18 important dates and events for Thanet in 2022

A look at what's coming up for Thanet in 2022

There are a number of events, decisions and proposals due to take place for Thanet in 2022.

Planning Inquiry

Housing bid for farmland off Shottendane Road Photo Sarah Bowers

An inquiry to decide on an appeal over the refusal for a contentious application for 450 homes on agricultural land off Shottendane Road in Margate  will be held from January 11.

The planning proposal by Gladman Developments Ltd was rejected by Thanet council three times – in April, June and then July of this year.

The proposal was initially sent back to the drawing board by councillors in April with the developer told the 10% affordable housing offer was inadequate. Thanet council’s Local Plan policy stipulates 30% affordable housing unless proved that this figure is unviable.

In June the application was rejected yet again by Thanet council’s planning committee due to an “insulting” affordable housing offer of 15%, flood risk, harm to wildlife and agricultural land and concerns at the inability to provide required health care for new residents.

In July it was again rejected on the grounds of an unacceptable percentage of affordable housing although councillors had raised numerous concerns including the lack of biodiversity surveys and mitigation, wildlife, the loss of farmland and the issue of greatly increased pressure on access to healthcare services.

However, council officers said there were “no cogent reasons” in planning policy to refuse on any basis other than the lack of affordable housing.

Gladman’s appealed to the Secretary of State against the refusal and the inquiry by the Planning Inspectorate will open at 10am on January 11.

The hearing is at Thanet council’s offices and is scheduled for four days. The public can watch proceedings via the council’s YouTube channel.

The Westgate & Garlinge Action Group (WAGAG) and Salmestone Ward Residents’ Association are fighting the appeal.

A petition by Westgate and Garlinge Action Group against development on farmland has now gained 5,177 signatures.

Find the petition here – https://chng.it/x7ss27xx

A fundraiser for appeal battle costs can be found here – https://gofund.me/bc229bb9

Thanet council budget

Council

Thanet council will receive its budget report in January and is expected to approve it at February’s full council meeting.

(UPDATED) An increase of government funding for the 2022/23 financial year means there is no longer a budget deficit of £691,000 which had been predicted in November.

Net service spending is increasing by £1.182m to £17.902m, which is a 7% increase on the £16.7m budget last year. This has been partly due to an unexpected increase in Government funding, including a £525k New Homes Bonus allocation and £325k from a new Services Grant.

The budget funds all services the council provides to residents, communities and businesses throughout the year.

Despite the increase in funding, savings have still been needed to balance the budget.

These include one compulsory redundancy, deleting several vacant posts including that of deputy chief executive – vacant since the departure of Tim Willis last October – and service restructures.

There will be additional income by increasing the Thanet council element of residents’ Council Tax – equivalent to £4.99 per year on a Band D property. And a rise in fees and charges of 3% where regulations allow.

A suggestion has also been made to use the council’s Minor Works team to generate income from selling handyperson services.

Thanet council only gets a small amount of the overall council tax with the rest going to Kent County Council; Kent Police and Crime Commissioner; Kent Fire and Rescue Service and Town/Parish Councils. This means households in a Band D property in Thanet will be paying TDC 68p per day for the services it delivers.

Savings of £573k identified include:

£280k from the removal of vacant staff posts

£25k from other staffing changes such as agreed reduction in hours

£57k from contractual savings

£50k from a reduction in the amount set aside for bad debt

£30k additional income for bulky waste

£33k of additional rental income

A previous report to Cabinet members cited financial pressures facing the council including: inflation, shortfalls in payments of council tax and business rates, and increases in national insurance contributions. There are also increasing demands on key council services including homelessness and waste and recycling, as more domestic waste is being generated due to home-working and more homes in the district.

The council has also been faced with paying out some £733,000 for legal costs due to on-going disciplinary and grievance proceedings at the authority. Some savings may be made from cases being concluded in actions to be taken following a damning report from auditors.

