Local Plan: housing target criticised by residents in Council meeting

Critics of the city council's vision for the Canterbury district queued up to attack the  authority.

Each was given a three-minute platform in the chamber to voice their opinions on the draft Local Plan - with the issue of 15,600 new homes dominating the  agenda. Most came from south Canterbury, where up to 4,000 homes are planned for farmland and open space.

Speaker Malcolm Harris told councillors:

"Not since the American Declaration of Independence has a single document galvanised so many people in a common purpose. We have got to rid ourselves of this absurd plan. There is no justification for this  increase in house building.

Clive Church, of the South Canterbury Alliance, said:

"This plan is wrong in principle and will be resisted at every stage of the  process."

Michael Butler, of Old Dover Road, fears for the future of the road network in the city if the homes are developed. He said:

"These houses will create complete gridlock in the Old and New Dover Roads. They will funnel into the partial ring road we have. This may well mean more traffic, more gridlock and a potential traffic disaster. The city of Canterbury is in peril."

Another speaker with concerns over the roads was Richard Cook, who estimates 15,000 new homes will bring 20,000 more cars.

Dick Eburne, a tireless campaigner from Herne Bay, asked:

"Where is the infrastructure for all these new homes? Let's get the draft plan out there for consultation so we can pull it to pieces."

Prof Richard Norman, a philosophy lecturer from St Michael's Place, adopted a more balanced approach, saying:

"There are a lot of good things in this draft plan such as limiting houses in multi-occupancy and the draft masterplan for the universities.  But there will be deep concerns about the ambitious target of 15,600 dwellings, which will have an impact on the environment and erode the green gaps."

The main proposals

• 4,000 homes in south Canterbury
• 1,000 homes in Sturry and Broad Oak
• 800 homes behind the existing Hersden estate
• 1,000 homes in Hillborough, Herne Bay
• 800 homes at Strode Farm, Herne Bay and a new relief road for Herne
• 600 homes in Greenhill
• 400 homes in Herne Bay Golf Club
• 400 homes off the Thanet Way at Whitstable and an extension to the Duncan Down public space
• The closure of Sturry level crossing and the building of a new road re-routing traffic
• An extension of the University of Kent campus to the north of the site to allow future expansion
• A possible new relief road linking Sturry Road with Littlebourne Road through the Howe Barracks land

HB Gazette 6th Jun 2013

Local Plan: concerns need to be addressed

THE Rev Paul Wilson, of Whitstable Baptist Church, appealed to the council to "pause to get things right." He said:

Rev Paul Wilson

"Above all, the Local Plan needs to be community-led, community-devised and community-tested. We need a plan we can be sure is the community's preferred option - not telling people, but involving people. Community concerns need to be recognised and addressed, including the possible over-reliance on consultants’ reports and testing. The draft Local Plan represents an incredible balancing act but it needs more community assessment. I suggest a forum of community representatives from civic societies. community groups and chambers of commerce to test it first."

Christina Astin

Christina Astin, who is head of science at the King's School, was concerned about the size of the proposed development in south Canterbury and its effect on the setting of the city.

Janet Larkinson

Chairman of Harbledown and Rough Common Parish Council Janet Larkinson feared the plan could mean the resurrection of the Park and Ride site in Faulkner's Lane and urged the council to expand Wincheap first.

Dick Eburne, from Herne Bay, said new homes would generate more traffic and much more needed to be invested in public transport. He also ruled out Bullockstone Road as a relief road and said Herne needed a bypass whether the plan was approved or not.

HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Local Plan: money to flow out of Herne Bay

Hundreds of homes at Herne Bay are needed to pay for improvements to roads across the district, councillors have revealed.

As the area's draft local plan was discussed in public for the first time on Monday, officials said the developments at Altira Park, Strode Farm and the former golf club, as well as near Briary School, in Greenhill would bring in vital cash to pay for a new crossing at Sturry.

Relief route

Developers would also be asked to fund a "relief route" for Herne - but opponents said it did not go far enough and a bypass was needed. Canterbury City Council's head of regeneration Ian Brown said:

"We are trying to build communities, not just individual housing estates. The Herne Bay sites will provide a new regenerative beginning for the town, a new focus and will contribute to new transport infrastructure. In part that will help to fund routes through and the Sturry bypass."

The plan includes proposals for 1,000 houses at the Altira park, together with a new doctor's surgery and community facilities.

The developers would have to pay for new links to the Thanet Way, work to discourage motorists from using Heart-In-Hand Road and make a contribution to a relief route at Herne and the Sturry crossing.

The golf club scheme - of 400 homes, business units, convenience stores and a sports hub, plus care home and doctor's surgery - would also bring in money for the Herne relief route and Sturry crossing, as well as a new footpath to the Strode Farm development. That site will have 800 homes, business units, shops, a new parish hall and cash for the crossing and relief road.

The final contribution is from 600 homes near Briary School, in Greenhill, along with allotments, and community facilities.

But town stalwart Dick Eburne said the plan to improve Bullockstone Road as the relief route did not go far enough. He raised concerns about transport, and said the public transport system would need significant investment in order to meet the target of more people choosing to travel sustainably within three years. He said Herne needed a bypass and Bullockstone Road was not suitable, and that through traffic on the A28 should be diverted.

Members of the council's overview committee supported more development at Herne Bay rather than Canterbury, where plans for 4,000 homes south of the city, near Nackington Road, were criticised. Lib Dem councillor Nick Eden-Green said:

"Put houses where we need economic development, Herne Bay and Hersden, not south Canterbury."

Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people preferred more developments at Herne Bay then larger villages, then Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list. [This is a lie - click here to see the truth.]  But 70% of people did not support building on green-field sites.

