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.

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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.

Open Spaces

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To implement the Council's vision for the area, there will need to be a significant increase above the historic level of development in the area, both housing and employment space. There will also need to be a significant additional provision of open space of various types, proportionate to the level of other new development. [Draft Local Plan 1.51]

The housing estates proposed for Herne Bay eat up open space, they do not produce it.

There is not enough amenity green space provision now in Reculver, Heron and West Bay wards. A much bigger Herne Bay population will make this worse. The Council recognises that we don't have enough playing fields or allotments now. [Draft Local Plan 11.30]

"Everyone should have access to a space where children can play within 300 metres of their home (this includes amenity open space)." [Draft Local Plan 11.32]

This is not being achieved everywhere in Herne Bay now.

"Historically, some development has occurred outside the urban areas, that has led to the gradual erosion of the open countryside and coalescence between built up areas. The City Council is concerned that this gradual coalescence between existing built up areas not only harms the character of the open countryside, but is having an adverse impact on the setting and special character of villages." [Draft Local Plan 11.53]

The four biggest housing development sites of the five being proposed join Herne Bay to Herne village. In the east, Herne Bay will go south from the sea, through Hillborough, Broomfield and Hunters Forstal to Herne. In the west the town will stretch south from Hampton, through Greenhill to Herne.

Portrait Bench at Reculver

In spring 2013, a Portrait Bench will be installed along the clifftop between Reculver and Bishopstone - and Canterbury City Council need your help to decide who it will feature!

A Portrait Bench is a collection of three distinctive, lifesize local figures cut from sheet steel and installed alongside a simple bench, inviting people to join the group and become part of the 'portrait'. Here's an example of one from elsewhere in the country:

The figures are inspired and chosen for their individual contribution to the life of the community and reflect the local heritage, culture and aspirations of the area. Their features are simplified but retain their essential characteristics.

Funding for the Portrait Bench is coming from the national sustainable charity Sustrans. The city council is organising the project locally and paying for it to be installed.

The Reculver Portrait Bench

The bench at Reculver is being provided as part of the Oyster Bay Trail cycle route. The section of the route between Reculver and Swalecliffe opened last year and the council is in the process of finalising plans to extend it between Swalecliffe and Whitstable.

So, which characters do you think best reflect the local area? A pilot perhaps? An oyster fisherman? Maybe a hockey player?

The city council has come up with a shortlist of seven figures who could take pride of place on the clifftop bench. Now it's down to local people to decide on their top three, and those with the most votes will be created.

The seven characters are:

• A Dambuster pilot. The bouncing bomb was tested at Reculver and local pilot Bill Ottley flew one of the Lancaster Bombers and died on the Dambusters Raid.  
• A fossil collector. Many important specimens have been collected from Bishopstone Glen.  
• A Roman. A fort and settlement was built at Reculver around 43BC, probably to defend the Roman fleet anchored in the channel. It was rebuilt in the third century to protect the coast from Saxon longship raids.
• A Saxon. In the fourth century, long after the fort was abandoned, King Egbert granted land to the priest Bassa to build Reculver church. Many Anglo-Saxon items have been found near the site.
• A roller hockey player, representing the long tradition of roller hockey in Herne Bay. It began in 1901 and still has strong links in the town with the Bay Sports Arena being the proud home of roller hockey. 
• An oyster fisherman. Oysters have been found in Whitstable for centuries, where fishermen would dredge the seabed to harvest the town’s famous, native oysters.
• A diver. The Deane brothers of Whitstable invented and trialled the first underwater breathing apparatus (air-pumped diving helmet) in the town. Divers from the town salvaged sunken ships around the world, including Henry VIII's flagship, The Mary Rose.

Vote now!

Voting on which characters you would like to see make up Reculver's Portrait Bench is now open and runs until Wednesday 31 October.

Cast your vote now!

CCC website

Turtleastic - find out what it means to you

Local treasure Karen Simpson has a new exhibition at the Reculver Visitor Centre. Turtleastic looks at the effects of pollution (in this case plastics) on our natural environment.

Ocean litter is increasingly responsible for turtle deaths, autopsies have found alarming amounts of plastic debris in their stomachs especially floating plastic carrier bags which they mistake for their main source of food - jellyfish. These then fill up their stomachs meaning that they often die from malnutrition and starvation as they are unable to take in proper nutritional food. They often also ingest other types of plastic and get tangled up in netting and other floating plastic debris which can result in drowning.

As usual, Karen's work is quirky, eye-catching and thought-provoking... a great combination. You can see more of her work on her website: Shore Is A Load Of Rubbish.

Turtleastic is on at the Reculver Visitor Centre (by Reculver Towers) from 29th July - 30th August, every day except Tuesday and Wednesday, between 11am and 5pm.

Public meeting: Kitewood development at Hillborough

A public meeting next week will discuss plans to redevelop land between Hillborough and the Altira Business Park. Residents and stakeholders living around the site, which has been earmarked for more than 1,300 homes, are being urged to attend to have their say and learn more about the proposals.

Reculver and Beltinge Community Hall, Reculver Road, hosts the meeting from 7pm next Wednesday, the first of its kind since the scheme was first confirmed in August.

Laura Calder will speak on how people can get their views across as the planning process progresses. The 47-year-old IT business consultant, from Sanderling Road said:

"I want to try and help residents articulate their concems. Should something like this get the go ahead, it needs to be done in the right manner with the local community being consulted on what they want to see."

The £240 million scheme has been drawn up by Kitewood Estates and would be delivered in three phases. Facilities would also include a primary school, shopping centre and a long-awaited footbridge across the railway at Blacksole Bridge.

The first phase of the development, costing £60m, would build 375 homes and extend Altira Business Park. Work could begin by the end of 2012. The primary school and shopping centre would be built in phase two alongside another 500 homes, while phase three would see the final 500 homes constructed.

Kitewood director Mike Dolan welcomed news of next week’s meeting after a public exhibition at Reculver Primary School last month - www.hillboroughextension.com. He said:

"We’ve put forward our own ideas but if people have their own views, we’re keen to work together on a package that allays some of their fears and moves the development forward in a positive manner."

HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

Click for more: Kitewood

 

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Visit www.SaveHillborough.info for more

Message in a Bottle at Reculver

Local litter action group 'Shore' is a load of Rubbish! is still going strong, and their project for 2011 is Message in a Bottle.

With the help of two local schools (Westmeads Whitstable and St Stephens Canterbury) they are constructing a full-sized beach hut from recycled materials, including 2 litre plastic bottles filled with beachcombed litter and facts about marine litter. Message in a Bottle is now on at:

Reculver Visitor Centre open Thursday-Monday 11am-5pm till 29th August, on display are:

• a Bottle Beach Hut, made of 2 litre bottles filled with beach litter,
• a bottle top deckchair made up of 560 bottle tops threaded onto 40 metres of cord, and
• a Mermaid made from crisp packets, balloon litter and recycled items!
• More details below.

Click it to big it.

‘Message in a Bottle’ Dates 2011

Herne Bay Band Stand/Sea Front
August, location TBC

Reculver Visitor Centre
1st-29th August
11-5 Thursday-Monday

Horsebridge Centre Whitstable
8th-18th September
9-6 Monday-Saturday 10-6 Sunday

For more information, and great pictures of work in progress and previous exhibits, visit

shoreisaloadofrubbish.blogspot.com

Reculver's past at the Museum

HB Gazette 23rd Sep 2010