Aldi: Down to earth with a bump?

Pottering about in Herne Bay this morning, I happened upon an odd contraption in the King's Road car park. This is the site of the future Aldi supermarket, which is described as being Phase 1 of the long-stalled regeneration plan for Herne Bay known as the "Central Development Area".

My insatiable curiosity got the better of me, and I had a chat to one of the men peering at the machine - a soil sampler which drives hollow tubes into the ground to find out what it's made of.

He turned out to be the recently appointed Development and Build Manager (something like that) for the Aldi construction project. He told me that this kind of building is usually built on concrete foundations (simple and quick), or is perched on top of piles driven into the ground (more expensive).

Apparently using driven piles would be more expensive than Aldi wants to pay, so he was looking into the feasibility of concrete foundations. This explains why Aldi hasn't yet submitted a planning application. Aldi wants to make sure the building is buildable at an affordable cost before going through the time and expense of the planning process.

While I was there, they finished drilling the first of the 15 or 20 holes they were planning to make across the car park. They had gone down 5 metres before hitting a concrete slab, which he assumed was probably something to do with the old gas works that used to be on the site.

The man said that other parts of the car park may have "only" 2 metres of sloppy clay covering the required "sound ground" - there's no telling without drilling. But as he pointed out, the deeper the holes are, the more soil has to be removed, and the more concrete has to be poured.

If it's 5 metres all over, that would be what he described as "a very big hole" - I love jargon. And, crucially, it would be as expensive (or more so) than driven piles. Which Aldi regards as too expensive. The Build Manager told me that the outcome of the drilling would decide whether the build happens at all.

So after all these years of waiting, it's still not certain that Phase 1 will go ahead. If the nature of the ground means that building anything the size of a supermarket is prohibitively expensive, then that will apply equally to any brand of supermarket, and any building of that scale.

I hope the Herne Bay Regeneration Team has a Plan B. They've had long enough to think of one, surely.

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John Gilbey's blueprint for Herne Bay

The Leader of our Council has produced a blueprint for debate. As he says:

Cllr John Gilbey

As a member of the City Council for 11 years and as Portfolio Holder for Regeneration for 9 years, I have had a unique insight into many issues across the District and the County.

I don’t have all the answers to questions that are asked and would never make such a claim, but I would like to use my years of accumulated knowledge to present my ideas for the future of the Canterbury District.

This is not a plan, or a proposal, these are merely my own personal thoughts, a blueprint to encourage meaningful debate on these issues. This is a document to encourage you to write to me with your views and opinions, to stimulate positive ideas on the ways forward for all of us.

After a little chat about how in love with the Local Plan he is, and how we will all be living in "garden towns", basking in the glow of "sustainable urban design", Cllr Gilbey goes on to focus on specific areas.

Here's what he has to say about Herne Bay [with my comments] - do feel free to add your own comments below.

---

Herne Bay

The council will complete the town centre upgrade [after how many years, while you were portfolio holder for regeneration?] including moving the market and preserving some of the buildings currently in a state of decay [examples?]. There is a need to re-open some disused buildings and homes [examples?], and tax second homes appropriately [why, how, and how much?].

A proposal to open up Beach Street and rejuvenate that environment will also be completed [completed? has planning been approved?] as part of the upgrading of the town and in that context the sea front itself should be the subject of renewal/upgrading with analysis and decisions to be taken in the light of local views and aspirations [NO! it should be DRIVEN by local views and aspirations] on the future purpose of such an attractive location. We should widen the appeal and facilities of Herne Bay even further to encourage both tourism and business to provide local jobs.

We will have a solid foundation for a greater marketable attraction with all these planned developments. I strongly believe we should also support the Pier head activities [I think you mean the Pier stub - your Council has long since admitted it has no intention of rebuilding to the Pier head], satisfactorily resolve the future of the Museum [after YOUR Council cut its opening hours, following YEARS of neglect] and continue protection for the Downs [your Council is the ONLY objector to the village green application - village green status is the greatest possible protection under English law]. King's Hall needs to be fully supported in its endeavours to become a self supporting venue for events while providing community facilities. The replacement of the Beach Huts at the base of the Downs should also be part of the package [NEVER!].

