The map above shows you how Thanet's farmland and rural landscape is being and could be altered in the next few years.( Please click on for more detail)Please note to the west, Thanet Earth and to the north Two Chimneys Caravan Park that has expanded on a further 30 acres of prime agricultural land in the past 5 years. I have hatched in Kent International Airport which is about to unveil its big new development plan and Kent International Business Park.
The observant will notice that I have also hatched in land that CGP has been casting an eye over and making preliminary approaches on. A 'Gateway' project in Chinamex terms includes retail units, leisure units and cultural units. If we really think that Application F/TH/08/0400 is a stand alone application then we are fools.
CGP and TDC Cabinet and Officers know quite well that Phases 1, 2 & 3 are linked but what CGP and TDC Cabinet do not want you all to know is that Phases 4, 5, and 6 are being looked at and approaches have been made by CGP to purchase prime agricultural land up to the Manston Road and Margate Hill. At the Planning Meeting on 20th Aug there was even mention of a 'by-pass' over agricultural land from MIBP to Shottendane Road! How can 08/0400 be a 'stand alone ' application when such matters are raised?
TDC is already moving to 're-designate agricultural land' at Manston as last weeks Cabinet Meeting revealed when considering the 'Fitt Report' and what we are facing is a 'creeping' development that is being carefully manipulated by TDC Cabinet in a step by step process.
If this is what the people of Thanet want and our Councillors approve of, then as a democrat I will accept the decision they make on the 9th October although I, and many objectors to this scheme, feel it would be disastrous. If our representatives feel that the short-term gain of a few jobs in Thanet is worth writing off our water supply and land described by MAFF in 1995 as a 'national resource' then so be it.
A short term gain needs to be weighed against long term strategic problems and whether CGP ends up in the agricultural industry as opposed to lucrative property speculation, is their concern , not ours!
4 comments:
What strikes me and a lot of other people I know is the immense scale of Thanet Earth. I don't think people had the foggiest how imposing it would be until it started going up.
I presume it was granted planning permission as an agricultural development. However what you see on the horizon as you enter Thanet is rows and rows of glass sheds, in effect a tomato factory, i.e an industrial development by any other name.
It will be interesting to see how many local jobs it creates. None so far, as far as I can gather.
All this concreting over of green spaces scares me quite frankly.
So what is it to you ECR? Spoil your view? And you'd rather nobody got a job from it if they weren't from Thanet. A little selfish of you I would judge.
17.21, I think you miss, Dickie's point. A number of Councillors feel that Thanet Earth slipped under the radar and that they were not really aware of its implications in every way.
That cannot be said about this Gateway business, but I am concerned that no site visit was arranged for Councillors in preparation for the 9th Oct. I am aware that quite a few have poddled on down to the area to get lungfuls of fresh-air and some good Thanet mud on their shoes and I hope all will do so, even if Mowice & Woger didn't feel it suitable that Bwian White should have arranged a formal site visit.
I personally find the fact that no site visit was arranged for ALL Councillors disturbing and undemocratic but that perhaps illustrates the whole problem with Gateway ever since it became a whizzo idea to make a load of dosh for Ken and his mate Prosser.
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