So, es geht weiter, bitte mitmachen...Anfangs der auf der ECC Mailingliste erschienene Aufruf vom ECC Chairman Richard Foster:Hi everyone,
Nick Laister has sent me the update below - its now time to
act!! We ALL need to write to Thanet council as outlined below. I'd really ask that everyone please try and write to help save the Scenic Railway.
When you write can you please follow what Nick has said below. He really is the expert in this area, and the best way of being able to influence the future of the Scenic Railway is for us all to act together and take our lead from Nick... For the European Mainlanders on the list - there is an email option to send the letters in, although it is preferable to send a "proper" written letter.. Finally I'd ask that you all spread the word about this - the
campaign needs as many letters as possible sent in!
Take care, thanks for your efforts in advance, and lets get writing!
If you have any questions about this, please do contact myself or Nick
Laister.
Okay - enough from me, over to Nick..
R
**********
Hi All,
Things have been moving along nicely this past week, with various
members of the campaign lobbying key decision-makers. This will continue to happen over the next few weeks, and we are targeting a number of key local, regional and national organisations all of which will play a part in the final decision on the future of Dreamland and the Scenic Railway.
On to the main purpose of the update. The time has come for everybody
to get involved. Thanet District Council, Jimmy Godden and Stadium Developments Ltd are to jointly launch a public consultation exercise later in the year. A Working Party is being set up, which will include council officers and representatives of the developers. They will meet within the next couple of months to decide the format and content of this consultation. The aim of the consultation will be to get feedback on a masterplan for the redevelopment of the Dreamland site. The Save Dreamland Campaign's local representatives and I have serious concerns about this consultation. Firstly, we are nervous
that it appears that it will be funded by the developers, and they will be organising it, so how impartial will it be? Secondly, it also
seems likely that the consultation will be predicated on Dreamland closing and the Scenic Railway being removed. Anybody who has been keeping up with the News page on the Save Dreamland Website (www.savedreamland.co.uk), will know that planning policy requires the Council to undertake a number of steps before redevelopment, and that local opinion is strongly in favour of keeping an amusement park at Dreamland and keeping the Scenic Railway.
We have an opportunity to influence this public consultation.
Therefore, it is essential that we make our views known. I am asking each member of the Campaign to write to Thanet District Council (address below).It is important that we don't all write exactly the same thing. I am therefore suggesting the some or all of the following points are made in the letter:
If you are a resident of Margate say so. If you are resident
elsewhere in Kent and visit Margate regularly say so. If you are from outside of Margate, describe yourself as a visitor, because if you are a Margate tourist, your views should be seen as important.
State clearly that you are writing about the forthcoming consultation
on the masterplan for Dreamland, and wish to have your views registered. Tell them that the consultation should not be solely about options for Dreamland's redevelopment. It should also ask whether people want to see Dreamland redeveloped at all (remember, that redevelopment would be contrary to the adopted Local Plan, and would require a change of use - don't be fooled by all this talk about it being "inevitable"). Tell them that the consultation MUST ask whether people want to see the Scenic Railway demolished. It is essential that options are presented for consultation which retain the Scenic Railway in its original loctaion. Remember, this is Britain's oldest roller coaster and the only listed amusement park ride in the country. Also please note that moving the Scenic
Railway will almost certainly strip it of its listed building
status; its future would then be very insecure. Remember that PPG15 (Planning Policy Guidance on Listed Buildings) requires that Dreamland's freehold be offered on the open market at a reasonable
price before demolition of the Scenic Railway. It is therefore essential that the consultation considers whether Dreamland should stay in an amusement park use, because to the best of our knowledge, this important stage in the process has not happened. If the outcome of this consultation is (1) that people want to keep the amusement park and (2) if another operator then comes forward to acquire the
site after it has been marketed, then the redevelopment should not go ahead.
Finally, where do you send your letter? The Council are asking for your views to be posted, but they can be emailed. If you are able
to post a letter, please do that instead of using email, as it is much
more difficult to ignore a letter than it is an email.
Postal address:
Mark your letters "Dreamland" and send to:
Planning Services, Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate,
Kent.
CT9 1XZ
Email address: Put "Dreamland" in the Subject and email to
planning.services@thanet.gov.uk.
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate
to contact me.
Regards
Nick Laister
Joyland Books
www.joylandbooks.com
info@joylandbooks.com
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