Agenda item

Councillor W Scobie asked Councillor D Green the following question:

“Would the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning Services please inform Council whether there will be further building demolitions as part of the Live Margate scheme? Many local residents are concerned about losing historic buildings, particularly as they are the main feature that is attracting people to invest in the area.”

Councillor D Green responded as follows:

“The Live Margate Scheme is a joint scheme between Thanet District Council and Kent County Council, aimed at improving the living conditions in the Live Margate area, mainly in Cliftonville.

“The aim of the scheme is to improve the structure of many of the buildings, but also to change the tenure conditions to a more balanced state.  As far as I know, there are no plans to demolish any buildings that are currently underway.  This Council has not demolished any buildings, but I believe there has been one building demolished as a result of Kent County Council’s activities.  But, having said that, I cannot promise that there will never be any other building demolitions because in order to carry out the aims of the schemes, it may be that we find buildings that are not economically able to be restored, and then demolition needs to be a consideration.

“I am pleased, however, that there are local residents in the Live Margate area who are concerned about losing historic buildings because conservation of our history is a bit of a passion of mine, so I am pleased that others feel the same.

“I would query, though, the last phrase that they are the main feature that is attracting people to invest in the area because the historic buildings have been there for many years and failed to attract people to restore them over many years; hence the state that some of the buildings find themselves in.

“I hope and believe that what is attracting people to invest in the area, and they certainly are, is precisely the Live Margate Scheme, backed by Thanet District Council and Kent County Council under both administrations of this Council and it is that, I believe, that is slowly turning round the area.

Supplementary Question

Councillor W Scobie asked Councillor D Green a supplementary question:

“With that in mind, would it be possible, Councillor Green, for you to organise a meeting with the local Ward Councillors and some of the groups involved in Cliftonville in conservation, to talk about some of these issues.  I think it would be really good to have a dialogue between the Council and possibly the Chairs and Secretaries of the different conservation groups in Cliftonville to talk about these issues.”

Councillor D Green replied to that supplementary question as follows:

“That is something that, of course, I would welcome, and I know the officers involved in running the scheme would welcome also.  We are more than happy to set up a meeting to achieve just that, particularly with the Ward Councillors, but also with any groups or individuals that the Council would like to suggest should be included.”