) **
DOVER TOWN INVESTMENT ZONE UPDATE
Following significant progress, Dover District Council has confirmed that it wishes to continue to engage with Bond City Limited as the Council's preferred development partner in the multi million pound regeneration of the St James' area in Dover.
At a meeting of Full Council last night (wed), it was agreed that the Director of Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Special Projects be authorised to complete certain legal agreements, including agreeing specific timetables, and to report back to Council in six months, or sooner, on progress on this major project.
Bond City is developing revised proposals for this key site, known as the Dover Town Investment Zone (DTIZ), and significant progress continues to be made. This follows news of Asda's withdrawal from the scheme late last year. Both Bond City and the Council have been working hard to move this important project forward.
Cllr Frederick Scales, DDC Cabinet Member for Economy and Special Projects, said: "We are very pleased to continue to engage with Bond City on this major project. This is part of an exciting bigger picture, as we continue to work with a range of partners on a growth programme for the future of the district, and to bring forward opportunities for employment, housing and regeneration. The work already undertaken in a range of areas, including having Growth Point Status and our Local Development Framework in place, has set firm foundations for growth. We are already seeing encouraging signs for investment, and progress on the DTIZ represents further signs of confidence in the future of the area."
John Laker on behalf of Bond City said: "We are delighted that DDC continues to show confidence in our ability to deliver this important project. We have continued to make significant progress since the withdrawal of Asda and have introduced new team members to reinvigorate the process. We remain convinced that the St James development will be a success for the town of Dover and will deliver exciting new retailers in a town centre environment."
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
5 November 2010
07:3978543#2
Whispers tell me that this was a very stormy DDC meeting the other night..certain sections of this fine body of illustrious councillors were spitting feathers at the lack of progress.
If that is indeed the case then I guess the mood is generally reflecting the views of the community at large, who I suspect by now are fed up with promises that something was going to happen in the St James's Area. We appear to be sleepwalking in the twilight zone on this, while developments go up to the left of us and the right of us.
I was enthusiastic for the old ASDA plan. Some were not, but what did we get without them...nothing.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
5 November 2010
07:4078544#3
one question,is the bigger picture the same as the big sociaty.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
5 November 2010
08:2578550#4
There certainly was a lot of hot-air spoken at the Council meeting on Wednesday evening.
Bond City have engaged new well-respected architects and others who know about the feasability of new Town Centre developments. There is an air of confidence and optimism, but not on the timescale: get it right, not get it quick was the thought.
There is a plan to demolish some of those buildings (Britannia etc) on the front and clear the area of the disgraceful buildings there; sadly, the worst ones won't be till later, but (for me) they should actually come down now and turn them into green areas until the development starts.
Roger
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
5 November 2010
08:4678551#5
I agree with that Roger
In the short term it would be better for Dover to erect a temporary telecoms mast next to the garage rather than leave that eyesore up.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
5 November 2010
08:5778552#6
To show i'm not just sayng the present administraton has got it wrong, this set up has been a disaster for many years.
And all these years later we are still not much further forward.
It is correct that no one should rush a plan, but im sure 10 years or so has given a little more than SMALL time to get this together.
Let's hope this latest moves doesn't take another 10 years to go no where
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
5 November 2010
10:1078560#7
Not sure what else the council can do - development can only happen with commercial money and you can't force it to be spent in Dover.
Even if they spend £1/2m (probably) to demolish the carpark and Burlington House, it is still a big gamble that anyone wants to move there....
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
5 November 2010
10:3578562#8
With the imminent demise of SEEDA, a lot of the promised funding for the development will disappear into thin air unless spent or firmly budgeted for spending by Apr 5 next year. A fair amount of this money is, I gather, being spent over the next few months on site assembly and tidying up the edges of the DTIZ site. So we may soon see bulldozers over the White Cliffs, but, alas! no cranes yet.
PG.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
5 November 2010
10:4878564#9
Well, here we go again Round and round we go,talk and more talk but when will we see action of any kind ,funny all this is coming out now just when we are geting ready for next years locals.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
5 November 2010
11:2378568#10
Who have they engaged to come up with the plan Roger? (Thanks for the honest update)
We were told last time that it was a good competent scheme. It was however far from robust when it relied on on element alone. As many pointed out it was a 'one liner'.
I don't understand why they don't focus their energy in gettting the plan right first. If this went to competition for planning, world class architects and planners would be queuing up to provide a master plan for such a site. Instead we seem to start at such a pedestrian, uninspired point, eg: carparking.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
5 November 2010
12:2378577#11
We did get Morrison's, Paul! That is the equivalent to ASDA, and it's in Dover. Can't really complain there!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
5 November 2010
12:2678578#12
it bothers me that a timescale has not been set.
why cannot the property purchased by the council simply be demolished, it would send a message to people that something is happening?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
5 November 2010
12:3178581#13
Alexander I think you misunderstand me there...the Asda situation was a full development for this part of town, there was the main store with lots of satellite development alongside, such as homes and a hotel and so on, not to mention a nice landscaping of the area...a feature not to be overlooked.
Morrisons just opened a shop. A nice shop but not quite the same thing. The other was a full development. I was keen on seeing the complete redevelopment of the immdiate area. I live here almost in the middle of it and its pretty grim as is. Makes prison look like a soft option.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
5 November 2010
12:4378587#14
how does that elvis song go.let me see,ah yes a little less conversation and a little more action.
5 November 2010
12:5678598#15
HUMBUG Time scale my foot this is a whitewash, so people will think that this is still going ahead seeing is believing its no wonder you councilors make us mere citizens so skeptical. with your Bull S***.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
5 November 2010
14:1878611#16
Well Alan, perhaps you should stand for election if you think you can do better.
All of us think we can do better, of course, when we are not in the role. I was no different to you Alan back in the 70's.
Its only when in office that you realise just how limited a council and councillor is in getting things done. You really are at the mercy of all sorts of other groups, rules, regulations and a lack of money.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
5 November 2010
14:3178614#17
Barryw=
I share your opinon on this
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
5 November 2010
15:2078618#18
Howard, a lot of the property purchased by the council is freeholds with active leases in place. You can't bulldoze the Light of India without the leaseholder's consent.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
5 November 2010
15:3478621#19
Barry W & Keith,
While I have every sympathy with your statement that "If you can do better then have a go" there comes a time when such statements loose there credibility. It is morally sapping to hear once again about the "Exciting times ahead" How long will this excitement be expected to last this time ?? another 20 years (the time that I have been aware of them), 50 years, 100 years.
When I wrote to Mr Watkins 3,4 years ago?? I made the statement that we only had 97 years left in this century. Hopefully some progress would be made before the century expired. I thought I was making a rather ironic joke, now I am not so sure that I wont be proved right. I suppose we shall have to wait until one of those old buildings collapses and kills some one before heads can be banged together
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
5 November 2010
15:4478623#20
If I'm not mistaken, the Burlington house will have to come down before any development goes up in DTIZ, as a lot of space would be required to clear up the mess. And also that multi-story carpark.
It would mean making provisional plans to divert the port trafic for a while.
It would also cost a few dymes to. The problem is that it's all armoured cement, not one brick.