Thursday 18 June 2009

WHAT NOW FOR 1 GRANVILLE MARINA?

I have been informed this morning that TDC's Planning Committee gave a 'REFUSED' decision last night in respect of I Granville Marina and Application L/TH/09/0052.

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I do not know any details yet and await with interest the next steps to be taken by TDC or the developers. The value of this development site will rise should the Pleasurama (Royal Sands) project ever get off the ground and perhaps we might see an appeal process begin. I would prefer to see TDC take a tough stand on restoration to its previous state as outlined by its Deputy Leader last year. Cllr Latchford said:
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"The council is utterly determined to ensure that this building is re-built in its previous form and, to this end, we have already served notices on the owner of the property. One requires emergency works to be carried out immediately and, if this is not done, the Council will undertake the work in default. The other notice requires the property to be put back in its original state. This will mean that the owner will have to submit detailed information on how they will achieve this requirement."
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We will have to wait and see.

12 comments:

Ken Gregory said...

Bertie, I think an apology to the planning committee is now in order

Anonymous said...

Think you can call it a victory until the developer appeals Bertie?
Well done to the power of bloggers!

Anonymous said...

No isn't the point the planning officer recommended approval and then shortly after changed his mind to say 'approve' although nothing had apprently changed?

At least the committee decided for itself having examined the evidence. Was the rejection unanimous?

Bertie Biggles said...

Ken, I am delighted to see that your Planning Committee considered all the issues on the night with an open mind and without any pre-determination and voted with one exception, to refuse this application.
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Please accept my apologies if my comments on this issue have been harsh and critical. I trust you will be seeking clarification from officers about the advice presented to you and your members, seeming contradictory in June and May. As I have argued before, our Councillors, particularly on Planning, need clear, concise professional briefing particularly when there are contentious issues involved. Having seen the size of briefing docs on TDC's website for Cllrs, I have nothing but sympathy for you all.
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19:31, I have a suspicion that the developer might not want to attract too much attention from an Independent Planning Inspector into how and why and the procedures followed or not followed in the demolition of this Grade 2 listed building. It probably came as a shock to them that it was listed!

Anonymous said...

Obviously the brown envelope was not up to standard!

Anonymous said...

Ken Gregory, I think an apology to the residents of Thanet is in order!

Ken Gregory said...

Thank you for that Bertie, I appreciate you may not like all the decisions the committee make, but that is why they are there. In planning someone is always likely to be hacked off, but that is not a planning matter

Ken Gregory said...

In addition Bertie, please do not attack staff who are only doing their job, by all means attack us elected members, that is our job.

Don Wood said...

Bertie how can it come as a surprise its listed surely the developer new what he had when he purchased it or checked if given instructions by a client but then maybe not

Bertie Biggles said...

Ken, you and our Cllrs can only do their job properly if properly and accurately briefed by officers. If a planning officer can do an 180 degree turn in advising the planning committee within less than two weeks, then surely this is of valid concern and should be questioned.

I drew reader's attention last year to what can only be called a misleading interpretation by a Planning Officer in respect of a house in Birchington and the selective quoting of an Independent Planning Inspector. Just because one has been employed as a TDC officer does not mean that one is above critical examination of advice given or changed?

Bertie Biggles said...

Don, I suspect that the building was Graded as Listed grade 2 after it had been purchased!

fred said...

Planning application: F/TH/09/0051

Building survey report for: Marina Restaurant, Ramsgate - dated 31 July 2007.

Page 2, section 1.5, 2nd para: "It is confirmed that the building is GII Listed status by Thanet District Council".

Page 11, last para: "List Building Consent and approval under the town and Country Planning Acts will be required".