The Roman fort remains at Reculver need to be enhanced and protected. The general environment of the coast at Reculver needs firm and direct action to provide an environment worthy of the history, nature, culture and attraction of this unique area [yes, it could be a great place for a caravan site...]. Overall Herne Bay should strive to be a modern vibrant town that provides attractions and facilities for residents and tourists, both taking advantage of the seaside location. The Bends should always be protected as a valuable green gap and open space.

This council has, over the last 9 years made huge progress in Herne Bay and this is often forgotten about. We have renovated the clock tower (with the recent announcement there is much more renovation to come) [so how good was your first renovation?] and sea front flood defences [er, no - this was Environment Agency funded], we have enhanced the whole concept and environment of Memorial Park, designated large Queen Elizabeth II Fields which permanently protects green open spaces from development [it affords no such protection - QEII land can be developed on, if a matching area nearby is provided as a replacement - in contrast, a village green can NOT be developed, which is why the Council is objecting], upgraded the Leisure Centre facilities and cleared the pier head [knocked down a building which had become unsafe through Council neglect, and put down a poor tarmac surface]. We have built a sports centre at Herne Bay High School incorporating a roller hockey rink while also encouraging and supporting local involvement throughout. We have prepared an Area Action Plan for the Town Centre and work is now underway. With residents there is much to be done still to preserve and enhance the ambiance and economic well being of the Town but we are well on our way.

Retail Strategy

click

"The retail offer of Herne Bay, also dominated by independents, should benefit from regeneration efforts identified in the Herne Bay Area Action Plan, which seeks to improve the retail offer and increase the amount of consumer spending retained in the town." [Draft Local Plan 4.9]

The Herne Bay Area Action Plan (HBAAP) was written over a period of a couple of years, ending in 2009. In 2009 the Council appointed developers to develop the Central Development Area (the area that centres on William Street and Morrisons). The Council and the developers have failed to interest any major retail player in their plans in the years since then. We are nearly four years on and the Central Development Area plan is dead in the water. Despite this, the Council is still clinging to this plan as its only idea to regenerate Herne Bay. This means that our retail centre will continue to struggle whilst Canterbury's is expanded and improved. Our fear is that this will mean that Herne Bay will become a dormitory town, surrounded by housing estates, with no town centre to speak of, and all the consumer spending will be bled out into Canterbury.

"… Where the growth of non-retail uses reduces the availability of choice for customers and creates 'dead frontages', there is a loss of vitality of the centre and attractiveness to customers. This is particularly marked in Herne Bay town centre, where strict application of the Primary Shopping Frontage policy will assist with consolidating the main shopping streets, and ensure there is an accessible central core of shopping for Comparison and choice and which supports the planned regeneration activities. The Herne Bay Area Action Plan includes specific development proposals for the town centre, including significant retail provision." [Draft Local Plan 4.17]

This means that, whatever happens to our town's shops, in some areas owners will not be able to convert a shop into a restaurant or bar. This seems unnecessarily restrictive when the Council is doing nothing to enhance the town's retail offer.

Local shops such as:

Herne Bay Road/ St Johns Road, Swalecliffe;
Sea Street, Herne Bay;
Canterbury Road, Herne Bay;
Reculver Road, Beltinge;

will be protected from "damaging development elsewhere". [Draft Local Plan 4.25]

We think that this has huge implications. The Central Development Area dream has already failed. The Council will oppose the Sainsbury at Altira. We are not going to be allowed to have more "comparison shopping". At the same time, the town's population will increase by thousands. We cannot picture the town's much bigger population all driving into town to shop at Morrison's or the Co-op. the Local Plan will drive even more Herne Bay people to spend their money outside the town.  

"… Herne Bay has an under-performing town centre, due to the limited range of comparison goods retailing and the strength of Canterbury. Once completed, significant comparison retail in the Central Development Area, as well as other allocations in the Herne Bay Area Action Plan, will use and indeed exceed, any available capacity for additional floor space for the foreseeable future." [Draft Local Plan 4.32]

This paragraph claims that, once the Central Development Area has been redeveloped, that will soak up the entire town's demand for stuff like clothes, household goods and bigger purchases. There are two problems with this.

