The long awaited "China Gateway" phase I planning application comes before TDC Planning on Thursday. This promises to be one of the more important decisions this year. Labour Leader Richard Nicholson is reported (below) as unhappy with Ezekiel's public statements on this.
I'm not a member of Planning Committee, but as I see it the important issues are:
- The Employment Potential
- Safeguarding the fresh water aquifers
- Transport arrangements
- Protecting local residents and the landscape
- A 106 agreement to derive local benefits including local training and jobs.
The Gazette reports:
The controversial business park dubbed China Gateway will go before planners next Wednesday, with a recommendation for approval.The plans to be considered by Thanet council's planning committee will only be approved subject to a number of alterations submitted in June.These include a slightly amended road layout, as well as a Section 106 agreement which would see road improvements in the area, a travel plan, paths, HGV route controls and landscaping.
Education and training provisions would see local people actively sought to work for the technology firms that will be based there, while a public art provision could see artists ensure it is not just a "load of grey tin sheds", according to case officer Doug Brown.The most controversial part of the plans has been the lack of commitment to connect the 3.5 million sq ft park up to the public sewers.In his report, Mr Brown states: "Construction of the development shall not commence until further details of the proposed means of foul water disposal have been submitted and approved by Thanet council."Other conditions of approval include a full breakdown on the lighting to be used, as well as a noise impact assessment.
I welcome all the local interest in this, led by various blog sites, it is an important issue.
Isle of Thanet Gazette ReportsLABOUR SLAMS LEADER'S STANCE
08:00 - 08 August 2008
A Recent visit by the president of Chinese electrical giant Aigo Electronics has infuriated Labour leader Richard Nicholson who believes council leader Sandy Ezekiel is "influencing decisions yet to be taken". Feng Jun's company is expected to take warehousing space at the proposed China Gateway Project in Manston but has also set up shop at Summit Aviation in Manston. Cllr Ezekiel said comments made in the Isle of Thanet Gazette last week have been taken out of context and that he was referring to its current facility at Summit Aviation rather than any decision on whether it would take space at the China Gateway. He said: "The firm will be going on the China Gateway but Aigo is coming anyway even if planning permission is not given for the site, the two are totally unconnected.<"When it comes to planning that will be for members to decide."Feng Jun was met by council leader Sandy Ezekiel, chief executive Richard Samuel, Margate mayor Brian Sullivan and CGP's Ken Wills at the mayor's parlour last week.
5 comments:
David what concerns me is that it is beginning to look as though the council have mislead the Chinese into thinking that there will be no problem obtaining permission for phases two and three of the development and presumably by inference continuing even further across the farmland. China Gateways in other countries seem to normally have more than 1,000 different Chinese businesses on one site, now assuming for the moment that a China Gateway would be good for the local economy, to put it on a site where expansion is difficult if not impossible seems very stupid indeed.
Just a note to say that the phase one application will be decided , one way or the other on Wednesday ( if the committee so decides) Phase 2 and 3 are not linked and cannot be. More importantly, Cllr Sullivan will be away on leave, as will Cllr Ward. Members have been reminded of the code of conduct regarding pre determination, as have substitutes.
Even so Ken I have no faith what-so-ever that anything like a reasonably unbiased or fair conideration will have been made nor that the "recomendation to aprove" means anything more than this is a rubber stamping exercise to keep the LGO happy.
Having takent he time to look at these issues a little deeper I have less faith in TDC than before which was a supprise to me as I thought I already had the lowest opinion possible.
I would ot be supprised if all three phases got approval regardless of what anything like common sense might have to say.
"reminded of the code of conduct regarding pre determination, as have substitutes" just sounds too much like a "now then, boys and girls, let's do this acting the right way and then we can go home".
matt,
I understand your fears, but members have to abide by the rules, if they do not they are open to action. Much like everyone else. In this country you are innocent until proven guilty. That is the price we pay for a free country. Like it or lump it. Ps
I like it cos it seperates us from the likes of putin et all.
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