Some readers might wonder why I am enthusiastic about this wonderful new Summit Aviation building at Manston, given my opposition to China Gateway. I will explain. Last week I accepted a long standing invitation to have a guided tour of the building..
Summit Aviation (Ken Wills, also of CGP ) has been working in Pysons Road in cramped conditions for some years and employs over 60 people in servicing aero- engines. I believe this new building is worthy of recognition, not only as an attractive modern building (it looks better than the sheds in Westwood Cross) but also because it will enable Summit Aviation to expand. Summit hope to move in from Pysons Road by the end of April. It has recently won a large contract for engine servicing from a large European manufacturer and this building and its facilities were part of that process. This means not only securing jobs but expanding the work-force. That has to be good news.
The building will utilize rainwater collection from the roof; have a wind turbine attached and has state of the art heat conservation. Even on a chilly day last week, the spacious inside servicing areas were warm, and no heating/electricity was on! It is an example of new technology helping to reduce a building's carbon footprint.This building sits where it ought to; close to 'airside' and on land designated by TDC as part of Manston Business Park. There is a minor impending problem and the photograph above illustrates the problem. If the KIA 'Master Plan' goes ahead, the main road will be closed and a new-taxi-way will mean the 'safety-zone' will encroach right up to the front of the building and the present car-park will have to be re-located on the North side of the building. Ken Wills is not 'phased' if this happens as it puts the building as close as it can be to the taxi-way! The view from the mezzanine area is first class for 'plane-spotters'.
The aerial picture above illustrates the building's position well but also highlights quite neatly the poor Planning Policies and thinking that have been the 'hall-mark' of TDC for too many years. When it was felt necessary to increase the size of Manston Business Park in 1995, instead of extending the boundary to the east (behind the Summit building) towards Manston and keeping the area close to the airport, the extension of land was made towards Acol and into the most sensitive part of the aquifer in the area!.
You might also wonder how the re-routing of the B2190 will affect the Summit Building; it will come to the left of the building along the crop 'tram-lines'!
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The followers of China Gateway Phase 1, will also note that the uncultivated area (bottom of picture) is owned by KCC/TDC in its nice little EKO LLP scam and my understanding is that CGP and EKO LLP have yet to agree to purchase of land (bottom left hand corner of picture) that will enable the prestigious 'Gateway' building to be built. I will not even mention the 'blackmail' that EKO LLP has engaged in with the 'ransom strip' at the bottom of the site by Cummins!
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One would have thought that if TDC gave Planning Consent on 9 Oct 2008 for China Gateway Phase 1 to be built, it would have co-operated by releasing (from its own little property company EKO LLP) all that land close to the airport and B2190 to CGP, to enable CGP to locate the main distribution warehouses away from the SPZ 1 at Sparrow Castle at the NW end of the site. It has not done so ,even now! All TDC's 'green' talk is clearly just hypocritical waffle.
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I have accepted the democratic decision by my Councillors to allow development of Phase 1 but it is still not too late for EKO LLP to do the 'right' thing and free up its holdings close to the B2190 and make development of Manston Business Park a safer environmental proposition!
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I will oppose any Phase 2 & 3 applications, if and when they come forward. It has been my bitter experience that if you think that the present economic down-turn spells disaster for CGP as a developer, think again. The 'waiting game' I was involved in, in Oxford 20 years ago, had a 17 year history and 2 'recessions' and the developer concerned eventually succeeded in its goal. We are in the waiting game, as CGP is!
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7 comments:
It's like drawing teeth, but I have to agree that this is indeed a positive expansion for Thanet, and a nice looking new building.
Just think what a difference it would have made if Westwood Crass was built as one big building like this, with the shops inside.
Not only would it look so much better than the hangers, but it would mean you could shop without the wind driven rain! But there again, we are talkinh about TDC here, so no chance of any forward, joined up thinking!
Bertie I can't find the plans for this one on the planning website, any ideas? I have to agree with you just the sort of development that is good for the area and of a scale that is probably sustainable even in the recession.
Michael, have searched under The Loop, Manston (nothing) and CT12 5D
which covers the 'patch' but no entry found. You could enquire with TDC Planning? Why such a major project was not entered on the UK Planning Site does seem odd.
Yippee, conspiracy, no planning consent(?) go get em Bertie!
I doubt it, 17.50! It's probably just TDC's erratic efficiency, or lack of it, in getting details put up for easy access by the public. That said, TDC are slightly paranoid and secretive; they didn't even keep minutes of numerous meetings between CGP and senior members and officers in 2007 and 2008.
Also I see that the good Doctor ( non medical) has gone suddenly quiet on Thanetdeath? Any ideas?
Bloggers do have an alternative life 00.01. In ThanetLife's case, Councillor; Commercial Pilots Licence Training; Air-Ads and at this time of year organising the E-Crimes Conference perhaps. ECR seems equally quiet at the moment for similar busy reasons to do with earning a crust. Eastcliff Matters on the other hand seems to have a problem and one could say , has been 'bloggered'; a temporary difficulty I hope.
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