A House of Lords select committee is to visit Margate as part of an enquiry on seaside regeneration.
The Regenerating Seaside Towns committee was formed in May this year with a brief to look at deprivation, transient population, low housing prices, employment and economy.
The committee is also examining how small businesses and other initiatives are being used to make coastal areas more successful, how regeneration is being brought about, how tourism is promoted and possibly even how devolution arrangements could work.
The committee is due to report its findings in March next year.
At a Thanet council meeting on Thursday (September 6) authority leader Bob Bayford said members of the committee would visit Margate to see an “an example of what could be done,” as part of their evidence gathering.
Areas of interest would include Turner Contemporary and cultural regeneration.
But Cllr Bayford said the committee would also be shown the other side of Margate and be informed of the isle-wide situation.
He said: “Margate is nationally recognised as a place that has turned a corner. This isn’t complete, there is still work to do.
“A programme has been prepared for them and they will see the other side and understand by the time they go the specific problems experienced by seaside communities and that it is not restricted to Margate.”
The committee’s report will also address the role played by national government in addressing the issues faced by seaside towns and look at schemes that can promote strong communities and promote economic growth.
Bet where ever they visit the litter bound streets will be cleaned beforehand, they will not be invited to see and meet people who need help and opposition councillors will be excluded?
May I ask if representatives of the team and some of the customers from the successful Summer Kitchen project may meet this group?
Visit and talk with the homeless ?
Walk all the streets between the Ethelbert Road and Surrey Road and back along the seafront path. Bit of a contrast to the old town…
I wonder what this committee might make of TDC’s continuing obstructive behaviour regarding regeneration in Ramsgate? #truthwillout #regenerateRamsgate
Take the Lords along Nothdown Road and down all the roads that lead off of it. So they can see fort themselves how all the guest houses were turned into houses of multi occupation thanks to Thacthcer. Also take them to Manston Airport so they can see what a waste to let it stand empty when it could be what it has always been an, Operational Airport before the assist strippers took over.
A cargo hub with flights night and day is just what Ramsgate needs to help regenerate it as a popular tourist resort,isn’t it?
What is the name of this committee? I would like to contact them to point out that Ramsgate/Harbour will be devastated if Manston should ever re-open, with 12,000 cargo aircraft a year according to the Development Control Order by RiverOak application, flying in at 300 meters over the Harbour, descending to 100 meters over Nethercourt, before touch down day and night! This will destroy the tourist industry, and the health of the population with air and noise pollution, preventing school children from concentrating, wreck local businesses, and seriously devalue property! If you can hear an aircraft 5 miles high, imagine what it sounds like 200 meters over Ramsgate town! And yes, I have heard this when they were practicing landing a few years ago, and it left people terrified, as these aircraft roared up Ramsgate High Street. So, I would like to contact these noble lords, to see what they can do to stop Ramsgate and large parts of Thanet from being wrecked!
Regards Dennis Franklin, well nobody complaint when manston was military did they.im born and breed in thanet grandfather was based there in 1916 and sorry it must stay as airport… Better to have airport plus jobs as to over priced housing, plus Ramsgate port should be back open and used as ferry terminal.
This is a sad reminder that some people want to hang on to some sort of glorious past, when Britain stood alone against the NAZI’s etc. Its the 21st Century, and even the Cold War has been over for nearly 30 years, so get real! I am often amazed that some people are happy to sacrifice the quality of life, health, employment, education, and future of people living and working in Ramsgate, and Thanet, because they think that re-opening Manston for the benefit of an American Hedge Fund company, will somehow create jobs! What jobs? A few fork lift truck drivers, is all! The rest will be skilled aircraft engineers, none of which exist in Thanet at present, so they will have to come from outside Thanet, Duuurh! Where will they live, Thanet already has a housing shortage, and thousands are condemned to live in poor quality rented accommodation, probably for the rest of their lives! No, re-opening Manston purely for at least 12,000 flights a year, day and night, will devastate Ramsgate, and Thanet, think about it before making inane comments about Manston’s glorious past! And yes I was a war child, and my older sister was killed in the Blitz, and my mum and me were made homeless after we were bombed, so became refugees, in Stoke on Trent where we were evacuated to! I don’t want to be reminded about the war thank you, like many thousands of others who were affected by it its evil.
Dennis Franklin is right. Whether or not anyone complained “when Manston was military” is completely irrelevant now, as RSP say they want to develop a 24/7 cargo hub airport with 30 or more flights a day.
I have little doubt that this posse of the great and the good will be chauffered in to enjoy canapes in the Turner Centre before doing a swift walkabout around Margate Old Town (the nice bit)and trying their luck on the hoopla in Dreamland. They’ll probably go for a long boozy lunch in Broadstairs before heading back to London. They won’t be allowed anywhere near Cliftonville or Ramsgate and they won’t be allowed to meet any of the unwashed masses. The giveaway is in the article where Fantasy Bob goes on about Margate being nationally recognised for turning a corner. It wouldn’t do to show them that the vast sums spent on the Turner Centre and Dreamland have done nothing for the wider economy of Thanet.
Coming to turner centre on Wednesday, no idea if they will visit cliftonville or Dane Valley or speak to anybody other Tory councillors?
Coming on Wednesday , but as expected tories are meeting them at turner centre, I do not expect I will be asked to put my views as I would show them cliftonville and other parts my county councillor division which have been run down by Thanet District Council. Bob Bayford is going for properganda not showing them the real Margate.
Elgin marbles spot on, Tory whitewash will be on this starting at the turner centre led by Bob Bayford who represents wealthy kings gate ward while a county councillor for Margate is totally blanked