A further £280,000 was agreed as settlement following the exit of former top officer Tim Willis.

Despite the one year increase Thanet council income has been significantly cut since 2010 with huge reductions in Government grants.

The council received £8m less in government funding in 2021 than it received in 2010, this equates to a 60% cut in funding. Funding and spending budgets have reduced from £23m in 2010-11 to £17m in 2020-21, a £6m or 26% cash reduction. After considering the impact of inflation over the period Thanet council now has less than half (45%) of the spending power  in 2010.

A Budget Report is published in January for Cabinet approval and then goes to Full Council the following month (February 2022).

Asylum processing at Manston

The former fire training centre at Manston will be use for processing those seeking asylum

An asylum processing centre is due to open at the former Manston fire and defence centre.

In December the Home Office confirmed that part of the Ministry of Defence site at Manston will be used as a processing centre for asylum seekers by January 2022.

The new, secure site will be able to hold people for up to five days as security and identity checks are completed.

Short term initial accommodation will be provided for people during their time on the Manston site.

The Home Office says there should be minimal implications for those living near Manston, as people will be brought there for initial screening and processing before going onto longer term accommodation. They said the site will provide all the amenities and services needed for a short term stay.

People who travel to the UK through safe and legal routes – such as the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy or Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme – will not be taken to Manston.

North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale branded the decision a ‘kneejerk reaction’ railroaded through without any consultation with Thanet MPs, Thanet council or Kent County Council.

He also said there were phase 2 and phase 3 proposals that the Home Office has not discussed or consulted on with Thanet’s MPs and authorities.

Sir Roger said: “The current dog whistle proposal  appears to transfer arrivals from Tug Haven (short-term reception centre at Dover Western Docks.) to Manston barracks where they will be accommodated, in the middle of winter, in marquees and detained securely while processed.

“There’s no indication how the site will accommodate these human beings, will be made secure or what facilities will be made available other than the statutory onsite medical facilities.

“These are real people who have been subjected to great miseries.”

Sir Roger added that he had identified at least one “clean, comfortable and secure operational vessel that can, if commissioned, meet the immediate and longer term need,” and he had been advised others were available.

He requested that the Minister instruct officials to put the “unacceptable and unworkable” Manston proposal on hold and look for other viable options.

The proposal relates to MoD owned property which is not part of the airport site. It follows a report by the HM Inspector of Prisons that found the Tug Haven site to be unsuitable.

Margate Town Council

Photo Steven Collis

A meeting will take place on January 18 as the bid to create a Margate Town Council continues.

Residents in seven Margate wards (Garlinge, Westbrook, Margate central, Cliftonville East and West, Dane Valley and Salmestone) will have had a leaflet through their door telling them about Margate’s bid to become a Town Council. Unlike other Thanet towns, Margate is a Charter Town and instead of town councillors the representatives for those wards automatically become Charter Trustees.

A Town Council would have powers to make decisions for their community and could renovate sea shelters, employ extra street cleaners, and renovate the Dane Park Fountain.

Some 3100 signatures from the people registered to vote in the seven Margate wards are needed for Thanet District Council to undertake a Community Governance Review. Residents will then be asked to vote for or against the idea, with the majority vote winning.

If successful the town council could be approved early in 2023 and come into operation from April 2023, Existing charter trustees would likely be the interim town councillors until elections in May 2023.

The January 18 meeting takes place from 7pm at St Philip’s Church Hall, Summerfield Road,Cliftonville.

Find the petition at MargateTownCouncil.co.uk

Rides line-up at Dreamland

Photo Manilyn Gambrill

Dreamland is expected to announce its 2022 ride line up this January.

A number of Dreamland rides – including the Dreamcatcher which was named by the public in 2018 – are understood to be for sale or already sold – with park bosses saying there will be some new rides for 2022.