• One, there's no prospect of any large retailer wanting to take space in the Central Development Area.
• Two, the town's population is going to expand by an additional 37 to 47%.

Even if the Central Development Area did happen, we don't see how it can handle Herne Bay's shopping needs. The Council's insistence on flogging this dead horse means that we won't get any new retail space in the town centre at all. This will do nothing to regenerate our town and support our independent tradespeople.

"…For Herne Bay, the retail study identified very modest levels of capacity. Implementation of the foodstore envisaged in the Adopted Masterplan for the Central Development Area would use this remaining capacity, as well as those increases in capacity that result from increasing Herne Bay Town Centre's market share for convenience good expenditure. […] Any out-of-town capacity would be removed by the provision of food retail floor space in the Central Development Area, since Herne Bay would become more self-sufficient in convenience goods terms. Regeneration activities identified in the Area Action Plan are key to ensure additional retail capacity is generated. The Council will resist any out of town development that would threaten implementation of the Area Action Plan and regeneration of the Herne Bay Town Centre." [Draft Local Plan 4.34]

In this paragraph, the word "capacity" means "demand". The Council says that all Herne Bay's future food shopping needs for the new, massively expanded, population will be met by the supermarket planned in the Central Development Area. The trouble is, none of the major supermarket chains wants to open a store in that area. This means that we will not get a local supermarket to meet our food shopping needs.

"…Herne Bay will undergo significant changes over the life of the Local Plan. Regeneration schemes as set out in the Area Action Plan are attracting significant new investment through the implementation of Development Principles Supplementary Planning Documents for:

Central Development Area (Policy HB1);
Beach Street (Policy HB2);
Bus Depot (Policy HB3)."
[Draft Local Plan 4.50]

We know that nothing has happened on the Central Development Area for nearly four years. There is not so much as a whisper of possible investment for the Bus Depot site. Bill Murray has plans – mainly housing – for Beach Street. We think that the Council is being overoptimistic when it says that these areas "are attracting significant new investment." If they really were, the Council would have wanted to tell us all about it.  

"As well as enhancing the retail and cultural offer, status and trading performance of Herne Bay, these will help to retain a higher proportion of residents' expenditure within the town, much of which has been lost to nearby centres of Westwood Cross and Canterbury. There is no significant capacity beyond the floor space on these identified sites and it is imperative that regeneration of the town is not threatened by development of out-of-town floor space." [Draft Local Plan 4.51]

The Council tells us regularly that 70p in every pound leaks out of Herne Bay to be spent elsewhere. Then in the paragraph above it says that all our demand for shops and shopping can be met by the sites already identified in the existing, dormant or failed, plans. We simply do not see how both these statements can be true.  

"Herne Bay is a traditional seaside resort in a desirable position with reasonable transport links, improving beaches and a nostalgia factor that draws people to the town in the summer season. However, during the rest of the year there is insufficient tourist income to maintain a basic level of tourist infrastructure. Planned investment in the sea front will improve the town's tourism prospects. In addition to this, a major events programme has provided new reasons to visit in recent years and there are modest signs of a recovery in business." [Draft Local Plan 6.45]

The Council recognises the problem that the town has little tourist trade in the winter but seems to think that we can overcome this by having a few new benches and some events. We don't think that this provides us with a stable tourist income for October to May. The Local Plan needs to recognise that Herne Bay needs a proper strategy for tourism

Murray might make a mint

Our beloved Council will be giving away land to a developer. Not just any old land, but money-making car park land. And not just any old car park, but valuable car parking land near the sea front. And not just any developer, but one that's been on telly.

​Let's not forget, the Council is simply holding things on our behalf. So when the press reports that:

"A formal planning application is due to be submitted shortly and a land swap deal is close to being agreed, where Canterbury City Council would gift part of their land, used as a car park, for the scheme."

the phrase "their land" should be taken with a pinch of salt.

​Free Money

I'm intrigued by the "land swap deal" and what the other half of it might be. What, if anything, is being gained for this land? Our Council appears to be about to give away some or all of the two car parks either side of the Beach Street cul-de-sac. Between them, they have the capacity for some 65 cars - about two-thirds of the capacity of Morrison's roof-top car park.

