Pleasurama, a catalogue of tragic, but wholly predictable TDC ineptitude, coupled with the worst recession in over 100 years, and the result is the eyesore that currently pollutes Ramsgate Sands.
Looking back over the debacle, TDC had already ensured the death of Ramsgate sands as a destination by pedestrianising the beach front, and removing the vast majority of the parking, ensuring a LONG walk for families with children, and after the fire, little to do except lay on the beach.
Fast forward 14 years, and what do we have. A building site with nothing built on it, a well meaning pressure group trying to do something about it, and the king of the bandwagon passengers cllr Ian "gob almighty" Driver.
Sadly some of the group appears to be all to ready to follow Drivers inane and rabble sousing, self promotional bluster, whilst another part of the group appear to simply be pedants, dragging up the same irrelevant, unimportant, open to question, superfluous and pedantic simply for the sake of pedantry red herrings time and time again.
On the one hand it's argued by Driver, that the site is being sold for a "bargain basement price" of £3.3 million! Yet, some of the same people who cheer Driver's bluster, then go on to claim that this prime building plot (Driver's definition) is in imminent and terrible danger of a mortal cliff fall, thence to be immediately washed away by the Noah like flood that is CERTAIN to follow by the end of next week!
It has to be asked, how is a relatively small site, subject to such mortal dangers, worth £3.3 million! Driver of course has no answer to that, and the promoters of the mass grave that the site will certainly become if built on, remain stoically silent when challenged.
I understand people don;t like the development, but to be fair, that was an argument to be had at the planning stage. Even if SFP are removed as developer, the planning permission remains valid, and no matter how try to promote parks, crazy golf (crazy golf, REALLY, i believe that became non viable in the 90's!) etc TDC simply don't have the fund to build that particular fairy story.
the ONLY way to get something done there is to try to get the current permission altered to something more appealing. It MUST be viable, and real world, it must be profitable enough to find a developer willing to build it!
No matter how much time the deluded directors of companies that administer to housing association stock, who i would suggest could be described as a vested interest, allege when they have practised their hobby of worrying over irrelevant minutiae, which they inaccurately describe as forensic accountancy, want the group to waste chasing shadows and red herrings, the fact has to kept in prime focus, ANYTHING developed on the site has to be viable and self supporting, both in construction and ongoing, and attractive to the holiday maker
Well summed up, John, for I have oft wondered who exactly would pay good money for a site that is ripe for both avalanche and flood. Figures have been offered suggesting it is really worth in the region of £26M and corrupt vested interest, presumably spanning both Labour and Tory administrations, are seeking to dispose of it for the bargain basement price of £3.3M. The mind boggles when the reality seems to offer a good site for a car park for aging jalopies that owners would not mind being washed away or crushed under a cliff fall. Just how much is a very dodgy car park worth?
ReplyDeleteMind you, what would Thanet be without its next scandal or waste of public funds. From the Turner to Manston, they all attract the great NIMBY protest groups now with a noisy champion in the form of Cllr Driver.