Secondary or
delegated legislation is similar in principle to planning amendments after the original plans have been approved. The original plan is
'approved' by a committee of more than one person. Once approval has been granted (and possibly construction commenced) amendments can be made that only require
'rubber stamping' by one person. The potential for massaging plans is limitless with this arrangement. A three storey building can become magically four even when the local community has been advised of a three storey construction.
All approved
All legal
China Gateway A possible example in progress is the China Gateway.
October 2008 was the initial approval for the
1st phase that was
'examined', when considerable resistance to this entire project was met by
Thanet District Council (TDC), based on significant safety grounds. The details of
phases 2 & 3 are still
'officially' unknown, yet in principle they now have approval. So through
TDC's blindness, the project will begin and
ignore serious and genuine concerns: potential drinking water contamination. The high ground at
Manston contains the
aquifers that serve Thanet. The entire area will be concreted over effectively sealing the ground underneath from the rainwater that soaks downwards through the chalk. The ground above will be covered with lorries and the potential contamination of drinking water for all the people of Thanet is very real. The
aquifers could even run dry. The
decisions of the few affect the many. If any individual suffers as a consequence of the action to allow this process to begin, then clearly any
potential criminal behaviour that allowed it can be examined. Not that retrospective action helps any injured party. The blindness of
TDC is exemplified by the fact that at least some of those who
'approved' these plans will use this water. The obvious question arises: when will the water run out if not adequately replenished by rainwater? This possibly wasn't even considered since the designation of
agricultural use has been changed to
employment use.
Cynical or essential?
Moving the goal posts once the game has begun is an old ploy to gain
unfair and
unwarranted advantage.
- Phase 1: approved (hostile)
- Phase 2: details unknown. Approval by rubber stamp
- Phase 3: details unknown. Approval by rubber stamp
Recent manoeuvering has already become sinister. The company behind the plans for the business park near Manston has offered
Kent County Council £3m for more land to increase the size of the development. This
after Phase 1 approval, but
before Phases 2 & 3 rubber stamping. This also at a time when KCC has become financially stretched (Kent taxpayers' money) through investments in a collapsed
Icelandic bank. From a business point of view it is probably perceived as a good time to make such an offer although morally
(in business? - DA) it is a disgrace. KCC should send the company packing. But it is inevitable that it won't. Another short term solution to a long term problem.
Carter will be long gone, while the people of Thanet will still
(hopefully) be here:
50 miles distant from Maidstone.
Commercial Group Properties desires that KCC sell
27 acres of land at
Columbus Avenue, Manston Park, Ramsgate, Kent.
The price of this land (
employment or
agricultural?) is clearly rated at
£111,111 per acre and the value is suggestive of some sort of
planning approval attached. The mist gathers over Manston. Work is to begin on the China Gateway development in October whether or not any further movement is made on the
27 acres and
planning permission is still outstanding for
Phases 2 & 3.
Officially. But rubber stamps can be activated in an instant. Some of
CGP's shares have been sold for just
3p, so if they are sold at
4p they will make a
30% return. Go figure the maths, but the potential is huge when starting at such a low value. Investment from China will ensure that the development gets built. It was represented last year of the China Gateway being driven by the Chinese government. It now sounds as though it is simply a source of finance in the
current economic crisis that did not exist when
approval was sought and acquired
12 months ago.
- Something smells very bad in the air around Thanet, especially when the background detail does not add up.
Phase 1 was
'agreed' and forced through by Thanet District Council in
October 2008. It comprises
21 different-sized warehouses and covers about
138,000 sq. metres.
Phases 2 & 3 remain technically unapproved. Theoretically, if the entire set of three phases are approved, the coverage could be up to
307,000 sq. metres. Details remain secret and this in itself raises suspicion about the deal, only that the commercial wing of the Chinese government
Chinamex is involved. This is a Dubai-registered company:
Middle East Investment and
Trade Promotion Centre and backed by the
Ministry of Commerce in
Beijing.
China Gateway, Manston
Attention has turned to
China for investment since using banks is apparently not possible (still). Also apparently impossible is raising money on the
London Stock Exchange. The justification for China is at the surface simple funding and
examining any deeper is not possible.
- "I believe that the quality of the site will entice companies to establish headquarters here which will underpin a long-term investment in the community."
Clearly, much is
unknown and
patently uncertain or
deliberately hidden from public scrutiny.
- Development apparently comprises buildings for mixed commercial use that includes marketing, research and development...
of what?
All defined, presumably under the
approved phase 1 plans. The question remains:
What are phases 2 & 3?
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