I wonder how long they will last? The police were there but had no problem with the posters going up, they took names and addresses "In case of complaints".
Monday, March 08, 2010
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
The Paddock Protest - Photos by Dave Wise at http://www.davewise.biz/projectsgallery/index.html#home Captions by Roger Fahy
A Shady Place No More
People Must Be Kept On A Lead At All Times!
Going
Going
Gone
Renaissance Man
Medway Renaissance In Action
Smile Please
An Unstoppable Force?
Hands Off Our Green Spaces
The Old Town Hall And The Old Tree - Which Will Last Longer?
Be Careful For What You Vote For - You Might Get It!
Listen! A Scythe!
Man In Tree
Shy Man In Tree
Angry or Wot!
Call Me Old-Fashioned But I Really Like Trees
Rest In Peace
Sticks And Stones
Bandaged And Bleeding
The Face Of Reason
Too Late I Came To Love Thee (St. Augustine)
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
Next Time You Vote Watch Where You Put Your Cross!
Monday, March 01, 2010
Statement from Protest Meeting at The Paddock and Riverside Gardens, Chatham, Kent UK today.
"This is a protest by residents from all parts of the Medway Towns. It is not by a group with a name nor does it have any single political party connection.
Our concern is for the green spaces and Heriitage of our towns, especially The Paddock and Riverside Gardens which have just been appropriated by Medway Council to build a bus station.
There were many objections to the process known as Appropriation which began on the 5th February 2010 and ended on 19th February 2010. No acknowledgement of receipt of objections has been received. Last week on Friday 26th February 2010, felling of trees commenced despite the fact that the decision to appropriate the land on which the trees stand, had not been published.
The proposed bus station means that parts of The Paddock, including 4 mature Red Chestnut trees which are over 100 years old, and the Riverside Gardens will be replaced by road space and waiting areas for buses.
The proposed new bus station is very unpopular and only Arriva and Nu-Venture Bus Operators have offered their qualified support. It has attracted widespread opposition from many different groups including The Open Spaces Society and Urban Spaces Society. The proposed bus station is smaller than the existing bus station in the Pentagon Shopping Centre, whose traders have expressed concern for their businesses if the bus station is relocated.
The council is rushing this major infrastructure project through and must commence building it by the beginning of the next financial year to gain government funding.
Medway Council has quashed any debate. The Planning Application for this £6 million project was lodged on 7th December 2009 and the Planning Application was heard on 27th January 2010. The council's Planning Committee Chair refused a site visit for its own members and took the very unusual step of refusing a Ward Councillor's request for a public site meeting.
Medway Council's governing cabinet has refused permission for the councils' Regeneration and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review (scrutinise) this decision.
Protesters condemn this abdication of democratic processes and the building of this unnecessary and unwanted bus station. It has no popular public support and we call upon Medway Council to acknowledge the beauty of this historic and much-loved open space. The council should review the whole process carefully, including negotiating the upgrading of the current bus station.
This Thursday 4th March 2010 at 7pm, a number of questions will be asked by members of the public at the Full Council Meeting at the St George's Centre. Members of the public are invited to attend to hear the Leader respond to the concerns of local residents."
Our concern is for the green spaces and Heriitage of our towns, especially The Paddock and Riverside Gardens which have just been appropriated by Medway Council to build a bus station.
There were many objections to the process known as Appropriation which began on the 5th February 2010 and ended on 19th February 2010. No acknowledgement of receipt of objections has been received. Last week on Friday 26th February 2010, felling of trees commenced despite the fact that the decision to appropriate the land on which the trees stand, had not been published.
The proposed bus station means that parts of The Paddock, including 4 mature Red Chestnut trees which are over 100 years old, and the Riverside Gardens will be replaced by road space and waiting areas for buses.
The proposed new bus station is very unpopular and only Arriva and Nu-Venture Bus Operators have offered their qualified support. It has attracted widespread opposition from many different groups including The Open Spaces Society and Urban Spaces Society. The proposed bus station is smaller than the existing bus station in the Pentagon Shopping Centre, whose traders have expressed concern for their businesses if the bus station is relocated.
The council is rushing this major infrastructure project through and must commence building it by the beginning of the next financial year to gain government funding.
Medway Council has quashed any debate. The Planning Application for this £6 million project was lodged on 7th December 2009 and the Planning Application was heard on 27th January 2010. The council's Planning Committee Chair refused a site visit for its own members and took the very unusual step of refusing a Ward Councillor's request for a public site meeting.
Medway Council's governing cabinet has refused permission for the councils' Regeneration and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review (scrutinise) this decision.
Protesters condemn this abdication of democratic processes and the building of this unnecessary and unwanted bus station. It has no popular public support and we call upon Medway Council to acknowledge the beauty of this historic and much-loved open space. The council should review the whole process carefully, including negotiating the upgrading of the current bus station.