Since reopening in May this year Dreamland has concentrated on live music events with big names such as UB40 featuring Ali Campbell & Astro, Billy Ocean, The Specials and Kaiser Chiefs. 

Park bosses have previously said that rides including the Scenic Railway will return to operation as usual in 2022.

Asked about the sale of rides and plans for next year, a Dreamland spokesperson declined to confirm which rides had been sold or were being marketed but said: “Through the winter months we are carrying out essential maintenance works across the park and reviewing our ride line up for our reopening in 2022.

“Some rides are leaving and some will be coming, but we are not in a position just yet to announce what visitors can expect.  We will be confirming our full line up in the new year.”

Planning for 2022 already includes some large-scale performance with The Beat, Craig David, Paul Weller, Sister Sledge and others booked in.

Ramsgate Port marine licence

The old Berth 4/5

Resubmission for a marine licence for a Thanet council project to replace berth 4/5 at Ramsgate Port is expected to take place in January.

Floating Berth 4/5 transfers aggregates from ship to shore but the existing berth was decommissioned in November 2020 when Thanet council said it needed to be removed “as a matter of urgency.”

Brett Aggregates, which uses the berth, is currently bringing gravels in by road to the site at the Port of Ramsgate

The berth replacement work was originally postponed until early this year after Thanet council said that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was needed. The authority said this would mean a delay in works until October this year.

However, works are still delayed and the original marine licence application was withdrawn until the EIA, which assesses the effects that a project may have on the environment and people, is completed.

Council leader Ash Ashbee said it was decided to withdraw the previous marine licence application with the intention of resubmitting a new application in January 2022.

The aim is for both the outline planning and Marine Management Organisation licence applications to run concurrently. Thanet council says it remains the intention for construction to commence in May 2022.

The costs for the project have spiralled from an original £1.497 million budget to £2.322million.

The hike in cost has been blamed on the “unanticipated delay” due to the need for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be undertaken for planning and marine licence consents.

The council says it has a contractual obligation with Brett Aggregates to provide a berth for the handling of aggregates and a tender was awarded to Bam Nuttall last year for the replacement of the berth, using one of the pontoons that was formerly part of a two-for-one deal rejected by councillors in December 2019.

Thanet Local Plan update

The Local Plan Image Lewis Clarke / Thanet : Thanet Scenery

Consultation on updates to the Thanet Local Plan closes on February 4.

The Thanet Local Plan – a blueprint for housing, business and infrastructure on the isle – has been extended to cover needs up to 2040 – and includes the need for land/sites to accommodate an additional 4,000-4,500 dwellings.

The housing need calculated up to 2031 was for 17,140 new isle homes. But using the  Government “standard method” the number to 2040 is 21,700 dwellings.

The adopted Local Plan identifies an outstanding supply of 13,147. There are additional dwellings provided through the empty homes programme (540 units) and “windfalls” (3825 units).This means there is an outstanding requirement of just over 4,000 dwellings which needs to be accommodated as part of the Local Plan update.

The plan update report says some 548 affordable homes per year would be needed to fully meet local needs. This is to be considered in the light of development viability in the district.

It also says there is a need to plan for the 2020-2040 period to include 2,100 housing units with support (sheltered/retirement housing), in both the market and affordable sectors; 1,000 additional housing units with care (e.g. extra-care), again in both the market and affordable sectors; 1,286 additional care bedspaces; and 860 dwellings to be for wheelchair users.

In addition, the Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) undertaken for the council identifies a cultural need for 7 permanent pitches and 5 transit pitches. The council has also previously identified the need to provide a “directed stopping site” in the district. A call for sites earlier this year resulted in zero land offers for this use.

The Local Plan sets out the strategy for future development and was adopted for Thanet in July 2020. It is currently for the period up to 2031.

The council is now preparing a ‘partial update’ of the Local Plan for Thanet which will extend the plan up to 2040. A partial update means that it is updating certain parts of the Plan and reviewing topics that previous Local Plan Inspectors recommended. This is not an update of the whole Plan.

