Further to the points made about Thanets water supply, KM Extra reports that DOZENS of Manston residents turned out last week to voice their fears over the proposed China Gateway Project and the impact it could have on their way of life.
Families from Bell Davies Drive, Beamont Close, Alland Grange Lane and Manston Road - areas which border the earmarked area - launched their campaign last week to fight the scheme which, they say, would see unsightly warehouse buildings on the doorsteps of their homes, blocking their views and shutting out daylight. They fear heavy vehicles would be going to and from the park day and night, making the area unsafe for their children.
Around 60 people, including many children symbolically waving bottles of water, gathered on a green overlooking the land intended for the first two stages of a three phase development which would, in all, take up about 75 acres.
The ground on which the China Gateway Project would stand is a major part of the chalk aquifer which supplies water to thousands of households and businesses across Thanet. The chalk acts as a natural holding area for the water which is moved on by the Sparrow Castle pumping station further along Manston Road.
The Environment Agency is insisting a number of conditions be met before planning permission is granted to protect the water supply from any accidental leak or spillage of industrial waste into the ground. The sewers from the park should be connected to the mains drainage system and not through a cheaper septic tank style system, which had been proposed by CGP’s developers. If the conditions are not met, the agency says it will strongly object to Thanet Council granting permission.
Thanet Council announced last week it was allowing more time for objections to the scheme and has extended the deadline until the end of June. Letters can be sent to Doug Brown, Planning Officer, Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1XZ.
Families from Bell Davies Drive, Beamont Close, Alland Grange Lane and Manston Road - areas which border the earmarked area - launched their campaign last week to fight the scheme which, they say, would see unsightly warehouse buildings on the doorsteps of their homes, blocking their views and shutting out daylight. They fear heavy vehicles would be going to and from the park day and night, making the area unsafe for their children.
Around 60 people, including many children symbolically waving bottles of water, gathered on a green overlooking the land intended for the first two stages of a three phase development which would, in all, take up about 75 acres.
The ground on which the China Gateway Project would stand is a major part of the chalk aquifer which supplies water to thousands of households and businesses across Thanet. The chalk acts as a natural holding area for the water which is moved on by the Sparrow Castle pumping station further along Manston Road.
The Environment Agency is insisting a number of conditions be met before planning permission is granted to protect the water supply from any accidental leak or spillage of industrial waste into the ground. The sewers from the park should be connected to the mains drainage system and not through a cheaper septic tank style system, which had been proposed by CGP’s developers. If the conditions are not met, the agency says it will strongly object to Thanet Council granting permission.
Thanet Council announced last week it was allowing more time for objections to the scheme and has extended the deadline until the end of June. Letters can be sent to Doug Brown, Planning Officer, Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1XZ.
6 comments:
One wonders why the balancing pond near Cummings does not feature in any report or the pipes near that?
I would suggest that a complete review of what goes where from Manston Airport and the land in question is reviewed as a matter of urgency.
There has been a distinct lack of duty of care in the local plan over this issue. Thank god for the new corporate manslaughter law!!!!
If we need this China thing (which I seriouosly doubt) the best place to build it would be on Manston airfield. That way it would only be taking up brownfield land which is currently being put to very little good use, and would reduce the noise pollution over Ramsgate.
I am afraid that Manston airport is also on top of our drinking water supply and I think that this probably makes its long-term development unlikely. If, god forbid, we have an air accident that causes a large spillage on the grass area of the airport,even after the environment agency’s drainage criteria has been met, our drinking water storage and much of our supply will be permanently and irreversibly destroyed.
I think that this could also be a long-term problem for the China Gateway development, in that, as drinking water becomes a scarcer resource, regulation of activities over drinking water aquifers is likely to become much stricter.
I think the main question for Council planners to answer is whether there is anything being proposed for the China Gateway phase 2 and 3 that could not be accomudated on land already designated for industrial use, especially Eurokent.
With regard to Thanet's Water supply, I think there is a case for scrutiny of the long term prospects. Whether TDC has the resources to do this, or whether it would be better done by KCC, i'm not yet sure.
David any idea where I could find the Source Protection Zones map for the whole of Thanet on the web. It would be interesting to know what is on top of our aquifers already.
Michael
Try the EA's site under "whats in your back yard". Its scary?
MK
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