howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
going by what i hear people say, nobody is taking it seriously.
not sure i am either, the project would run into trillions once new roads are costed in.
as for the glass lift people just laugh or think i am winding them up.
to my mind the hotel/conference project and the war memorial are feasible but all the rest is extremely unlikely.
i intend to look at the plans tomorrow, but the problem is that once one person is on the platform discussing it, very difficult for anyone else.
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
Could it have something to do with so many false dawns? I'm sure a trawl of the Dover Express/Mercury for the last ten years would come up with a huge number of stories about this and that development that has never materialised. I think most Dovorians are either (a) happy with things as they are, or (b) resigned to the fact that things are unlikely to change anytime soon.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
amongst life long dovorians a mixture of both kevin.
when i went past this afternoon market square was thronged with people enjoying the spring weather.
either side of this promotional vehicle is a large closed shop unit, behind is a boarded up fountain and around empty plant troughs.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
howard;
it will be good to see how it all pans out
but don't agree on building on the playing fields(green land)
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
Without an input like this the western heights are just going to fall further into ruin ( apart from the areas being looked after by the preservation society of course but that still needs funding.) It is very nice to have a green and wild bit of countryside almost in the center of town but not if most of it is out of bounds and dangerous brickwork. If this company is willing to invest lots of money and look after the historical sites then go for it.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Yes Kevin - I think there have been many hopes with the Heights with various developments going right back to the 1960s when Industry on the Heights was going to solve Dover's jobless problem as the number hit 500 !!
It will be expensive but not trillions !!
The last 'plan' about 5 or so years ago was the back of a fag packet design by Ray Haines of the Chamber of Commerce with not much more, this has reasonable designs and time and effort has been taken
A big difference now is a lot of people backing the plans including the Council, but we can't just say that based on past experiences nothing will happen, this is now and people can make a difference....
Been nice knowing you :)
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
paul,building houses is only a short term emploment,hotel/conferance center is only slightly longer term.and besides where would these extra people work,would it be local or futher afield.
Im intrested Paul and have commented on here and on the developers website , I have also emailed them some questions bt as yet I havnt had a reply .
I do question how much of a response they where expecting , when the exhibitions are scheduled for a Tuesday in a working week , there might have been a better uptake if they where at a weekend
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Thanks Sarah, much appreciated. If you don't have any response let me know and I can mention it to them as WHPS are meeting for a presentation on saturday. They did mentioned that they thought there was a problem over the weekend - did you submit your questions then or was it Thur/Fri?
Been nice knowing you :)
I think it was Friday night Saturday morning but if they havnt got them I can re send them , I just presumed they where busy . I agree that " something " has to happen I am concerned about the ammount and type of housing and the impact on the historical artifacts and buildings , also the Glass lift is just weird, and the tenuous link to a non existant cable car is also a bit " speculative "
I hope that dosnt sound too harsh
I would also like an assurance that the protection and developement of the historical buildings and areas is guarenteed to be completed before the housing / developement of hotel etc as I have known schemes where all the conservation promises disapeared once the developement of the housing hasd been completed
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
The more view of any sort the better - there may be a point where WHPS need to fight against the developer, or it could be that we need to fight EH if we think they aren't acting in the best way for the site.
We are just temporary carers for the Height and need to be able to gauge the public opinion so we know what YOU ALL want us to do
Been nice knowing you :)
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Re post 23.The fountain is due to be refurbished .The Flower beds are due to be planted up shortly ready for the Jubilee and the Olympics .
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
thats a bit late for the first cruise ship sue,
Lots of things are "due to happen".......
This kind of initiative is the sort of thing that would support Dover, but #23 demonstrates that a bit more joined up thinking and action would help.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Flower beds are due to be planted up end of May .Pencester Gardens near bus laybys planted up two days ago and already plants have been up rooted.Damage has accured to trees etc in Mark Wood Walmer .DDC put the effort in only to have tearaways causing damage.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Back to the Western Heights......
Some people have no idea as I found when I overheard a local talking to the developers. Why aren't the developers spending their money in the town/Castle Street? Why should money be spend on the waste of time Drop Redoubt? Can they guarantee locals will be employed for the construction? Why should we let English Heritage take over the Redoubt and charge people to go in? and he went on....
Been nice knowing you :)
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
just going off topic for a mo,sue its easter weekend next week,possabilty of more cruise ships coming to dover plus tourists from ese where.what do they find barron flower beds.a closed castle and a coverd up fountain,makes a good inpression dosent it.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Brian,
DDC donot do winter bedding cut backs. .If you want more flowers which services shall we cut ?/
When we do plant as in Pencester someone pinches the plants .
Will get back re date for Fountain refurbish .
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i recognise that style of conversation in post 37, very commonplace.
the next stage is why did the council spend all that money on the seafront and visitors centre up at the castle.
usually finishes with why do the council charge so much "rent and rates" on high street shops and businesses.
