CPO Served

[Sarah]

Not yet on TDC's site, but you can see a cut and paste of their press release here:

http://www.yourthanet.co.uk/p_148/Artic ... in_Margate

Sarah

[erclairedoc]

Great news to wake up to! Thanks for the link.

[AJ]

The CPO applies to the whole Dreamland site; including the grade two listed Dreamland cinema building along Marine Terrace.

So is this correct the CPO covers the whole site? If it is what does this mean for the project?

[Nick]

The CPO is for the entire site. The 49% of the site that was to have been used for enabling development will now be used as a public space, parking for Dreamland and potential expansion land for the amusement park.

Full details on our news page: http://www.joylandbooks.com/scenicrailway/news.htm with a link to where all the CPO documents can be downloaded.

[porterm]

Hi all

Sounds like great news, however I do hope that the land owners, MTCRC, do not now cause any further lengthy delays to fulfil the proposed new amusement park by causing another Public Enquiry cited in Meridian Tonight's ITV News report I caught last night.

Info at http://www.itv.com/meridian-east/dreaml ... ored82628/ (a good report I thought, once again, by Meridian TV). It would bring so much more future potential I feel if the whole former park site can now be fully utilised for entertainment and associated purposes.

Martin

[Nick Evans]

Having the opportunity to acquire the whole site changes things radically but I too hope the enquiry doesn't cause any more lengthy delays. At first I thought the news of the enquiry to be a setback but if the whole site stays as one, then that would make up for it. It's a shame that MTCRC can't or won't see he writing is on the wall for them. They must know the site won't be bought by anybody else anytime soon?

[AJ]

This looks to be good news and now the chance to turn the whole site into an 'entertainment destination'. With the extra land some great events can be organised.

Nick what is the likely timescale of the CPO and if worst an enquiry is called?

I can't help but feel rather anonyed that the council has basically done a complete 360 on Dreamland in the past 8 years and feel the whole campaign could have been avoided if the council hadn't been so shortsighted in the first place.

[Nick]

If an inquiry is necessary, this will be later this year, probably around November. We could have a decision by the end of the year/first thing next year, with work on the main part of the site starting immediately thereafter.

Work on repairing the Cinema building should start this week, and we are running the Scenic Railway as a stand-alone project, so that will hopefully be on site before the rest of the park.

[Lou]

This is great news- its good the council are fighting for Dreamland now - and the opportunity of having the whole site, is as it should be.x

[vann98]

Great to hear this news. Though a decision with the owners and the council would have been easier, I think it is great news that the whole site is covered even though it will not all be used for the heritage park to start with.
Maybe that listed arcade/buffet building I mentioned on another thread won't be demolished after all.
Now I am just hoping the CPO won't take too long so work can begin on site.

[porterm]

vann98; yes, it would be great to see the buffet/arcade building eventually restored.

I reckon Campaign long-timers like myself must hold our personal frustrations with the pace of developments over the years but we must surely now celebrate this current, favourable news. Like you though I do hope there will be no further unnecessary delays to park restoration plans.

Martin

[Nick Evans]

Some good points raised here, particularly about the buffet building. Yes, if TDC had thrown its weight behind the campaign in the first place at least five years or so ago, rather than sitting on the fence, a lot of this could have been avoided - and who knows, the Scenic Railway might not have been set alight three years ago? Academic argument I know, but teeth grindingly annoying all the same to think what might have been if the council had acted differently, like a planning inspector suggested it should.

[porterm]

Ah yes - that independent planning inspector's report. Don't get me started there Nick! (I fully concur with your sentiments though, especially where TDC was concerned during this lengthy saga).

I loved Meridian TV's "Dreamland Restored" news feature title last night though. I've always found them so much more communicative than their BBC counterparts on a personal level. (I even had a personal contact for the Margate Caves feature I got them to attend earlier this year and she called me back with enthusiasm). Local news how it should be I feel.

Martin

[David Ellis]

I had to laugh when I saw the photo on the main news page...
the company doing the construction work have the same name as me...D J Ellis.

Note that I am not making money personally out of the restoration work !

David.

[dave771]

Just before people start getting things confused, DJ Ellis have done some work on the Arlington area near Dreamland and that is close to where the notice is displayed. They are not the contractor who are carrying out the works on the Dreamland site.