What would the value of this land be on the open market? What would the Council be taking in parking revenue, week after week, for years? These two numbers are an indication of the value of the "gift" that our Council wants to make.

The press report indicates that the "land swap deal" is nearly a done deal. Presumably this has taken a while to organise and negotiate, so we're looking at the end of a process that's been a while in the making.​ I don't think CCC will be putting any obstacles in Mr Murray's way at this late stage, and as you can see from the pictures below - from the Herne Bay Showcase on 6th March - Mr Murray gets on famously with our smiling star-struck councillors (Jean Law, Peter Lee, Peter Vickery-Jones).

I don't know much about the planning process, but I have a feeling that this application will have a smooth ride.​

Once there was a plan. A bad plan.

The driving force behind our Council's exceptional generosity (are Coplan and Denne getting the William Street car park for free?) is the conspicuous failure of the CDA, or Central Development Area plan. Back in 2009, CCC decided that the Area Action Plan gave them a free hand to dispose of the William Street car park to the highest bidder. This would of course mean a windfall for the Council.

The developers (Coplan and Denne in this case) would then be able to use the large town centre site to generate a windfall for themselves. Obviously, they would be looking for maximum benefits for themselves, rather than delivering maximum benefits for the town. As a result, they developed what appeared at the time to be a safe (i.e. stunningly unimaginative) clone town proposal for a development, centred on a new supermarket that would be built literally next door to the existing supermarket.

​Pinning their hopes on a new supermarket was the fatal flaw in an already pretty rubbishy plan - as explained here. Which supermarket would want to invest millions to set up shop next door to a competitor? Clearly not Tesco or Sainsbury, which is why they're pursuing options on the edge of town. Would Morrison's be coaxed out of their current store into the new one? Clearly not. They've withdrawn from negotiations, having calculated that it would take decades to recover the millions the move would cost them, quite apart from the problems of selling their old (current) store.

The lynchpin, the cornerstone, the catalyst for the whole CDA project has failed to materialise, and as a result we have nothing to show after three years apart from planning blight on all the properties bordering the William Street car park, the Bus Depot, and the Beach Street area - the three blocks ear-marked for development.

​Murray's mint

And this is where Mr Murray comes in. His interest in developing the Beach Street area must have been very welcome news. Our Council will present this as contributing to the town's regeneration; Mr Murray's architect says it will revitalise the ​bottom end of Mortimer Street and Central Parade. Quite an achievement for three dozen dwellings and a handful of shops.

One shop would be demolished - 73 Central Parade, the left-hand side of Tivoli Amusements. The new development would include 4 shops, 8 three-bedroom town houses, 2 three-bedroom apartments, 16 two-bedroom apartments, 9 one-bedroom apartments, 27 private parking spaces and 11 additional parking spaces. Clearly Mr Murray stands to make a pretty penny if all this turns out well.

I'm not sure that our Council realise that there's a difference between making it easier for people to make money out of Herne Bay, and regenerating Herne Bay.

Beach Street development

Finally, here's a document that's celebrating its third birthday.​ First issued in March 2010, it's Canterbury City Council's vision for the future of Beach Street. None of this has happened yet, of course.

Beach Street Development Principles by HerneBayMatters

Herne Bay sea front development

A TV bad guy is shrugging off his image to develop a positive project to regenerate Herne Bay. Actor Bill Murray, who played Johnny Allen in EastEnders, is poised to submit plans to provide a link from the town centre to the seafront, opening up views of the historic clocktower.

The star owns properties along Central Parade and plans to demolish one, number 73 – a boarded up arcade – and build shops, flats and townhouses behind it. He told the Times:

"The development is to expose the clocktower and create something to really improve that whole area. It means demolishing the property in front of it and losing some of the public car park but the result will be a new shopping area that people can enjoy."

Mr Murray's company, Beach Street Associates, is working with Clague architects on the scheme, for Beach Street, and the proposals have been discussed with Canterbury City Council officials.

