Your Thoughts On The Future Of Connaught Barracks

What should Connaught Barracks become? Are there housing and community needs that could be addressed by developing the site? How can Fort Burgoyne best be used while at the same time preserving the Scheduled Ancient Monument?

These are just some of the questions that the team from English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency behind the development of the former Connaught Barracks, will be asking in the first stages of the public consultation strategy launched this week.

Located to the north of Dover town centre and adjacent to Dover Castle, Connaught Barracks covers an area of 56 hectares, of which 12.5 hectares is suitable for development including large areas of open public space.

Those in the team driving the regeneration of the former home of the Parachute Regiment are Dover District Council, Dover Pride and English Heritage. All have joined together to create a programme designed to gather the views of as many Dover residents as possible to help determine exactly what will become of the site overlooking Dover Castle.

A special website has been created at http://connaughtbarracks.wordpress.com/ where, in addition to finding out more about the site, people are being encouraged to let the team know what they would like see, or indeed not see, included in the development plans.

An initial idea for the site is for 500 new homes and community facilities. However the consultation programme has been designed more broadly to ascertain, in more detail, what sort of development the district needs and what community facilities should be considered.

In addition to the website, a special preview event is being held on Saturday 15th November where a limited number of people will be given the chance to tour the site and to experience the barracks and Fort Burgoyne at first hand.

Because of the military nature of the site, access is very carefully controlled and is restricted to authorised personnel only and those who are given express permission to be part of an escorted visit.

For an opportunity to visit the site, by joining one of the very few tours available, you are encouraged to register your interest through the Connaught Barracks website or to phone 01233 651 700. Children under the age of 8 years cannot be admitted, and older children must be accompanied by an adult.

All those who are successful in registering to visit the Barracks will be contacted to complete the necessary security and safety requirements.

David Ashworth SE Area Director for, English Partnerships said: ""We are inviting experts to come to a special workshop the day before the public exhibition to provide their views. However, from the moment we acquired the site we have been committed to the future of Connaught being shaped by local residents. We want as many people as possible to contribute their views and to consider the site's iconic surroundings and its important historic monuments.

"We know that the area has needs and now is an opportunity for the community to tell us what they would like to see at Connaught. I urge everyone to visit the website and to let us know what they think. With the support and help of local people who live close to the site we can create a sustainable new development for Connaught."

Further opportunities to visit Connaught Barracks will occur as the consultation process continues throughout 2009.