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

It's Kitewood. Again.

Yes folks, it's Kitewood. The people who brought us Altira Tumbleweed Park, and didn't bring us a new Blacksole Bridge. The people who said they would bring us a new Blacksole Bridge if they could have a huge swathe of Beltinge to play with.

To be honest, I don't think we're any closer to getting a bridge, but Kitewood are starting to nibble away at the open spaces of Beltinge, laying the foundations of "Kitegate" a development area the size of Hampton.

They've got their eyes on the eastern end of Kitegate, where they hope to knock up 40 homes on farmland, much to the annoyance of the local residents who thought they would be living next to, er, farmland.

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Our lives will be ruined if more homes are built

Hundreds of angry parents fear their children's lives could be put at risk if a new housing development is built in Beltinge.

Concerned families on the Castle Chase estate are furious with plans to use their neighbourhood as the only access route to a proposed 40-home plot off Puffin Road. They claim an extra 500 vehicles will drive through the estate every day, passing four play parks, if the development on farmland gets the thumbs up. Anthony Palmer, of Puffin Road, is among almost 100 people who have written objection letters. He said:

"This would have a devastating impact on what is a very happy and settled road. Children play completely happily in the play area outside my house. With the addition of at least another 500 vehicle journeys a day this will compromise this environment and put their lives at greater risk."

Neighbour Keith Roberts added:

"There are approximately 25 children under the age of 16 in Puffin Road alone, where we feel they can play in a very safe and secure environment. This would not be the case with heavy plant vehicles coming through the road on a daily basis."

Most people on the estate appear happy for new homes to be built, but object to Puffin Road being used as the only access route. They say older roads to the north of the site are much wider and should be used. Trevor Higgs, of Puffin Road, said:

"I understand the residents of Roseberry Avenue, Rowland Crescent and Richmond Drive will most certainly raise objections to their roads being used in a similar fashion and I fully understand their concern. However, these roads are far more suited and in closer proximity to the estate."

A similar application on the same site was knocked back in 2003, with planners saying there was already enough housing land in the area. The decision was appealed unsuccessfully by developers Kitewood Estates in 2005. Local councillor Gabrielle Davis supported the objection at the time of the appeals She said:

"I was assured afterwards that the site would be taken off the local plan as there was, and continues to be, enough housing for local needs. It is an open space and should remain protected for future generations."

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Kitewood planning manager Paul Watkins said Puffin Road was earmarked as an access route when the Castle Chase estate was built. He said:

"The planning consent included a condition that access could be provided from Puffin Road. The application site is also allocated as a reserve housing site for 40 dwellings in the Canterbury District Plan First Review, which was adopted in 2006. Our own engineers have tested the suitability of Puffin Road to access the site for 40 dweilinqs and found no issues."

A decision on the outline planning application is expected to made in the next few months.

HB Gazette 9th June 2011

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Here are the planning documents - just click to view.

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Visit www.SaveHillborough.info for more

Annual Projects and Business Exhibition

The exhibition aims to engage with the local residents and businesses of Herne Bay, providing information on the progress made on the live regeneration projects over the past twelve months and about future plans for the town. Project Officers attend the event to discuss and answer any questions on any of the projects featured.

Last year we attracted a record attendance with over five hundred people visiting the exhibition in a single afternoon. Topics included: the Central Development Area proposals, the relocation of the pier sports centre to Herne Bay High School, the Pier, Memorial Park improvements, Beach Street to Central Parade and the Herne Bay Festival.

You are invited to the Annual Herne Bay Projects Exhibition on Wednesday 9th March 2011 (2 - 7pm) at the King’s Hall. The event will display a series of information stands on many of the major regeneration, business and community projects happening in Herne Bay. It is an opportunity for you to catch up on the progress made over the last twelve months and to view the plans for the future. City councillors and project officers will be available to answer your questions and provide more information about any of the projects featured; some of those you can expect to see include:

• The Central Development Area Masterplan
• The Herons Leisure Centre Extension
• Herne Bay High School Sports Arena
• The Memorial Park Improvement Plan
• The Future Options for Herne Bay Pier
• The Reculver Country Park
• The Friends of Herne Bay Museum
• Bay Card: The loyalty card for Herne Bay
• Herne Bay Festival 2011
• The Oyster Coastal Cycle Route
• Play Provider Nework
• Age Concern
• Herne Bay in Bloom
• The Friends of the Downs

Please put this date in your diary, tell your family, friends and neighbours, everyone is welcome; your participation is important in shaping the future of Herne Bay.

We look forward to meeting you at the Exhibition!

Community space

HB Times 28th Oct 2010

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

Community space

HB Gazette 16th September 2010

CCC's Notable Achievements in Herne Bay

Marks out of ten for achievement? Here's what CCC proudly list on their site as their achievements in Herne Bay since 2005. I'm not churlish by nature, but it doesn't seem like a lot.