The public can submit views via the council’s consultation website on a number of aspects of early Local Plan work until 5pm on Friday 4 February 2022.

The supporting evidence documents are available to view on the council’s consultation website, where comments can be made, and supporting documentation can be uploaded as further evidence to support responses.

Feedback can also be submitted by email to [email protected] or by post to Strategic Planning Team, Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1XZ. Please mark your comments ‘Local Plan Partial Update’.

If you would like to speak to one of the Local Plan team before making comments, please contact 01843 577591 or email: [email protected]

Hard copies of the documents are available to view at all local libraries and some Town or Parish Council offices.

As part of the Local Plan update, the council has also re-opened their ‘call for sites’ to identify sites that could be classified as ‘suitable, available and deliverable’ and which could help to meet future local development needs. Agents and landowners who may have such sites to put them forward can make contact via the consultation website.

Margate Winter Gardens and Theatre Royal

The future for the Winter Gardens and Theatre Royal

There will be a halt in bookings from April at Theatre Royal and August for the Winter Gardens as the future of both venues is examined.

Bookings are scheduled to pause at both Margate entertainment venues, with operator Your Leisure’s annual rolling lease at Theatre Royal ceasing on 28 April 2022 and a halt in Winter Gardens bookings from August 14, 2022, although Your Leisure retains its lease which runs until 2024.

Margate Town Deal funding of £2 million has been allocated for a renovation project for the Theatre Royal. The council will be looking for an operator, project partner and making a funding submission to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Margate Town Deal funding of £300,000 has been earmarked to create a fully developed plan for the Winter Gardens.

This would include a detailed project delivery plan with public and private sector engagement. Specialist services would be needed to help test the market and identify the opportunities available. Specialist architects would also be used to scope out the required works and develop a fully costed scheme. The Town Deal Board is waiting for confirmation from MHCLG regarding the funding. The Winter Gardens could be closed for as long as one year.

Manston airport DCO redetermination

Manston airport Photo Frank Leppard

The Manston airport Development Consent Order redetermination is awaited in 2022.

The Development Consent Order granting approval for RSP’s air freight hub at Manston airport was approved in July 2020 but then quashed in February 2021 with a new decision now needing to be issued after a re-examination of the Planning Inspectorate evidence.

The action came as the result of a Judicial Review challenge to the decision, launched by Ramsgate resident Jenny Dawes. A substantive hearing was due to look at whether the Government followed correct procedure in reaching the decision to approve the DCO for airport landowners RiverOak Strategic Partners despite the Examining Authority conclusion which followed a lengthy process of public hearings in 2019.

In December 2020 the Department of Transport acknowledged that the decision approval letter issued from the Minister of State did not contain enough detail about why approval was given against the advice of the Planning Inspectorate and said the Judicial Review would not be contested.

In June 2021 the Secretary of State appointed an independent aviation assessor to advise him on matters relating to the need for the development and to draft a report summarising those findings.

The report by Ove Arup & Partners Ltd and published in October 2021 concluded the case of need for a freight hub at the Manston airport site is not proven.

RSP issued a scathing response to the report, saying: “Having read the Assessor’s report – which didn’t take long – it is clear that it is an amateur and poorly constructed report. Setting aside the numerous grammatical errors and typos – not to mention the reference at para 1.3  to a section on the sixth Carbon Budget that the author has then apparently forgotten to even write.”

However,  Jenny Dawes, said: “I am cautiously pleased by the findings of the Independent Assessor’s report and am now preparing a detailed response to the Secretary of State.”

‘Humber’s Mill’ development at Westwood

The proposed development site

An online consultation and exhibition to share information about a proposal to build 1,500 homes, a two-form entry primary school, cafes and small shops on a 67-hectare agricultural/green field site to the west of Nash Road, and close to Westwood Cross Shopping Centre will take place in early 2022.