A formal planning application is due to be submitted shortly and a land swap deal is close to being agreed, where Canterbury City Council would gift part of their land, used as a car park, for the scheme. Funding would come from Mr Murray and his company. Architect Geoff Mitchell said:

"It would open a pedestrian link between Beach Street and the clocktower, which is a really strategic movement for the town. The glimpse of the clocktower will draw people along through and hopefully create a space people can enjoy. It will revitalise the bottom end of Mortimer Street and Central Parade."

Under the proposals, Beach Alley would not be affected but buildings bordering it would be redeveloped. Mr Mitchell added:

"It could be an arts quarter for Herne Bay, with a real cafe culture feel, and we have already spoken to the Arts Council about their involvement. The idea is that people will be happy to sit there and meet there, with very few cars and lots of space for pedestrians to enjoy."

He said the team was hopeful the development would give plans for the rest of the town centre a boost. These plans stalled after Morrisons pulled out of building a new store, and no other investors were found. Mr Mitchell said:

"This will create the momentum for regeneration of the rest of the town. It will give people confidence. It just has to start and people will see we are investing in Herne Bay and they will follow."

thisiskent 16th Mar 2013

Morrisons pulls the plug

Supermarket chain Morrisons has withdrawn plans for a store in Herne Bay town centre. The supermarket's move from its current Beach Street site to the town had been seen as key to Canterbury City Council plans for redevelopment.

Denne Construction was confirmed as developer for the £35 million scheme, including the new supermarket in 2009. But Morrisons has been unable to commit the cash for the new town centre building and will now stay at its current site.

The city council and development partners Coplan Estates and Denne Construction are looking at alternative proposals. CCC executive member for Herne Bay Regeneration, Cllr Peter Lee, said:

"Naturally, we regret that Morrisons has decided not to invest in a new building, but we remain very confident in the future of Herne Bay. Coplan Estates and Denne Construction share our passion for realising the town's potential, and we will all continue to work together closely.

We are continuing to deliver regeneration and we are working with local businesses and community groups to ensure the continued economic and social regeneration of Herne Bay."

Supermarket plan causes friction and ructions

Traders fall out over plans for supermarket outside Herne Bay

A group of Bay business people is backing plans for a giant supermarket outside the town. Herne Bay Town Partners has agreed to support Sainsbury's bid for a store on the new Altira Business Park at Beltinge, despite council bosses trying to attract a supermarket to the town centre as part of regeneration plans.

Sainsbury's has a pre-let agreement with developers Terrace Hill for a 95,000 sq ft superstore and petrol station on the business park, near the driving test centre. Minutes seen by the Times state:

"The business group have recently met and discussed the proposed plans that Sainsbury's have to open a major retail unit on the outskirts of Herne Bay. It has been indicated that Sainsbury's will apply for planning permission before the end of the year. The group suggested we should endorse Sainsbury's proposal and, when the time is right, arrange to meet their development team to encourage them to support the town."

Dylan Hampshire

But a row between mattress shop boss Dylan Hampshire, who opposed the decision, and former director of the group Geoff Wimble led to Mr Wimble quitting in disgust. Former pawn shop boss Mr Wimble said:

"Sainsbury's should tell the council to get back in its little box and shut up. The council messed up the chance to get a supermarket in the bus station because it said the area was a flood risk. We want to support the town and now Dylan Hampshire is running around like a child with a smacked bottom complaining that an out-of-town supermarket would kill the traders. There's no proof."

Mr Hampshire, who runs Cockett's Mattresses in the High Street, said:

"I know Geoff is passionate about the town and has done a lot for it. But I think the Town Partners were too quick in supporting Sainsbury's at Altira without any corresponding pressure to promote the central development. There needs to be redoubling of effort to encourage a supermarket to Herne Bay."

Herne Bay councillor Peter Lee, who is in charge of the regeneration plans, said the city council's preferred option was still a major store for the town centre – a plan which received almost unanimous approval. He added:

"The council is confident that it can withstand any out-of-town development on the strength of public support for the plan. Herne Bay Town Partners are, of course, entitled to their view, but I don't believe that it will have much public support. Most people don't want to see Herne Bay Town Centre decline in the way that so many others have when faced with out-of-town competition."

thisiskent 14th Aug 2012

Pollution at car park is "unlikely to pose a risk"

A key redevelopment site in the town is contaminated, but the pollution is unlikely to pose a "significant" threat to human health. That's according to council officers who have overseen a series of environmental tests under the Kings Road car park since the beginning of the year.

