Towards 2026 and beyond -.”Shaping the Future”

The forthcoming election will take voters in Thanet to 2015 but the document “Shaping our Future” is the proposed plan and policies to 2026. The document is long and often technical so I have listed the policies with a simple summary so you can judge how they affect you. Some of the policies are GOOD for Thanet others need amendment, I would like to help Thanet Villages have a real voice in the negotiations.
Please read "Crouching Tiger - Hidden Dragon" for the background information.

DCS1 - Overall aims of job creating development, airport expansion, new houses,

              Westwood Cross expansion, revitalising Margate and Cliftonville West

DCS2 – Manston Park Business Park development (uses B1, B2 &B8)

DCS3 – Allocating land for Airport Expansion (up to 6 million passengers per annum)

DCS4 – Allocating land for “Airside” development and Airport Expansion

DCS5 – Land North of B2050 for Airport development

DCS6 – Land allocated for car parks in Airport Expansion.

DCS7 – Parkway Station adjacent to Cliffsend

DCS8 – General expansion policy for Westwood Cross

DCS9 – Further development of Westwood Cross town centre

DCS10 – Wider commercial development – North East of WC town centre

DCS11 – New Haine – High density housing (400 to 600 units) and business uses

DCS12 – Nash Road, North West of WC town centre - High density housing (1020 units)

DCS13 – Westwood Technology Centre – relocating Thanet College plus B1 uses

DCS14 – Improving sports facilities at Jackey Bakers.

DCS15 – Regeneration and development of Margate Town Centre and Seafront

DCS16 – Development of Cliftonville West

DCS17 – Ramsgate Waterfront development

DCS18 – Ramsgate Port development

DCS19 – General clause allowing development for economic enhancement.

DCS20 – General clause on allocation and placing of development

DCS21 - Maintaining Green Wedges – essential development only.

DCS22 – High quality design for new development

DCS23 – Energy efficiency in new developments

DCS24 – Placement of development for business use, Manston Park, Manston Airport

                New Haine and Westwood Technology Centre.

DCS25 – Economic development outside designated areas (China Gateway 2 & 3)

DCS26 – 7500 new houses by 2026, 20% on Greenfield sites around Westwood.

DCS27 – Changing shops to residential in the Old Town Centres

DCS28 – Affordable housing incorporated in developments of 15 or more units

                30% in urban areas except Broadstairs, 35% in Thanet Villages

DCS29 – Preference for houses not flats in new developments

DCS30 – Lifetime standards in new developments of 15 units or more

DCS31 – Restriction on converting existing houses to flats.

DCS32 – Provision of land for gypsies and travellers

DCS33 – New development compatible with transport, social, physical and green

                infrastructure.

This is only a summary and may not contain every aspect of a given policy.

Items shown in bold have a direct effect on Thanet Villages.

Crouching Tiger - Hidden Dragon.

You may have forgotten about the Core Strategy document in the fever of an election campaign but just remember that it awaits to bite back as soon as the election is completed.  This ill conceived document still contains China Gateway Phases 2 and 3, Airport expansion to 6 million passengers, undefined freight and night movements, Parkway station and 7500 new homes.

Assurances have been given that the 7500 homes will not be added to the Thanet villages but proposals have been put forward for changing the use of the poorly developed Eurokent Business Park into residential development. This would reduce the future industrial site availability in Thanet and consequently strengthen the case for China Gateway Phases 2 and 3 to be built on Greenfield sites in rural Thanet.

All this is happening on top of our drinking water supply reservoir.

We need to be extremely vigilant about the progress of this document through the various stages of consultation to ensure it is a “sound” document when finally presented to the Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for final approval.