The ‘Humber’s Mill’ site is on land earmarked by Thanet District Council for residential development in the Local Plan,

Developer Axis Land Partnerships is asking residents for views on the proposal. That consultation runs until February, It will be followed by a further exhibition in March and then plans to submit an outline planning application to Thanet council in the Spring.

The proposal for Humber’s Mill has around 11 hectares of green, open space. The developer says features being considered for the new neighbourhood include gardens, adventure playgrounds, walking trails, sports and leisure spaces, and a central village green.

Archaeological trial trenching is currently being carried out to establish the presence, condition and date of any archaeological remains which may be present on the site.

People can learn more about the project, and ask questions about it, by joining an online webinar at 6pm on Thursday 20 January or 7pm on Tuesday 25 January. You can sign up for a webinar here.

Go to the Humber’s Mill website for more details or email [email protected].

Birchington Neighbourhood Plan

Birchington Neighbourhood Plan

Birchington’s first Neighbourhood has been submitted to Thanet District Council which has the role of checking that the plan meets all the legal requirements before undertaking consultations. These are scheduled to start early in 2022 and will last six weeks.

The district and parish councils will appoint an Independent Examiner. They will scrutinise the Plan, all the supporting evidence and all feedback collected during the public consultations conducted by both councils. The Examiner may approve the Plan or recommend modifications before it can be formally approved and put to a referendum.

A referendum is expected to take place in Spring next year.

The Plan sets out local policies for new developments and the aim is for it to give Birchington residents more say over property development and planning matters in the area.

The full plan with detailed narrative, evidence and supporting documents can be found on the parish council’s website www.birchington-pc.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan . Printed copies can be found in Birchington Library or at the parish council office.

Levelling Up plans for Margate and Ramsgate

Photo Brian Whitehead

Further work will take place on the £6,306,078 Margate Digital project and £19,840,000  Ramsgate Future scheme after the funding was confirmed in October

Plans for a ‘Green Port’ projected to create 800 jobs, a Green Hub training centre for apprenticeships and training, hospitality and fishing fleet proposals and community kitchens are outlined in the £19.8million Ramsgate Future scheme.

The Levelling Up bid for Ramsgate includes proposals to create a training hotel and restaurant at the Smack Boy’s building at Ramsgate harbour, a brasserie and a fishing facility for the local fleet to store and sell catch from; a new town square on the current pier yard car park, a refurbished clock tower building and two community sites in Newington and Ramsgate with training kitchens, community teaching.

The former Marks & Spencer building in Margate

The Margate Digital project is for a specialist industry-focused centre at the old M&S building in Margate High Street.

Thanet District Council, in partnership with the EKC Group and The Margate School, aims to  create 2,000 sq m of cutting-edge, industry-relevant training space which will focus on digital technology.

The shared space will link with local businesses, and TDC says increased footfall will enhance the town centre, making it more attractive to residents, visitors and businesses.

The campus will deliver a range of technical qualifications, including specialised T Levels in Animation, Architecture, Programming, Coding, Graphics, Marketing, TV and Film, and offer progression to Level 4 and 5 provision by introducing new Higher Technical Qualifications, supported by a government-backed brand and quality mark to meet the higher-level skills of industry.

Margate Town Deal

Margate sands Photo Steven Collis

Thanet council has until June 2022 to develop full business cases for the Margate Town Deal.   Once these business cases are developed the Town Deal funding will be received and the five year delivery phase of projects can begin.

The Margate Town Deal Board has identified seven potential business cases.

The Government will provide up to a total of £22.2 million from the Towns Fund.

A £4million allocation for Dreamland Cinema caused some controversy when it was revealed that parent company Margate Estates Limited had been put on the market with the sale of assets across the estate.