The area, formerly a gasworks, has been earmarked for a new supermarket as part of the town's regeneration programme. Residents were concerned about possible contamination under the car park, so contractors drilled nine boreholes to test the soil. But council spokesman Rob Davies said test results returned by consultants Environmental Scientifics Group after the drilling had been reassuring. He said:

"The results revealed very few issues, with eight of the nine boreholes having no problems. The other one found elevated levels of hydrocarbon.  This contamination suggests that a leak or spill of hydrocarbons may have occurred in the past."

The group recommends more investigation to see if the substances need to be removed. Mr Davies added:

"Their report makes it clear that it is unlikely to pose a significant risk to human health. The fact that this development will be hard surfaced means that the elevated levels of hydrocarbons found may be able to remain in situ so long as they are contained and not mobile."

HB Times 30th Jun 2011

Waitrose gets 20-year lease in Canterbury

HB Gazette 23rd Jun 2011

Herne Bay's redevelopment

A scheme for the redevelopment of Herne Bay town centre is now moving to the next stage in the approval process. Plans for the Herne Bay Central Development Area (CDA) will be considered at various city council meetings – Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 26 January, a special Herne Bay Area Member Panel on Tuesday 1 February, Development Control Committee on Tuesday 8 February, a special Executive on Monday 14 February and Full Council on Thursday 17 February.

Consultation on the draft development brief for the CDA took place last summer. Around 120 written responses were received, showing that local people were broadly in favour of the plans. Issues raised included the need to maintain a good level of parking, a desire to see Herne Bay’s Victorian architecture reflected in any scheme and concern about possible impact on retailers in Mortimer Street and the High Street.

The council has been working through all the comments and amendments have been made to the scheme to address them. These will now be discussed by councillors at the forthcoming meetings. Papers for these will be available at council offices and on the council’s website five days before each one. Members of the public can register to speak by emailing democraticservices@canterbury.gov.uk or calling 01227 862004 at least one working day before the committee.

The comments and the council’s response to them can be viewed on the Herne Bay Projects page on the council’s website.

To read the supporting committee report, visit the committee meetings page (item 8).

The council is also gearing up for the annual Herne Bay projects and business exhibition at the Kings Hall between 2pm and 7pm on Wednesday 9 March. This popular annual event will update local people on the progress being made on the town’s big projects, including the Central Development Area.

Town Centre Development - consultation outcome

As you may remember, dear reader, Canterbury City Council very kindly ran a public consultation exercise last summer/autumn to find out what Herne Bay thought of their proposals for our town centre. This is the development that centres on the William Street car park, and involves putting up a large supermarket next to the, er, current supermarket, and building a hotel and some shops and houses.

The consultation ended on September 26th 2010, and the Council are now ready to tell us the results. (What took them so long?) The object of the exercise, according to Council policy HB1 is:

Planning Permission will be granted for proposals which deliver the comprehensive and high quality redevelopment of this prominent town centre site to act as a catalyst for the overall regeneration of the town in accordance with the Development Principles Supplementary Planning Document that accompanies the Area Action Plan. 

Such redevelopment should provide additional community, residential, retail, health, office and leisure uses, create a new south facing built frontage to the rear of 108 – 224 High Street, establish clear and strong pedestrian links across the site to William Street and to the Memorial Park, and deliver high quality and co-ordinated public realm and retain overall levels of car parking.

"Public realm" - a phrase that never sees the light of day in everyday conversation, so why use it in public documents?

Anyway, the results are out and will be presented at the next town councillors meeting - the Herne Bay Area Members Panel, Salvation Army Hall, 33 Richmond Street, Herne Bay, Tuesday, 1st February, 2011 6.30 pm.

Positive feedback over development

HB Gazette 7th Oct 2010

Central Development Area

£35m plan for shops, hotel and homes go step closer

HB Gazette 30th Sep 2010

Town Development - consultation

Roll up, roll up! This is probably your last chance to influence the Master Plan, so have a look and then have your say. Not only can you have a close look at the William Street development plans, if you choose the day carefully, there will be someone to explain it all.

