On the 10th January the future of the Dreamland site in Margate is to be decided. After years of neglect of the site by the owners, Thanet District Council (TDC) decided to impose a Compulsory Purchase Order so that they could go forward with plans to build a Heritage amusement park. The owners of the site the 'Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company Limited' have appealed this decision and therefore taken the decision to Public Inquiry on the 10th January at the Council offices.
Every person that I have spoken to wants to see a successful Dreamland that can help to build on the effects of the Turner Centre in the regeneration taking place in Margate Old Town. The 'Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company Limited' have submitted their own proposals for the Dreamland site which are completely unviable because it claims to rely on the same funding as TDC's proposal, yet the TDC funding partly comes from pots of money directly for Local Government. Furthermore because of the history of the current owners in neglecting the site for so long there appears to be a total lack of trust in their ability to implement their proposals.
As a Councillor I was elected to represent the interests of the people, and as such I am going to do everything I can to help. I have spoken to several of the groups involved in Dreamland and we have agreed to run a petition supporting the position of TDC and the Dreamland Trust. Up until the 10th January we will be running this petition in a campaign to Save Dreamland and make it absolutely clear that people want Dreamland back up and running. If anyone is interested in getting involved in the campaign please contact me on 07792416865 or email to cllr-william.scobie@thanet.gov.uk . I will be posting daily updates on how the campaign is going on this blog and we will be petitioning Margate high street on Monday to get more signatures (I will post exact times and location tomorrow). I am not going to suggest that this campaign is necessarily going to change the decision as they will be looking at the planning side of it, however we need to make sure that the Planning Inspector is in no doubt as to what the people of Margate and Thanet want for the Dreamland Site. The petition is below so if anyone wants to see the exact wording or print off a copy to help get signatures you just need to click the link.
Petition for the Save Dreamland campaign.
12 comments:
Will
Could you not put this up as an e-petition as well? I'm not going to be out and about in the area over the next couple of weeks but I am local and strongly support this petition
Will I think a lot of people in Ramsgate would sign this one give the opportunity, this means market day and Saturday in the town with table and petitions.
I would also prefer to do this online, I think TDC now has an e-petition facility which you may be able to use.
I will have a look into the possibility of having an e-petition but my intention was to favour a paper version because it is not being used as an official to any council meeting.
Michael we will have a stall in Ramsgate on Friday and I will publish the time later in the week. On the Saturday we will be in Margate again to capitalise on any shoppers.
Happy new year!
Well done William!
Will, great effort and fully support your campaign. Unfortunately I cannot make any of the dates and venues listed, but with you in spirit.
Great effort - but sadly, as we know too well, not many people use Margate High Street these days. Would you not better off going to Westwood Cross, with the management's permission of course, to campaign there? You'll get many more signatories I'm sure.
Will
Could you simplify this for me; I am a Geography Teacher doing a project on regeneration in Margate and thought that the Dreamland Project was a good idea and that it was going ahead. Thanks
Elaine
Hello Elaine,
Back in May last year the Council decided to take control of the Dreamland site and so placed a Compulsory Purchase Order. They have enough money from different sources to build a Heritage amusement park and get Dreamland open again.
However the former owners of the site have objected to the Council taking control which means that a Planning Inspector has to come down from London to make a decision as to whether the former owners or the Council retain control of the site. This Public Inquiry is beginning on Tuesday in the Council chamber and both sides will be able to put their case to the Inspector.
The 'Save Dreamland' petition argues in favour of the Council's position as we feel that their plans are the only ones that will deliver the Heritage amusement park. We also have no faith in the former owners of the site because of the historic neglect of the site.
Hope this helps, and if you need any more information I am only too happy to help!
Isn't the problem that the "former" owners aren't yet former enough? Otherwise why should they have any say in what happens? How did this mess all come about?
Christine
I have been at the CPO most of all last week, I have listened very carefully and come to the conclusion that Godden/Toby Hunter really do not have a case, Margate needs & wants Dreamland
Let's hope others come to the same conclusion Kapo!
Hiya,
The people I speak to do, here, in london and all over the SE, they all want Dreamland, some want upto the minute cutting edge rides, some want vintage stuff, but they all want Dreamland to remain as a funfair park and not built on, some of this is about Godden, some of it is about making Margate much better, I think it will enhance Margate and become a great attraction, so when this battle is over and won, the next one needs to be Margate Caves, we had councillors standing up in public saying the air was poisonous, this will prove to be as big a lie as any the council can give and they should be called to account over it
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