But Thanet council says this does not affect the funding decision: “The Margate Town Deal Fund awarded Sands Heritage Limited (SHL) £4m for the purpose of supporting the restoration of the Grade 2* Listed Dreamland Cinema Building. The money will contribute to the transformation of the building into a state-of-the-art entertainment and conferencing venue and will ultimately benefit the local Margate economy by attracting visitors far beyond the current summer season.

“The sale of the SHL parent company, Margate Estates Limited, does not alter The Margate Town Deal’s decision to award this money.

“The need to restore buildings on Margate’s seafront was highlighted by those who took part in last year’s community engagement carried out by The Margate Town Deal project team.

“The specialist work required to transform the building will cost significantly more than the money awarded by the Margate Town Deal. Repurposing the building without public seed funding is simply not viable since there is a heritage deficit due to the buildings listed status and long-term vacancy. “This is the funding gap that the Margate Town Deal investment will fill, making it a far more attractive investment opportunity, acting as a catalyst in securing the significant additional private investment required to complete this historic project.”

Thanet council has until the end of the 2025/26 financial year to spend the Towns Fund grant.

Higher Technical Qualifications from EKC

Broadstairs College

EKC Group, which runs campuses including Broadstairs College, will deliver the new Higher Technical Qualifications at Levels 4 and 5 across East Kent from September 2022.

The delivery of the new qualifications across EKC Group’s family of colleges in East Kent aims to support the economic recovery following the pandemic, ensuring that local businesses have the skills they require to thrive in the future.

The new qualifications are in key areas that the economy needs, such as digital, construction, and health and science.

Further areas will come forward in the coming years with each aligned to the new flagship T Level qualification. This is in line with the Government’s plans to grow the popularity of technical education and ensure young people are developing the skills they need to flourish in the jobs market.

Ramsgate seafront roads

Ramsgate seafront could see some changes

Changes to roads on Ramsgate seafront will get underway in the Autumn with completion scheduled for Spring 2023.

The works follow a successful bid for £2,704,213 of Government money from the Future High Streets Fund.

The plans are to:

Provide improved crossing facilities at Military Road and Leopold Street.

Remove the existing pedestrian guarding at the Albion Hill/Harbour Parade/Madeira Walk junction.

Introduce a raised highway carriageway with material change to the surface of Harbour Parade.  This will provide a defining location to Harbour Street and creating a distinctive look and character for the Harbour area.

Install a signalled junction and crossing point at the Albion Hill/Harbour Parade/Madeira Walk junction.

Reduce bus layby capacity to the north side of Madeira Walk.

Create a 20mph zone to the seafront area and town centre.

The aim is to increase pedestrian space and reduce vehicle use.

East Kent maternity inquiry

Maternity services

An independent investigation launched in February 2020 in response to a concerning number of avoidable baby deaths at East Kent Hospitals Trust is due to be completed by Autumn 2022,

NHS England and NHS Improvement commissioned Dr Bill Kirkup to carry out an independent review into the circumstances of the maternity deaths at QEQM and William Harvey hospitals.

The move came alongside  a report by the Health and Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) which found recurrent patient safety risks at the Trust maternity sites at QEQM and William Harvey Hospital.

Issues with maternity were brought into the spotlight following the death of baby Harry Richford at Margate’s QEQM Hospital in 2017 after a series of errors.

Last year a coroner ruled that Harry’s death had been avoidable. The inquest during January 2020 had heard of the “panic” after Harry was born by emergency Caesarean section during which his heartbeat kept dropping. Harry died seven days after his delivery from a condition caused by a lack of oxygen. An independent report said he might have survived had there not been a delay in resuscitation at his birth that caused irreversible brain damage.

Coroner Christopher Sutton-Mattocks agreed with that conclusion and said Harry and his parents had been ‘failed.’

There was also criticism of the hospital trust which had said Harry’s death was expected, resulting in his parents, Tom and Sarah Richford, from Birchington, having to fight for an inquest. The Trust was prosecuted by the Care Quality Commission in regard to its care of Harry and mum Sarah in the first case of its kind against a Trust brought under powers the CQC was given in 2015.

