Is a superstore super news?

A huge Sainbury's and petrol station on the edge of Herne Bay - this would be on the ill-fated and currently languishing Altira site.

There's no indication in the press reports as to where exactly, but I assume it would be east of the existing developments at Altira, between the A299 Thanet Way and the railway line.

Big news for a small town, and not all of it good news.

Up:

• employment opportunities for Herne Bayers (and for anyone else who can travel along the A299)
• their salaries would inject money into the local economy
• Herne Bayers who usually shop in a supermarket will have one nearer to home - time saved, fewer miles travelled, reduced pollution
• a decent supermarket can give the town a lift, making it more attractive to people and businesses looking to relocate
• the superstore would take Altira up to the occupancy level which would oblige Kitewood to make good on its contractual obligation to build a pedestrian bridge at Blacksole
• ... do feel free to suggest more

Down:

• having a single large employer leaves the town vulnerable to the eggs-in-one-basket problem... think Pfizer
• Sainsbury's would be exporting their profits to Galactic HQ, wherever that is, and converting it into shareholder dividends
• the small petrol stations in town couldn't hope to match Sainsbury's prices and discounts
• the small food retailers - butchers, bakers, greengrocers and so on - would be in serious jeopardy, and they're having a hard enough time as it is
• ... do feel free to suggest more 

Then, of course, there is the impact on the CDA - the Central Development Area proposal to convert the William Street car park area into a small-scale clone town. This has been a shining example of greedy stupidity (on the part of both the Council and the developers) from the outset, and has centred on building a large new supermarket next to, er, a medium-sized old supermarket. The Council and the developers egged eachother on into believing this was great plan, and are now shaking their heads in bewilderment, having run into the brick wall of commercial reality.

Even before "austerity" became a freshly recycled buzzword, times were hard in retail. Any major operator thinking of investing millions in a store that they would want to last for a decade or two, would want a healthy catchment area, and they would want it to themselves. Why move in next door to one of your major competitors? And if Morrisons up-sized and moved into the new store, who would want their cast-offs?

For these (and probably a number of other good reasons), the negotiations between the Council and whoever was interested faltered and fell, leaving the whole project in suspension, and everything around it in confusion, uncertainty and blight. If Sainsbury's open a superstore on the edge of town, that will restrict the number of operators who might be interested in the CDA.

If we broadly divide the national chains into "upmarket" and "budget", Sainsbury's fall into the upmarket end. Commercial reality dictates that another upmarket operator in the CDA would have to compete directly with Sainsbury's for their customers. On the other hand, a budget operator would be serving a different "market segment", and might be able to make a go of it. A budget supermarket will do little if anything to lift and regenerate the town centre.

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Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s have drawn up plans to build a superstore on the outskirts of Herne Bay three years after talks to build a town centre store. The supermarket chain is looking to build a 95,000 square feet store - equivalent to nine football pitches - and filling station at Altira Park.

They were thought to be one of three supermarkets looking to build at the Kings Road car park as part of £35 million plans to regenerate the town centre. However, the latest plans were revealed by property developers Terrace Hill who announced the Altira Park development as part of a six-month report.

They said they had signed a pre-letting agreement with Sainsbury’s and hope to submit plans to Canterbury city council at the end of the year. They added that they wanted to complete the development midway through 2014.

Herne Bay coastal manager Chris West said he had not been aware of the development but said it was not likely to detract from plans for a supermarket in the town centre. He said: 

"It is difficult to comment until we can look at the plans and decide whether it will be a good thing for the town or not."

However, he did cite Tesco on the edge of Whitstable as an example of an out-of-town supermarket which had not hindered the town centre.

However, one resident has voiced concerns saving the regeneration of the town centre needs to be the priority. Geoff Wimble, 64, of Sea Street, said: 

"I’m not impressed to be honest. Over the last 20 years they have hastened the degeneration of this town with the closure of recreation and caravan sites. When we were told we were getting Sainsbury’s in the town we were happy but it was shielded by Canterbury city council and Southern Water because it was a flood risk.

If that’s the case then the whole regeneration footprint is a flood risk, they are blocking out what they don’t want to deal with. It would have been good to open it in the town centre but they dropped out of the deal when they couldn’t get the Stagecoach site."

HB Gazette 14th June 2012 - Jamie Bullen jbullen@thekmgroup.co.uk

The finest public art

For your delectation, ladies and gentlemen, here's the loveliest piece of public art I've seen in a long time. In the middle of the Chicago, a long strip of land near the coast of Lake Michigan was reclaimed - it used to be railway sidings, but was converted into a Millennium Park. (It was finished four years late and over budget, but that's another story.)