Herne Bay Central Development Area, Draft Master Plan Consultation

The council is committed to regenerating the Herne Bay Central Development Area as the main way of driving a stronger economy for Herne Bay as a whole. The Central Development Area encompasses the King's Road and William Street car parks, extending north to the High Street. It also includes parts of Beach Street and Hanover Street, as well as William Street and Queen Street. The result will be a thriving mixed use development.

The council has been working with our partners Coplan and Denne to draw together all of the previous consultation comments to produce a Draft Master Plan. We now wish to consult on this to ensure that we have accurately captured the views of local residents and businesses. When we have considered all of the comments we will look to finalise the Master Plan and hopefully consider a planning application for the central development area in early 2011.

You can view the draft Master Plan at Christ Church, William Street, Herne Bay at an exhibition lasting each day from 10am to 4pm, from Monday August 16th until Sunday September 26th 2010 (except Wednesday mornings and Sundays). You can also view the Draft Master Plan at Herne Bay Divisional Office, Herne Bay Library; and the main city council offices. A summary of the Draft Master Plan, which you can take away with you, is also available at all of these locations. We have produced a questionnaire but do feel free to write in or email your comments to janet.davies@canterbury.gov.uk if you prefer.

The council and Coplan will be holding two sets of Question and Answer days at Christ Church, William Street. These will be from 10am to 4pm on Monday 16th August, Tuesday 17th August, Wednesday 18th August; and Wednesday 1st September, Thursday 2nd September and Friday 3rd of September. We will also be available from 10am until 8pm on Wednesday 1st September and from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 11th September. I hope you will find time to drop in and view the exhibition or indeed to come along on one of the Question and Answer days. If not do please have a look at this website where you will be able to gain all of the information: www.canterbury.gov.uk/hernebayprojects

Comments can also be left at the Corporate Trailer which will be based by the Clock Tower, Herne Bay on Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th August. The Trailer will have be staffed and have copies of the Draft Master Plan available for reference. I look forward to receiving your comments on the proposals for the Central Development Area at: janet.davies@canterbury.gov.uk

Now & Then: William Street car park

Now & Then: an occasional comparison of past and present (and sometimes the future). This time we're hovering over what is currently the William Street car park.

1931

The area is grassed, with the cricket pitch in the middle being home to the Cheerful Sparrows (the local cricketers).The Hospital Fête is in full swing, throngs of people amongst the marquees, tents and stalls - a good time being had by all, I guess. Most of the buildings in the High Street (at the bottom of the picture) and William Street (left) are still recognisable, but the terraces in Queen Street and Kings Road (top) have now gone.

I've been told the cricket ground was turned into allotments during the Second World War as people Dug for Victory, and was never properly reinstated as a field/green/ground/pitch. At some point it fell into the clammy grasp of the Council, who immediately responded with their own version of TLC - Tarmacked Long-stay Car park.

2010

The cricket pitch has gone, leaving just a few patches of grass in municipal shapes. A lot of space set aside for cars. A few noticably chunky buildings - the Kavanagh and swimming pool, Morrison's, and the blocks of flats on the High Street, Queen Street and King's Road.

2014-ish

The roofline of the High Street and William Street is unchanged, but now contrasts with the large blocky shapes that have appeared on and near the old car park. An architect once explained to me that the commonest mistake in town centre developments is for the new to be "out of scale" with the old.

Modern construction techniques mean that it is now possible to make windows, walls and roofs bigger, taller, longer and flatter. Modern construction economics mean that big, simple shapes are cheaper to build, which is why we're getting big simple shapes that are "out of scale".

P.S. any more information about the history and background of this once-lovely patch of land would be most welcome. 

Mixed reception for development plans

Ambitious plans for a £35 million regeneration of Herne Bay town centre have been met with mixed reactions. Scores of people packed into the Salvation Army Hall on Tuesday as Bay councillors gave their views.