Since Harry’s inquest a number of families have come forward over the preventable deaths of their babies.

It was also previously revealed that a critical report had been written after the trust asked the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to review the service in 2015.

The independent review was one of a series of actions to bring in urgent improvements to the service and examine what went wrong and why.

Dr Bill Kirkup was appointed to lead the Independent Investigation. He has previously led a number of independent investigations, including into Morecambe Bay maternity services.

The investigation is to examine the management, delivery and outcomes of care provided by the maternity and neonatal services at East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust during the period since 2009.

Housing developments on the isle

This photo by Ros Tapp shows land that is earmarked for 2,000 homes in Westgate

A number of large-scale planning applications for Thanet are likely to come before councillors in 2022.

These include controversial plans a huge 2,000 development of a ‘new town’ on land at Westgate and Garlinge by Millwood designer Homes. The developer wants to create up to 2000 homes, including up to 100 Extra Care units, a care home, two form entry primary school, health centre and shops, cafes and restaurants on 237 acres which includes agricultural land.

The site can be broken into three main parcels, divided by the existing roads that divide the site. The first parcel is on the west of Minster Road. The second parcel lies between Minster Road and Garlinge High Street. The third parcel extends east of Garlinge High Street.

Birchington development proposal

In Birchington there are plans to build 1,650 homes, a primary school, shops and a community park on farmland at Birchington.

The development is earmarked to take place on land off the Canterbury Road and is proposed by Ptarmigan Land and Millwood Designer Homes.

Aims to develop the site are contained in the draft Thanet Local Plan  a blueprint for housing, business and infrastructure on the isle up until 2031.

The plans for Ptarmigan Land and Millwood also include potential improvements to the Birchington Medical Centre, a network of new cycle and pedestrian links within the site and surrounding area and a strategic link road to help alleviate traffic in the village centre and wider Thanet area.

The site

An application for development in Ramsgate that was quashed after a Laleham Gap parent took it to Judicial Review has also been resubmitted for a new decision.

The proposal by Kentish Projects is for 23 houses,15 flats and parking for 59 cars on land off Stirling Way. In October 2020 Thanet council approved the plans for the build, sited in the perimeter of the Eurokent Business Park and bounded by Royal Harbour Academy and Laleham Gap Schools.

But the decision was challenged with the Judicial Review brought by the parent.

In July the High Court allowed the claim on all six grounds in the parent’s claim and quashed the planning permission.

A new application submitted by Kentish Projects has additional documents to address the points in the successful JR claim.

The developer says the application will this time go to committee and that “clarity over the land-owning position will be addressed through submission of revised ownership documents, rectifying any apparent bias.”

The document adds that measures will be put in place to reduce noise from the project and to address highways issues so students can still safely walk to school.

The developer says there have been discussions with Laleham Gap headteacher Les Milton since the Judicial Review to look at the concerns.

A second consultation is being held prior to a new decision being made. The development plans for the site remain unchanged.

Residents say they will fight plans for a 125-home development in the village

A planning application is also expected for a 125 home development being proposed for arable land in Minster.

Gladman Developments, which is also behind the 450 home plan on agricultural land off Shottendane Road which has gone to appeal, says the site will have public open space and recreational facilities. The proposal is for land off Foxborough Lane.

Gladman Developments says it is working on an outline planning application to be submitted to Thanet council.

A Minster action group has been set up to fight the proposal.

Ramsgate Royal Sands

Photo Brian Whitehead

Next year is also likely to see the completion of the Royal Sands project by Thanet property developer Blueberry Homes if the acceleration of work continues to be far ahead of schedule.

The firm started the project in Summer 2020. The Royal Sands development is a three-year programme to build 106 luxury apartments, a 60-bed hotel, leisure facilities, restaurants and shops in a £50 million redevelopment project of the former Pleasurama amusements and funfair site.