Anyway, amongst the many attractions of this welcome green space in the City is this stunning piece of public art. Entitled "Cloud Gate" - but everyone calls it The Bean - it is made of highly polished stainless steel. And it is lovely. I want one in my town.

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.

Flower beds

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

Dispersal zone

Police have been granted extra powers in parts of Herne Bay after reports of big groups fighting, kicking cars, intimidating pedestrians and hurling racist abuse. As part of the Safer Canterbury District Partnership, Kent Police and Canterbury council have designated Heron ward a ‘dispersal area’. Police can now make sure big groups of people break up, and once asked to leave the area people are not allowed to return within 24 hours.

According to the police large groups of youngsters, sometimes as many as 40 at a time, have been meeting up at weekends in the area. Police officers will also confiscate alcohol and any youngster found drunk will be escorted home. The parents or guardians of children involved will get a letter and may be visited by the local police. The new powers are likely to last for six months from April, including the summer months when the problem is usually worst.

The dispersal order will be in place in the High Street, William Street, Queen Street, King’s Road, Beach Street, Hanover Street and the William Street and King’s Road car parks. Police will also be travelling on trains and buses to monitor the youngsters, who are thought to also come from Whitstable and Canterbury.

yourcanterbury.co.uk 21st Apr 2010

I had fondly imagined that the police already had these kind of powers...

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.

The official story

Here's what the feudal overlords in Canterbury say:

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For those in search of traditional seaside magic, you will find it in Herne Bay. Two miles of splendid seafront offer seaside favourites in the shape of candyfloss, ice cream parlours, cafés, friendly pubs and fish and chip bars. Great beaches lined with brightly coloured beach huts reflect the great character of this seaside town.  Sporting enthusiasts including rowers, yachtsmen and jet ski riders pursue their passion in Herne Bay's waters adding a thrilling dimension to natural marine qualities.

To the east, the ancient sandstone cliffs of nearby Reculver and the imposing 12th century Reculver towers and Roman fort provide an imposing backdrop and the beaches here provide a haven for those looking for a peaceful hideaway.

The seafront has some interesting Victorian architecture and in the spring and summer months the town's beauty is enhanced by the seafront gardens, bringing floral colour to visitors who pass the clock tower and bandstand. In recent years, the bandstand has become a venue for those who enjoy café culture and it is also a focal point for summer concerts, other musical events and children's entertainment.

All seaside towns have events that celebrate their identity and Herne Bay is no exception. Classic car shows, Italian and Continental markets, carnivals and the Herne Bay Festival are just some of the variety of events that take place throughout the year.

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I hate to quibble, but I don't think I've ever seen candyfloss in Herne Bay. I should get out more, obviously.

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)

Gale's View: Empty Shops

The Government has offered a three million pound 'bung', spread across a number of local authorities, to promote the re-opening of boarded-up shops and to revitalise some failing High Streets. Setting aside the fact that this very thinly-spread financial largesse is far too little, far too late and that it fails to recognise the extent to which unregulated out-of-town shopping development has already killed off many High Streets it also appears to be in direct conflict with the Governments own planning policies!

Towns like Margate and Herne Bay have lost good local shops as the business has moved out to supermarkets located along the old Thanet Way and, in Thanet, to Westwood Cross.  The effect of this shift in patterns, combined with Town Centre parking charges contrasted with out-of-town free parking, the lack of town-centre housing development creating local catchments areas and, of course, the disastrous effects of a recession generated by failed government policy and regulation have meant that many of the butchers, bakers and purveyors of candlesticks and ironmongery have gone to the wall.

As if that was not bad enough, however, we are now faced with Government-backed alterations to the planning rules that are going to reduce still further the powers of Thanet District Council and Canterbury City Council to control the spread of out-of-town development.

With the British Retail Consortium indicating that, nationwide, one in ten of town centre shops are now vacant and the cross-party Communities and Local Government Select Committee saying, in its recent report, that the Government's proposed changes will result in "many more out-of-town superstores" and "unnecessary risks to town centres"  it's hard to see a future for the High Street.

At a time when we have a record number of empty shops there has to be grave concern that Gordon Brown's plans will hit small retailers and worsen the problem of "Ghost Town Britain".  The prospect of a few quid offered to provide some murals on the window boarding is in keeping with the government's short-term cosmetic approach to problem-solving.  The result will be about as convincing as a film set - but sadly it will create far fewer jobs than even that kind of façade!

Roger Gale M.P.  (September 2nd 2009)