This Thursday 4th March 2010 at 7pm, a number of questions will be asked by members of the public at the Full Council Meeting at the St George's Centre. Members of the public are invited to attend to hear the Leader respond to the concerns of local residents."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Labour group comments on the Chatham Dynamic Bus Station planning committee meeting
Date: 28th January 2010
Last night the plans for the bus station were agreed, with all Conservative members now voting in favour, as the Labour Group had been predicting for months.
Chatham members especially had expressed their fears that despite the range of objections to the bus station the plans would be agreed in order to secure Government funding.
In their desperation to start work on the site, the request from Cllr Bill Esterson- ward member for the part of Chatham that includes the bus station- for a site visit was rejected by the Conservative members, thus restricting the input of residents.
Cllr Esterson said,
“In virtually every case, a site visit request from a ward member is honoured. The fact that the Tories voted it down, for one of the biggest, most important and most contentious applications that’s been to this committee demonstrates how desperate they are, and their contempt for public opinion.”
“People have raised many compelling objections to this application, about the location, the trees, shelter and access. The siting of this station will mean it’s difficult for less mobile residents to get their shopping to the station, and it will block off the river from the town, the very thing the Tories said they were trying to open up!”
“We will still be losing 19 mature trees as well. I’m appalled by all of this, and think that people in Chatham have been badly let down by this bungling administration. They’ve had four years to get it right, and we’ve ended up with this mess.”
Cllr Stephen Hubbard added,
“When the first bus station application was considered, Conservative members en bloc spoke against the application, raising a number of objections. But last night they said that new application had addressed all the concerns raised.”
“Considering that only a few things that have changed from the first application –it’s a few metres to the east, a different set of trees are to be cut down- I think there may be other reasons behind their change of heart.”
“This bus station will go a long way to putting Chatham on the map, but not how the Tories intended.”
Will Chatham Regret Tories’ Rushed Bus Station?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASELast night the plans for the bus station were agreed, with all Conservative members now voting in favour, as the Labour Group had been predicting for months.
Chatham members especially had expressed their fears that despite the range of objections to the bus station the plans would be agreed in order to secure Government funding.
In their desperation to start work on the site, the request from Cllr Bill Esterson- ward member for the part of Chatham that includes the bus station- for a site visit was rejected by the Conservative members, thus restricting the input of residents.
Cllr Esterson said,
“In virtually every case, a site visit request from a ward member is honoured. The fact that the Tories voted it down, for one of the biggest, most important and most contentious applications that’s been to this committee demonstrates how desperate they are, and their contempt for public opinion.”
“People have raised many compelling objections to this application, about the location, the trees, shelter and access. The siting of this station will mean it’s difficult for less mobile residents to get their shopping to the station, and it will block off the river from the town, the very thing the Tories said they were trying to open up!”
“We will still be losing 19 mature trees as well. I’m appalled by all of this, and think that people in Chatham have been badly let down by this bungling administration. They’ve had four years to get it right, and we’ve ended up with this mess.”
Cllr Stephen Hubbard added,
“When the first bus station application was considered, Conservative members en bloc spoke against the application, raising a number of objections. But last night they said that new application had addressed all the concerns raised.”
“Considering that only a few things that have changed from the first application –it’s a few metres to the east, a different set of trees are to be cut down- I think there may be other reasons behind their change of heart.”
“This bus station will go a long way to putting Chatham on the map, but not how the Tories intended.”
Ever had "Bad Thoughts"?
I had a few recently:
What if the proposed new bus station with its lack of shelter and facilities and less bus stops than now available in the Pentagon was actually a ruse to make people drive their cars into Chatham and pay exhorbitant parking charges to Medway Council. (Perish the thought!)
What if the council were just steamrollering through any old bus station without proper consultation or impact studies just to get the government hand-out of £6 Million? (Out Damn Spot!)
What if the council wanted to close the existing Pentagon bus station so that it could be turned into shops and increase the commercial rates paid to the council? (Hush-a-my mouth!)
What if there wasn't a huge majority of one party on the council - would it have made any difference - and if so will anybody think about that on polling day? (Now you're being silly!)
What if somebody realises that the real "elephant in the room" is that monstrosity The Pentagon Shopping Centre and suggests pulling it down? (And pigs might fly!)
What if all occurances of the word "Regeneration" were replaced with the word "Resuscitation" on all the signs around the Medway Towns - would the public react more positively to this as being a description nearer to the truth? (Lies, lies and damn lies!)
I must stop eating so much cheese!
What if the proposed new bus station with its lack of shelter and facilities and less bus stops than now available in the Pentagon was actually a ruse to make people drive their cars into Chatham and pay exhorbitant parking charges to Medway Council. (Perish the thought!)
What if the council were just steamrollering through any old bus station without proper consultation or impact studies just to get the government hand-out of £6 Million? (Out Damn Spot!)
