Margate Football Club Expansion Across Hartsdown Park, Last Chance to Take Part in the Public Consultation.

The responses to this have to have been received by Monday, so if you want to take part it’s now or never.

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Area shown on plan	Lease arrangement	MargateFootball Club (MFC) proposals
Area A	Existing lease	MFC are requesting to change the lease they have currently on the football ground from 10 years to 24 years.
Area B	New lease	MFC wish to lease a new area of Hartsdown Park to construct a new football pitch.  MFC are requesting a lease of 24 years on the site of the new pitch.
Area C	New lease	MFC wish to lease a new area of Tivoli Park to extend current parking provision. MFC are requesting a lease of 24 years on this site. (This additional parking provision would be for all users of the redevelopment as detailed below*).
Area D	New lease	MFC are requesting a new lease of 125 years on part of the football ground site currently leased to them.  This is for the construction of an 80 bedroom hotel*.
Area E (Two sites)	Existing lease	MFC are requesting a change to the lease on the existing five a side pitches and car park from 15 years to 24 years.

*Redevelopment - In 2005 MFC were granted planning permission for the erection of a mixed use development comprising a football stadium, 80 bed hotel, fitness club, children's play area, theme bar, conference and banqueting, hospitality boxes, admin offices, boardroom, one full size synthetic pitch, 10 five a side pitches and associated parking and landscaping. (Planning reference F/TH/04/1601).

Frankly Thanet District Council have done a good job both in promoting and presenting this consultation on the internet, so you shouldn’t have much trouble understanding it.

The only thing that some computers may have difficulty viewing is the map above, which is only on the council’s website as a flash player file, which is why I have published it above as an ordinary picture.

In these proposals the council act as both planning authority and landlord, so it is a case of they may approve a planning application but refuse to rent the club the land, so the club can’t actually do what the council has approved. 

Here is the link to the details of the consultation on the council’s website http://www.thanet.gov.uk/council__democracy/consultation/margate_fc_consultation.aspx

There isn’t an online consultation form and as any response has to be received by Monday, the only option open to most people will be to respond to the consultation by emailing the council at this email consultation@thanet.gov.uk   

I don’t live in Margate, so my own thoughts lack a detailed understanding of the issue, any corrections to them would be welcomed in the comments.

I don’t really have concerns about the 80 bed hotel, fitness club, children's play area, theme bar, conference and banqueting, hospitality boxes, admin offices and boardroom, particularly if it will help the club to remain viable.

I do however have problems with areas B and C as these fragment the parkland, as far as I can see from the plans the existing fencing on area E will continue on to area B so people will have to walk around the whole lot to cross the park.