The scheme, led by developers Denne Construction and regeneration experts Coplan Estates, includes a supermarket, shopping centre, homes, multi-storey car park, hotel and a medical centre. It could be complete as early as 2014. Concerns have been raised that the development will draw people away from shops in Mortimer Street, but that suggestion was shot down by finance guru Cllr Peter Lee. He said:

"There's no point in establishing a new shopping centre and killing off the old one. The objective is to make one complement the other. Currently, only 31 per cent of the money that comes into the town is actually spent here. Why should people come from outside Herne Bay when we can't even get the people who live here to shop in the town? It's taken a long time but we are determined to get it right for the future of Herne Bay"

Fellow councillor Robert Bright, owner of Lisa B's furniture store in William Street, said:

"As somebody who does own a small shop in the town, I think a new retail centre with several well known shops will bring people into the town. That means more people in Mortimer Street, more people in William Street and more people in my shop."

Lib Dem Ron Flaherty praised the proposal, but said:

"On the plans it says medical centre. But that's only a couple of words on a map at the moment. The city council has got to take the initiative because doctors will sit back until the heavens open. We need to get them all together and look at what's possible. We could do what Whitstable did at Estuary View under the guidance of Dr Ribchester."

Not everyone was behind plans to redevelop the proposed site. Student tour operator Diane Nutter claims losing the coach parking in William Street could cost the town dearly. She told the meeting her company brings 6,250 students to the town every year, arriving weekly from February to November. The coaches park in William Street car park five days a week and the drivers stay in rented accommodation or B&Bs on the seafront. She said:

"I'm all for the principle of the development, but having to park the coaches well outside the town is simply not viable. In all we bought well over £600,000 to the town last year and that doesn't include the money spent in Whitstable and Canterbury. I feel the loss of important long-stay parking facilities in Herne Bay will have a devastating effect on the town."

Bay councillor Roger Matthews also rubbished the proposed development:

"This started off as a redevelopment of the town centre, but now it's moved. We've already got a shopping centre in Mortimer Street that nobody can get at. That's what we should be concentrating on. There are other sites in Herne Bay, but they're not council owned and would have to be purchased. That's the problem."

County councillor Jean Law hit back at Cllr Matthews, saying:

"This is a fantastic proposal. Does Cllr Matthews really believe we've lost sight of William Street and Mortimer Street? Why does he think we've spent the last 18 months working with Chris West and Herne Bay Town Partners to make it look better to improve it? There's room for both."

HB Gazette 29th July 2010

Town Centre Development zones

Here's some NewSpeak from the Herne Bay Area Action Plan:

Opportunities exist to deliver an improved and more connected urban form and a reinvigorated Herne Bay town centre through the redevelopment of three prominent, centrally located Development Opportunity Sites:

• the Central Development Area
• Beach Street
• the former Bus Depot site.

A central aim of this AAP is that high quality, innovative and exemplar redevelopment of these Sites will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of  the town.

Gale's View: Town Centre

It has been a long and frustrating time in coming but at last serious proposals for the re-development of the centre of Herne Bay are out in the open.  We need a good mix of high-quality retail, leisure facilities and residential accommodation in the heart of the community to keep the town alive night and day; and I believe that these plans warrant and deserve the backing of the town.

We either see the continuation of the drift towards out-of-town shopping that has blighted other town centre retail outlets or we give support to an imaginative and creative plan that will breathe life into a seaside town that, if we are honest, has for historical reasons never really enjoyed the benefits of a "town centre". The creation of such a focal point will not only prove to be a magnet in itself but will help to revitalise business for those outlets that are, particularly at present, having a difficult time in the High Street and in Mortimer Street.

The proposed developer, Denne Construction, have a good track record (they are, by the way, one of the Kent companies that have blazed a trail in the creation of construction trade apprenticeships) and if Canterbury City Council gives this project the go-ahead then I think that we shall live to witness the realisation of a dream (see 1980s editions of the Gazette!) that some of us have adhered to for a long time.

The present Council's ambitions for the town have, following wide public consultation, been impeded by a government moving of goal posts and consequent delays in the approval and implementation of a cohesive local plan. We are, I think, now getting back on track and if we can dovetail the development of the Market and William Street Car Park sites with the regeneration of the pier and other improvements planned for the waterfront then in relatively short order, and notwithstanding a dire national economic situation, The Bay is going to be a very exciting place to be.

Roger Gale M.P. (November 25th 2009)