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If my memory is working, we are waiting for the Inspector's Report in October. Well today is the last day of October, any news of a report?

Vince.

This is local govenment we are talking about "October" but what year!

Expect good news.

The report we are waiting for is from the Government inspector on the Thanet Local Plan, and NOT from Thanet District Council.
I understand we should have these details very shortly

Cllr. Mick Tomlinson

Thanks for the update Mick.

For those who haven't seen the news page yet the report is "not now expected to be published until the end of November 2005".

I guess it would have been just too spooky to have published this yesterday. Hopefully this process will not be too long-winded. It never normally fails to amaze me just how long some of these procedures tend to take. Let's hope it's sooner rather than later so some regeneration work can commence on Dreamland. The clock is ticking.

Martin

porterm wrote:I guess it would have been just too spooky...

Martin

Is that a bit of a Haloween joke there Martin?

Vince.

Yes Vince, it was just my stupid sense of humour there (couldn't resist that quip). Glad you spotted it!

We'll all just have to have some patience now before the final Inspector's Report is released. Let's hope it brings favourable news.

Martin

PS I went to Chessington World of Adventures' Hocus Pocus Halloween event last night. In the evening from 8.30pm they had a special event to mark the passing of the original Prof Burp's Bubbleworks ride in its present form. It's sadly due to be sponsored by Imperial Leather soap from next season with some internal modifications (cue numerous ducks, I believe). I hope they don't ruin the total ride experience as I think it's one of the best inside water rides I've ever ridden. I think it's very unfortunate when sheer commercialism has to creep into innovative rides.

Main Govenmet
local Govenment
Govenment Ispectors

its all much the same ignore what ever date they give you originaly and add a moth ot two...

The "latest news" item from yesterday regarding the "rumoured" Inspector's Report finding sounds very encouraging for Dreamland's future. Sounds like having an independent report here has done the park justice. I look forward to seeing the full report when it is released.

Hopefully we'll all get an early Christmas present to reward all the hard work that has undoubtedly gone into this Campaign behind the scenes.

Martin

porterm wrote:The "latest news" item from yesterday regarding the "rumoured" Inspector's Report finding sounds very encouraging for Dreamland's future. Sounds like having an independent report here has done the park justice. I look forward to seeing the full report when it is released.

Hopefully we'll all get an early Christmas present to reward all the hard work that has undoubtedly gone into this Campaign behind the scenes.

Martin

Yes, anyone who hasn't been to the News Page should pay it a visit, as it looks like the independent inspector may have backed the Campaign's position on Dreamland. I await 17 November with interest!

"the Dreamland site should remain in leisure use. Crucially, the Inspectors apparently recommend the retention of the Scenic Railway, stating that it is paramount that the setting of the Scenic is protected"

This dose not actually say it has to remain a theme park the scenic must stay but the park itself could still be built on

Cinima
Bowling Alley
Ice Skating
Roller Skating
Restruants
Bars
Nightclubs
Arcades

Can all be called leisure uses, so its not safe just yet, it would be much better for the future of the site if the report actually stipulated Theme Park uses only, the best news is the scenic.

"it is paramount that the setting of the Scenic is protected"

How many people (if we did a survey on any street) would expect to find a roller coaster anywhere other than on a major funfair block, or in a theme park?

Isn't this phrase enough to say that the park must remain as a fair/theme park?

Vince.

vince69619 wrote:"it is paramount that the setting of the Scenic is protected"

How many people (if we did a survey on any street) would expect to find a roller coaster anywhere other than on a major funfair block, or in a theme park?

Isn't this phrase enough to say that the park must remain as a fair/theme park?

Vince.

Yes, my first reaction was also that the setting of the Scenic Railway is an amusement park. What else could it be? In strict listed building terms, the ride's curtilage is the entire park, but I am sure that there will be a debate as to how much of that curtilage constitutes the ride's setting.

It probably isn't worth analysing this in great detail at this stage, though, as this wording may not have come directly from the report. For all we know, the actual wording may be completely different. What we are fairly certain about, however, is that the Inspector was sympathetic to our cause, and went further than we asked for in some respects by specifically referencing the Scenic Railway and its setting. He may have not gone as far as we would have liked in terms of specifying 'amusement park' or 'tourist attraction'.

The Inspector's Report certainly sounds like a positive step, and far from the free-for-all that the Council were suggesting for the site in their revised policy.

Let's wait and see. All will be revealed on 17 November.

Nick

Have you ever seen the coasters in Vagas, there is one swooping through a replica New York Skyline and another 500odd foot up a tower.

so a costaer dos enot need to be in a theme park propper,

whats stopping the owners of the site and the scenic just shutting up shop and leaving it to go to rack n ruin, its a woodern coaster if it not kept maintained it probably would not take long for the rot to set in, and then there would be a real risk of demolition on grounds of safety, that the structure is no longer sound.

A woody i saw in the states once had been left standing unused for 5 years when the park finaly relised what they had it was too far gone to save so it was demolished and re-built new, but all the people who went on it hated it as they had ironed out the unique feal of the original.

It may be a listed structure but there is currently no law to force the owners to keep it in running order and maintain it just look all arround the country at how many much more importand grade 1 listed buildings are currently falling apart.

Zoidstar wrote:Have you ever seen the coasters in Vagas, there is one swooping through a replica New York Skyline and another 500odd foot up a tower.

so a costaer dos enot need to be in a theme park propper,

Yes, I have been on the New York New York coaster (for the past two years, I have been acting as the UK planning consultant for Caesars Entertainment). In terms of the Listed Buildings Act, the setting of the Scenic Railway is the amusement park. The fact that they have built coasters in Vegas around a replica New York skyline is irrelevant. The Inspector is talking about the setting of the Scenic Railway, not any other roller coaster.

Regarding your other points, of course there are risks to the Scenic. We are all aware of that. We are just trying to do the best we can to save it and the park in which it stands. If you have any ideas about anything else we should or could do, please let us know.

Nick