I was amazed to read Page 2 of the IOTG with its banner heading 'We must act now to improve town' below Richard Spillet's line ' Plea to adopt new Government policy after damning report'.
If readers bother to trawl through Thanet Life postings in 2006, they will see concerns expressed about the decline in Margate, with a pathetic apology of Dreamland being provided by Mr Webb and pictures of closed shops galore. That was almost 4 years ago when we were still in 'booming UK' and prior to 'bust 2008'.
We now have TDC talking about 50 years of decline? Sorry, guys, I remember a happy thriving Margate in 1987 when I moved here. Yes, there were problems but not the catastrophe we have today.
Let me draw reader's attention to the incompetence of TDC in its forward thinking or lack of it. A 'Strife' photographer was dispatched this afternoon to take pictures around the TC. Despite £1,000,000 spent by KCC on reducing Fort Hill to a single carriageway and the TC project costing £17,500,000 in full swing only 30m away, please feel free to look at The Arcadian and Fort Hotel pictures. TDC has until Spring 2011 to sort this scene of dereliction and decay out and has it moved yet? Come to Margate to our lovely TC and see this beside it? Compulsory purchase followed by restoration or demolition?
A new plaza with adjacent flats etc would be a good idea? The present state is disastrous and reflects some odd ideas about 'regeneration' by TDC. Guys, you have just over a year before TC is opened and yet what are you doing about the eyesores within 30 m of it?
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TDC down to a tee (well they don't do much work so we assume they are playing golf). Any regeneration money the did get the didn't follow correct procedure and had to pay it all back, what amazes me is the chief executive does nothing but reorganize the staff for the last 10 years arranges pay outs of over a million pounds in additional pension payments redundancies etc. and no one say anything, it doesn't make the IOTG the councillors don't say anything and the isle goes to rack and ruin to boost his ego.
It's like setting a 2 carat diamond in the middle of a dogshit
00:41, I have removed your posting I am afraid.Where Common Purpose comes into this eludes me.
Delete Comment From: Thanet Strife
Anonymous said...
Common Purpose, a charity. To whose benefit is this charity directed. Is it to the benefit of all? no it does not appear so ,it is an international organisation that seeks out those with potential or existing leadership rolls in society, such as the ***** ********** who is a well known speaker at these events. *************** etc etc(EDITED)
Bertie, I read on the Thanetonline blog a couple of weeks back a comment from cllr Moores stating that for every man, woman and child in Thanet the area was in receipt of £7,000 from central funds. Work it out that's a
bout £875 millions per year, the TDC budget is only for £25 millions. £875 millions would build rather a lot of Dreamlands, ice rinks, museums even a pier in each town. Whats happened to this money?
@ 11:30, must have been a typo.. sure that wasn't 7 pence per man/woman/child?
Do you know who really owns those two buildings? i think your be surprised to find out...
The Fort Hotel does have a bit of history behind it. During the seventies the building was in a sorry state, worse than it is now infact it was derelict and a total wreck. During the 1980's with the assistance of grant money it was then renovated. Re opening as the Fort Hotel, within in a year it became a Dole on Sea Hotel and within in years back to square one.
Also it has to be remembered that the single carriageway is reverting back to the original pre 1938 layout of the area, the single carriageway was then known as Paradise Street. In those days before 1938 the area also had many fine historical buildings all around the area of the Turner Centre and on the left as you go up the hill. Then a town council of a certain political colour as the one we have to day, came up with a plan to demolish the lot under a compulsory purchase order based on a so called "slum clearance". The hideous dual carriageway was then created and Paradise street was renamed Fort Hill. They even had a plan to build a new Town Hall on the now Police Station site, but it was shelved.
We all know the Arcadian and the Fort Hotel have been eyesores for many years. I am told the owner's name is Mike/Michael Hill - or at least it was two years ago when some work was being planned there apparently. I am also told he lives in the Wingham area - but don't know for certain. Thanet Council were unable to trace the owner when a court case came up in 2008 to try and move things along.
I should add this is NOT thought to be the same Mike Hill who is a county councillor.
In answer to the earlier question posed by one of your readers, the total subsidy for all services, read my blog at Thanet Life.com is about £7,000 per person in Thanet, the highest being in Margate Central and Cliftonville West (closer to £8,000). This includes the costs of services that are directly provided by other agencies and not simply funds that are paid directly to TDC.
The bottom-line is that Thanet for socio-economic reasons which we are all familiar with, like other seaside areas with similar levels of deprivation, is a net benificiary simply to try and stand still and deliver public services.
In regard to the story here, I checked yesterday and compulsory purchase orders have already been made some time ago and are in process, which does take rather longer to conclude than people would like.
Thanks Dr M, I am ware that there has been difficulty with these properties but more vigorous and earlier action would have seemed sensible. Is there a real prospect that by the opening of TC, this area willbe sorted?
I have received this e-mail from Cllr Iris Johnston (these run-down properties are in her Ward) with her consent to put it on this item. A 7 year issue? Here is her e-mail.
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For publication
Dear Bertie,
Since 2002 I have been involved in various discussions surrounding both these buildings and the list of letters to the Chief executive and officers at TDC are monumental. Mr Albon the Planning Enforcement officer and many others in the Renewal team have tried to resolve issues and it is fair to say all legal efforts are being made! When Cllr John Watkins was elected in November 2003 he joined me in demanding action.
Last week the new owner of some of the Arcadian flats met TDC officers and a plan is evolving. The owners of the Hotel are also looking to redevelop the site down to the entrance near Homefern. I understand they will have access to Derelict/Empty property funding via KCC from Government to assist with their planning application. The right of way will need to be kept open and Derek Harding has information on a pleasant communal area.
I am awaiting the formal planning applications and will let you know as soon as they are filed.
If anyone wishes to see all the emails and letter I have sent over the years re both these properties and their accumulated rubbish and squatters please come to see me!
Iris .
Hi Bertie
In the middle of the night an inspired thought entered my head. I must stay off this cheap wine.
Why do we not capitalise on the situation of these derelect properties. In the spirit of the Turner Contemporary why don't we declare it as a work of art. If Tracy can win the Turner prize with an unmade bed then this must be worth a quid or two. There you go TDC budget solved.
Looks very much like most of Peter Miles properties
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