What if the council wanted to close the existing Pentagon bus station so that it could be turned into shops and increase the commercial rates paid to the council? (Hush-a-my mouth!)
What if there wasn't a huge majority of one party on the council - would it have made any difference - and if so will anybody think about that on polling day? (Now you're being silly!)
What if somebody realises that the real "elephant in the room" is that monstrosity The Pentagon Shopping Centre and suggests pulling it down? (And pigs might fly!)
What if all occurances of the word "Regeneration" were replaced with the word "Resuscitation" on all the signs around the Medway Towns - would the public react more positively to this as being a description nearer to the truth? (Lies, lies and damn lies!)
I must stop eating so much cheese!
Mini model with huge drawbacks
Another letter about Chatham’s Dynamic Bus Station from Tracy Coutts of Chatham published in the Opinion column of the Medway Messenger on Friday 12th February 2010.
I went to see the council’s mock up of the new dynamic bus station on public display at Gun Wharf last week.
I don’t know quite what I was expecting, but perhaps the council has rather “bigged up” the dynamic bit?
After all the hype, there was I thinking there would be a grand exhibition with lights and a fanfare or maybe even a full-size bus shelter or two to try out.
Imagine my disappointment when all I could find was a titchy, tiny model on a side table, how sad.
This miniscule model with its little green lollipop trees reminded me of the decorations that you put on Christmas cakes.
But even though it is so small in size you won’t need a magnifying glass to see what the model lacks.
Isn’t it supposed to be a bus station, but where are all those queuing people and buses waiting to go out?
Now you may sneer, but perhaps this is one thing the council has got right, their future of Chatham in the future is of a ghost town.
Think about all the digging up and knocking down, tarmacing over and shops moving on.
Even if we do have 21st Century bus stops, who indeed will want to come here and what would they be coming here for?
Does the council really care, I have to wonder?
But I’d bet by the time we start looking for someone to blame, the architects of Chatham Town’s misfortune will all be long gone.
I went to see the council’s mock up of the new dynamic bus station on public display at Gun Wharf last week.
I don’t know quite what I was expecting, but perhaps the council has rather “bigged up” the dynamic bit?
After all the hype, there was I thinking there would be a grand exhibition with lights and a fanfare or maybe even a full-size bus shelter or two to try out.
Imagine my disappointment when all I could find was a titchy, tiny model on a side table, how sad.
This miniscule model with its little green lollipop trees reminded me of the decorations that you put on Christmas cakes.
But even though it is so small in size you won’t need a magnifying glass to see what the model lacks.
Isn’t it supposed to be a bus station, but where are all those queuing people and buses waiting to go out?
Now you may sneer, but perhaps this is one thing the council has got right, their future of Chatham in the future is of a ghost town.
Think about all the digging up and knocking down, tarmacing over and shops moving on.
Even if we do have 21st Century bus stops, who indeed will want to come here and what would they be coming here for?
Does the council really care, I have to wonder?
But I’d bet by the time we start looking for someone to blame, the architects of Chatham Town’s misfortune will all be long gone.
Chatham's Dynamic Bus Station - A Public Inquiry is called for!
This letter was written by Bryan Fowler, New Road, Chatham and was published in the Medway Messenger Opinion section (page 12) on Friday February 12th 2010.
Public Inquiry is the only answer.
Public Inquiry is the only answer.
The controversy over the new dynamic bus station (reported in your paper) refuses to go away.
Questions now need to be answered by Medway Council why they are unwilling to allow residents and other interested parties to understand the issues behind this curious decision.
- It was as recent as October 21, 2009 when an outline planning application was made to the Regeneration Overview Scrutiny Committee who received it in such a rush, it could not be included in their agenda papers seven days before the meeting.
Isn’t the scrutiny committee supposed to be the last point of review not the first and only point of debate for major regeneration projects?
- A council officer wrote to overview and scrutiny members by email 60 minutes before the cabinet meeting on November 24 2009, to say that the vice-chairman of the overview and scrutiny committee had agreed to waive the right to call in any cabinet decision about the bus station. Is this transparent democracy?
- At a recent planning committee meeting, why did its chairman and a majority of members refuse both a members’ site meeting and a public site meeting to examine the implications of this application.
- It is unprecedented for a senior planning manager to comment before a planning committee meeting that the outcome of the planning application will result in the “best of its kind in Britain”.
- The planning application is only complete once the council has appropriated the Open Space (The Waterfront and part of The Paddock). The cabinet has decided that objections will be considered by the director of regeneration in consultation with a designated portfolio holder.
That same director presented the last planning application in August 2009 and has already stated on the council’s website that the planning committee’s latest decision is “very good news for the bus travellers of Medway”.
How has this apparent conflict of interests been managed?
Most people would only be to willing to accept £6 Million worth of central government largesse.
Only a public enquiry can resolve this issue – why is the council so fearful?
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