ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
It looks from their most recent published accounts like that vast majority of the original Israeli loan remains intact. I'm looking forward to seeing the next set of books which (from memory) are due imminently.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,860
This is a saga that will go on
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,937
#493 NB the long term plan for DWDR includes 500 - 700 units of accommodation.
"Shall we go, you and I, while we can? Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds"
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
I do hope DDC do not waste any more money fighting a court case over Fartingloe.
Jan Higgins and ray hutstone like this
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
I agree, Sue, but I suspect that the pressure of local politics mean that they will. Why is our wonderful Charlie so preoccupied with this planning decision to the extent that he needs to go public on it whenever the occasion permits? It would be naive to think that he exercises no influence over the Council, I feel.
The more you look into CGI, the murkier it becomes. It saddens me that our Council and MP appear to be so much in their pockets.
Pablo- Registered: 21 Mar 2018
- Posts: 614
#503, I haven’t seen that long term plan Bob, where can I find it?
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,860
I don't know if DDC still forms the same opinion?
will the big developers win in the end?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
This has resurfaced again and a "revised" application is on this weeks planning list (Ref DOV 12/00440)
Despite the previous officers report and recommendation, effectively upheld by the Supreme Court, recommending a maximum of 365 [U]houses[/U] the revised application appears to be seeking permission for the following:
At Farthingloe:
1 bed houses - 14
2 bed houses - 155
3 bed houses - 189
4 bed houses - 42
1 bed apartment - 66
2 bed apartment - 43
3 bed apartment - 3
studio retirement apt - 2
1 bed retirement apt - 29
2 bed retirement apt - 55
3 bed retirement apt - 4
Total units - 602
Houses - 400
Apartments - 112
Retirement Apartments - 90
Even I can see that this significantly exceeds not only their previous application but also the recommendation from the officers on the previous report. In their covering letter CGIs agents state that they have reduced "housing units" from 521 to 512 - apparently retirement homes are not housing!
They also have a report from BNP Paribas (the consultants who said the officers recommended number of units would render the scheme unenviable) who, unsurprisingly, have concluded that the proposed scheme cannot viably provide affordable housing.
It seems to me that CGI have taken no account of the decision of the Supreme Court or of the previous comprehensive report from the planning officers and are simply pressing ahead with an unacceptable scheme and deluging the planning portal with documents (currently 329 and counting).
Whilst we all, I am sure, would like to see high quality housing developments in Dover, these cannot be at the expensive of our natural environmental heritage or to the detriment of young Dovorians seeking affordable homes.
I would urge all of you to review this application and to comment on it asap
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"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
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,802
That application seems to be a complete waste of everybody's time going by the result of the previous one.
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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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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
We know in advance what the officers will say about the update and I doubt whoever is on the planning committee this time would dare ignore their advice. How long before Charlie starts with how great it will be for our young people starting out here? I vaguely recall one of our posters asking a CGI representative what the lowest priced dwelling would be and it was well out of reach for people on local wages.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
"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
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
It was sadly inevitable that this monstrous scheme would rear its ugly head again, given the financial position of CGI. There's nothing I can add to Ross's excellent summary save to echo his encouragement to everyone to make their own assessment of the situation and not to be unwilling to leave their comments.
In the meantime, I will update my own research into this bizarre company with its chequered history and publish the details on here if anything new materialises. This is a huge challenge to our local planners and the independence of the planning system. Political influence has already been shown to play a part here and, indeed, in neighbouring Shepway.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Here's our man looking to help the struggling young in our town/
Charlie Elphicke
8 mins ·
Everyone knows we need to build more homes so young people and renters have a chance to get on the housing ladder. We all want Dover and Deal to be a place where you can get a job, have a home to call your own and raise a family.
I made this case to the developer last year and he assured me that he wants to give priority to Dovorians looking to buy their first home. So I’m delighted that these ambitious plans to build affordable homes on the brownfield site at Farthingloe have been resubmitted.
Let’s get on with building the homes we need.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
Shame they are not affordable
ray hutstone likes this
"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
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
I have objected again.On the reasons I gave before the number of houses is against Officers advice.How they can resubmitt an application is beyond me.Its money and greed.
ray hutstone and Ross Miller like this
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
I wonder who the "he" is that Charlie refers to as the developer. I assume he means Rob Prince who was there at the so-called open day last summer. Curious because he resigned his directorship in the company well over a year ago.
The main guiding force nowadays in China Gateway according to Companies House is one Glenn Dickel who lives in Cambodia. No doubt he has the best interests of the young aspiring home owners of Dover at heart though.
And still Elphicke prefers to describe it as a brownfield site. It is, of course, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
the brown field bit is up for debate, the bit across the road from the farm shop, you can still see concrete foundations from the tunnel village.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
When the channel tunnel was completed the land should have been restored.There was a lot of debate at the time the workforce village located there.Make no misyake someone is in it for the money .I hope our officers will stick to the original re ommendation of refusal as the number of dwellings is far to high .
Interestingly DDC have found money to fight this case .We could have built a few low cost homes elsewhere.No need to keep building on green field sites.
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ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
Sue is absolutely right on this one, Brian. I was with the tunnel for many years. When TEMPORARY planning was originally granted for the TML workers village, it was on the basis that the land must be restored to its previous condition after use. However, the land passed form Eurotunnel Developments Ltd to speculators before the restoration was completed.
The removal of the terracing and the hideous old sports hall (where I used to work!) has never been completed and there has been no pressure from the authorities for them to do so. Of course this will never happen all the while various transient developers hope to clean up by building across the whole valley.
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
Thanks Ray for posting the above.I was on planning for ten years and the Officers always commented on my memory.My views don’t always please everyone but memory and attention to detail is one of my stronger points .I was on the planning committee when this application came up before and I would not vote for it .
There are plenty of brown sites still around .Will not confuse the issuie but what is happening out here with Russell Gardens and The Abbey ?.It will take years for the trees to be replaced .