Blueberry Homes is some 12 months ahead of schedule and has sold all properties in phases one and two. Phase 3 is well underway with those apartments also being snapped up fast.

22 Comments

  1. In your housing proposals, where are the new doctors surgeries? It’s impossible to get an appointment now without thousands of new houses adding to the problem! Doctors are stretched to the limit now and one more health centre will make very little difference!

    • There is no housing proposal. These are instructions from the government.
      Perhaps Boris will build one of his 40 new hospitals here, now he knows where Thanet is?

  2. So there’s a need for 4000 additional homes in Thanet?
    Now where on Earth, in this crowded Isle of ours, would anyone find hundreds of acres of redundant brown field site, suitable for a large housing development?

    On a completely unrelated matter: I’m sure that we’re all grateful to RSP for pointing out a few typos in Ove Arup’s report. But did RSP produce any evidence to counter OA’s position that commercial aviation was unlikely to work at Manston?

  3. RSP read Ove Arup’s report: “Having read the Assessor’s report – which didn’t take long…”
    I expect it didn’t take long because:
    A) the SoS layed down quite specific criteria for the scope of the report, and it doesn’t take many lines of text to say that there’s no material change since the ExA’s reccommendation not to grant a DCO
    And
    B) RSP skipped the big words.

  4. What a shame after all this time, they couldn’t even have thought about housing local homeless people at the Manston site.

    Silly me, I always forget how illegal migrants have priority over people born here.

      • I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise you were some kind of authority on homeless people. Or perhaps you are just a pathetic idiot who doesn’t like others having an opinion, or stating facts.

      • Phyllis Quot, why don’t you take in some of the local homeless people, although I suspect you would prefer to take illegal migrants, as they seem to have a higher priority in your opinion.

      • Phyllis strikes again, the only person who is allowed an opinion, and if yours differs, there will be trouble.

        It also shows the low level of intelligence.

      • Phyllis, I hope you are up nice and early, collecting all those illegals from the beaches, showing them the way to the Job centre, collecting their money, and guiding them to the council for housing, so they can be immediately placed above local people. Some of these local homeless people are not homeless on purpose, have worked all their lives, yet find themselves in this situation.

        Why should illegals be given everything, for nothing?

    • It’s not possible to have a vaccination against the common cold at the moment.
      There are vaccines available to counter the lethal threat of the coronavirus, all of which give a measure of protection.
      The Omicron mutation seems to affect some people less seriously than Delta, but is much more contagious, so many more people will get infected.
      A consequence is that if half those catching it get mild symptoms, half don’t; they will be taking time of work, and possibly ending up in hospital- hospitals which are short of staff because the doctors and nurses have caught covid.
      So it makes sense to get vaccinated and boosted; you protect yourself, and you protect others.
      It also makes sense to do a LFT before you go out to a rave or whist drive.

  5. We are being vaccinated for coronavirus not the common cold. Where are the common cold vaccinations taking place? Not that I need one, as I very seldom have colds.

  6. It’s deeply sad, to the point of frustrated anger, how nasty people can be when their views are criticised.
    As for the, truely, ignorant (not an insult but accurate observation) or consciously offensive points about the people arriving on our shores I wonder about the motives of those posting.
    It sickens me that people, living in great comfort and reletive wealth, condemn desperate people who are simply motivated by survival!
    “They are here because we were there” has never been truer.

    • People usually turn nasty when their views are criticised, and they have no facts or argument to back up their point of view.
      You see it over and over again on IoTN. Someone makes an absurd statement or claim; someone else points out the flaws and shortcomings, they in turn become the target of a campaign of vitriol.
      If there’s a counter argument, then put it.

  7. Pull down Debenhams (Wedtwood X) build 1 bed studio apartments. Pull down Laura Ashley and Maplin and Argos and Bed Store and Carpet right and build 2 bed starter homes …..stop building on greenfields

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