Planned development at Hersden and Broad Oak would also bring in funding for the road network. Lib Dem leader councillor Alex Perkins said:

"Whether we need this local plan is another matter. I would like to refer it back to the local plan steering group."

His proposal was not supported by the committee, nor was one by Labour's Alan Baldock for an extended consultation period.

Consultation is expected to start in June for eight weeks and the plan is due to be revised by councillors in December, with a public inquiry due to take place next summer before the document is finalised.

HB Times 16th May 2013

Canterbury district's local plan discussed in public for the first time

 ... and guess what - Herne Bay gets screwed. To pay for treats for Canterbury. 

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Canterbury City Council's draft local plan was discussed in public for the first time last night, amid accusations one of the key sites was "undeliverable" and uncosted.

At a meeting of the council's overview committee, Lib Dem Nick Eden-Green said the proposal for 4,000 homes on farmland at south Canterbury was in the wrong place and would not work. Mr Eden-Green, part of the group involved with putting the plan together, argued fewer new homes were needed than included in the plan. He said:

"There is a lot that is excellent but it is not community led and that has been a fundamental initial failing. We should put houses where we need economic development, Herne Bay and Hersden, not south Canterbury."

Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people's preferred choice for more developments was Herne Bay, then larger villages, then Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list. [This is a lie - click here to see the truth.] But 70 per cent of people did not support building on greenfield sites.

Mr Eden-Green won applause as he added:

"South Canterbury is barely costed and possibly undeliverable. This site and this plan have been hijacked by that development and the need to put the junction in for economic development."

But both a proposal to refer the plan back to the steering group, and to extend the public consultation, were defeated.

Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins said:

"It is quite clear that publishing this draft plan has caused a great deal of disquiet and discomfort. To cram 4,000 homes in South Canterbury when we know it is only to pay for new roads is wrong. The working group should work with local residents and residents association to find their vision of what local people would like to see in the district because the danger is we are simply going to get this wrong."

In Herne Bay, hundreds of homes planned will also help pay for improvements to roads across the district, officials revealed. The developments at Altira Park, Strode Farm and the former golf club as well as near Briary school in Greenhill would bring in vital cash to pay for a new crossing at Sturry.

Developers would also be asked to fund a 'relief route' for Herne - but opponents said it did not go far enough and a bypass was needed. Canterbury City Council's head of regeneration Ian Brown said:

"We are trying to build communities, not just individual housing estates. The Herne Bay sites will provide a new regenerative beginning for the town, a new focus and will contribute to new transport infrastructure. In part that will help to fund routes through and the Sturry bypass."

But town stalwart Dick Eburne said the plan to improve Bullockstone Road as the relief route did not go far enough. He raised concerns about transport, and said the public transport system would need significant investment in order to meet the target of more people choosing to travel sustainably within three years. He said Herne needed a bypass, and Bullockstone Road was not suitable, and that through traffic on the A28 should be diverted.

But Whitstable Tory Ashley Clark urged people to get involved. He said:

"Canterbury has got off lightly in the past. Whitstable has taken a lot of pain. I want all of you who are not happy with things to participate. Look at what is there and see what you think and if you genuinely can be constructive about it please take part and participate."

Whitstable has been earmarked for 400 new homes alongside Duncan Down, between St Luke's Close and the Thanet Way, with a new junction off the Thanet Way. There is also a proposal for a green burial site on part of Duncan Down as well as more pedestrian access.

Consultation is expected to start in June for eight weeks and the plan is due to be revised by councillors in December, with a public inquiry due to take place next summer before the document is finalised.

Comments sent in before the official consultation starts will not be valid.

Councillors say sorting office closure will be 'horrendous'

Closing the sorting office in Herne Bay will affect new businesses, according to concerned councillors. Members of the city council's ruling executive debated Royal Mail's plan to shut the depot and move staff to Canterbury, at their meeting on Thursday. Petitioner Dick Eburne said the move would cause many problems. He said:

"It will have a significant impact on the people of Herne Bay who want to collect their mail."

Bay councillor Peter Lee said:

"This concerns me greatly, particularly when people are starting new businesses, post is still an important factor when getting a business off the ground. They don't really have a clue in what they are doing and it concerns me that the service is only going to get worse."

The decision to shut the offices in Herne Bay and Whitstable was described as "horrendous" by Herne councillor Peter Vickery-Jones, who said there would be an extra 2,500 journeys for posties.

The closures are part of a restructure planned to be completed by 2013. Protesters say people would have to travel to the city to collect parcels not delivered. Protesters will march through Herne Bay on Saturday, June 25. Everyone is welcome to join them at May Lodge, 14 Central Parade, Herne Bay, at 2pm. The march will set off at 3pm.

HB Times 23rd Jun 2011

Future of shelter to be decided

A long-running battle over where to place a Victorian shelter looked set to come to a head this week. Councillors were voting on where to put the historic Green Shelter as the Times went to press, after failing to come to a decision at a meeting in March. At the moment the shelter is in storage after having been taken down and repainted.

The three options for where to put it are back where it was, near Herne Bay pier; to move it to one side, on to the slopes of the Spa Esplanade – the option favoured by councillors – which would require the shelter to be supported by stilts; and to put it onto Herne Bay Pier itself. The head of Herne Bay Residents Association Dick Eburne said:

" I think it is highly likely the money will be used to put the Green Shelter on stilts on western slopes of the Spa Esplanade."

Councillors had asked officer Malcolm Burgess to hire someone to work out costs for placing the shelter back on the site where it was. That option had been rejected by council engineers as unsafe and expensive because of an underground drain. Mr Burgess said putting the shelter on the site councillors wanted would cost around £14,000. That's on top of the £8,000 facelift the shelter had after being taken down in February last year.

HB Times 17th Jun 2011

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.