Notable Achievements in the Regeneration of Herne Bay

1. In 2009, Parklife, a new Youth and Children's Centre opened in Memorial Park. The new facility has proved very popular with local residents and includes a health clinic, youth activities and IT suite. The project, delivered by Canterbury City Council and Kent County Council demonstrates a successful example of partnership working and achievement.
2. The Council agreed a lease with a local business for the let of a vacant unit in the Herne Bay Bandstand. The unit has since become a thriving ice cream parlour with a corner allocated to tourist information with two large notice boards, a stand, a desk and computer.
3. In 2008, a successful community workshop was held to discuss the issues and opportunities for the regeneration of Herne Bay. Feedback enabled a greater focus on the preparation of preferred options for recreation, leisure and community, local economy and tourism, image and environment. The majority of proposals received overwhelming support in the public consultation prior to the drafting of the Area Action Plan.
4. The Council has identified the bus depot on the High Street as one of four potential opportunity sites that form a Central Development Area. Stagecoach has agreed to move, releasing the land for redevelopment. The site is now to be marketed to potential development partners as an exciting opportunity for a new mixed-use development in Herne Bay.
5. In 2007, the decision was taken to move the Pier Sports Centre from the end of the existing pier to the Herne Bay High School as part of the Building Schools for the Future scheme and to an extended herons centre. This proposal will enable the pier to once again be a unique attraction for the town and has led to the formation of the Herne Bay Pier Trust Herne Bay Pier Trust; a local community organisation to promote the future of the pier.
6. The Council working alongside both Sustrans and East Kent Partnership secured the necessary funding to complete the missing coastal section of the National Cycle Route link. The first section of this new cycle path was completed in March 2008, with the completion of the second stage due in 2009.
7. A partnership led by Canterbury City Council has delivered environmental improvements to both Beach Street Alley and William Street. These have enhanced the character, appearance and use of the pedestrian routes that link the High Street to the seafront.
8. In 2006, the Herne Bay Town Centre Partnership was established. The partnership is a voluntary organisation made up of local businesses and community groups, whose aims are to help regenerate the town through better joined up marketing and promotion.

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• Item 2 is, of course, CCC's slippery gloss on the dismal loss of our Visitor Information Centre. Cheek!
• Item 3 refers, I think, to the one-day HB Regeneration exhibition at the King's Hall.
• Item 4 is in limbo.
• Item 5 is now starting.

21st century Canterbury

As KCC unveiled its vision for the next 20 years Canterbury City Council has been doing the same. It has begun a six-week public consultation on its Local Development Framework, which should take the district to 2030. Bosses at the city council say the district is at a crossroads and a “window of opportunity” exists to shape it for the next 30 years. Officers have spent the past two years working on the first draft of the 120-page Local Development Framework.

It discusses plans for 10,200 homes, slip roads on the A2, university expansions - and a marina for the coast. Architect Peter Jackson has long been a campaigner for a marina at Whitstable and put together his own plans for a £16 million development in 2006. Council planning policy manager Adrian Verrell said:

“There is a shortfall of marina provision along the north Kent coast. Whitstable is likely to be the preferred option although traffic impacts are likely to be a major concern for the town centre. A new marina at Herne Bay may contribute to the regeneration agenda but this was not supported during the recent public consultation. However, Herne Bay has well-documented economic and social problems. A marina has the potential to provide jobs, strengthen tourism and provide a publicly accessible 'green space'."

The biggest challenge is to find space for 10,200 new homes. Planners have already allocated 6,000 which leaves 4,000 to find. The Council has broken this down to 3,200 in Canterbury (mainly in the south or south-west with limited infill in larger villages); 400 in Herne Bay and 400 in Whitstable. It is anticipated 70 per cent will be houses for families with 30 percent as flats. Mr Verrell warned:

“The housing stock does not offer sufficient choice to meet current needs. There is a need for family homes if we wish to attract a young, economically active population. The issue is likely to get worse as the population increases and we feel they impact of the high-speed rail link to London.”

He said houses are in short supply partly because of the number of second homeowners in Whitstable and the need for student accommodation in Canterbury. The University of Kent has said it will need 38,000 square metres for classrooms and 500 more student flats. Canterbury Christ Church University will need 13,400 square metres of space and accommodation for 300 students. Canterbury already has 25,000 students in higher education. More than 29 per cent of the area’s population is aged 16 to 34 - higher than the county average of 23 per cent. Kent and Canterbury Hospital has announced ambitious plans for its site which could lead to more traffic congestion.

The Framework calls for the completion of junctions on the A2 at Bridge, Wincheap and Harbledown and is investigating a fourth park and ride service. Planners are in talks with Southern Water to ensure sewers will cope and SouthEast Water has plans to flood Broad Oak to create a new reservoir.

Herne Bay Times 4th Feb 2010

21st century Kent

It looks like we need to revise the acronym for the world's emerging super-economies. From now on, it will be B.R.I.C.K. - Brazil, Russia, India, China, Kent. Grandiose visions, but is this what anyone asked for?

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Kent County Council leader Paul Carter has teamed up with architect Sir Terry Farrell to launch a vision of Kent for the next 20 years. The pair travelled round the county by train to launch the £100,000 blueprint which was put together by Sir Terry.  Cllr Carter said:

“With the development of the high speed train (HS1), change is coming and we must plan for it. It has made a huge impact in bringing Canterbury, Margate and Folkestone nearer to London. I don’t think residents have woken up to the massive transformation HS1 will bring us.”

His vision includes a third £1 billion Thames crossing which could rake in an extra £30 million in tolls a year; a busier Manston airport with a rail link to Gatwick; a new town in a chalk quarry at Ebbsfleet; a new city linking all five Medway Towns; and revived coastal towns. Cllr Carter said:

“Unlocking Kent’s Potential sets the scene for the next 20 years. Sir Terry’s document is the gold dust on top, in glorious Technicolor, of what could come. Kent has been through the most extraordinary change in the past 25 years. We will have massive housing growth when we come out of recession. In the South East Plan we have 20 per cent more households coming - 128,000 new homes between now and 2026.”

Sir Terry said:

“I believe more people will come to Kent because it is so well connected. Kent can regard St Pancras as its London station. You are now connected to a completely different part of London. I remember 30 years ago all the docks in London were operational. It’s astonishing what changes can happen in such a short time. We must link all the airports by high speed rail so people can get from one to another easily preventing the need for more airports. I would like to characterise Kent into three areas: the UK’s most varied and thriving coast; the 21st century Garden of England; and the UK’s most connected county.”

HB Times 4th Feb 2010

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)