Banter: Blue Circle SC Closure Threat

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Blue Circle SC Closure Threat

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
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URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11534
Printed Date: 27 Jun 25 at 12:20pm
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Topic: Blue Circle SC Closure Threat

Posted By: R_Snipe
Subject: Blue Circle SC Closure Threat
Date Posted: 30 Jun 14 at 7:14pm

I don't know if you have sailed at our club in the past or know about us, Blue Circle SC was founded by the cement company in 1956. We sail and windsurf on a 140 acre lake just inside the sea wall at Cliffe, near Rochester in north Kent. We are an RYA RTE, regularly host Kent Schools Sailing Association regattas, open meetings and are OnBoard accredited. It's a perfect amenity for teaching sailing and is well used for this purpose, not only by some of our members who are dinghy instructors, but also by our joint tenants Medway Watersports Trust, who are also an RYA RTE. Our landlord is Brett Aggregates Ltd. Bretts have applied to Medway Council for planning permission to in-fill the lake from tunnel arisings that will become available when major infrastructure projects get going in London. The plan is to extend the Cliffe Pools RSPB Nature Reserve next door and end nearly 60 years of sailing here. At the public exhibition Bretts held in Cliffe earlier in the year, the lake was described as 'a dis-used clay pit' - no mention of an active sailing club was present on site at all. And in Bretts planning application, you have to look very hard indeed to find any mention that we exist! I could go on and on about what our members have had to put up with already from this landlord, but I would be grateful if you could register your objection to this planning application. Please email: planning.representations@medway.gov.uk with 'Planning application MC/14/0818 - Alpha Lake and Chalk Lake, Salt Lane Cliffe' as your reference. You can read Bretts application here: http://publicaccess.medway.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?action=show&appType=Planning&appNumber=MC%2F14%2F1630 Thanks for your support, Richard Lambert, Senior Instructor

Replies:

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 30 Jun 14 at 10:43pm

The trouble is, once you have a landlord who wants you out, how secure will your future ever be unless you can buy the freehold from them?

I know decent sailing lakes are at a premium, but if there is anywhere else decent you could move, maybe you could negotiate a lump sum for co-operating...

[I see the planning application states Bretts have offered you other lakes "in Kent". Would these be tiny puddles 30 miles away?]

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 7:13am

Object strongly and loudly. Get as many members as you can to write to the council opposing the planning application. Get as many bodies that hold large events at the club to also write and object.

That way the council will know and the landlord may at the very least become co-operative and buy out your lease (if you have a perpetual renewing lease like we do).

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 8:39am

I've sailed there, back in the days of the UKBSA S.E Series, agree with jeffers, plus rope in your local MP?

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https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website

Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 8:48am

They're unlikely to pay any heed in the process to objections from people not in the local area

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-_
Al

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 10:05am

Originally posted by alstorer

They're unlikely to pay any heed in the process to objections from people not in the local area

Hence why mobilising the membership and people who hold events there, it does not take many letters of objection to bring in enough doubt for the council to consider rejecting or referring the decision for a full planning meeting.

Speaking to your MP is also good but he may not be able to get involved at this stage unless the council ignore you all.

Getting a petition going is also good, if you are part of the local community then locals who are non-sailors might support you.

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: R_Snipe
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 12:27pm

Many thanks for your replies and suggestions, the membership as well as other stakeholders (RYA/Kent Schools/Sea Cadets etc) have already been mobilised to raise individual objections and the local MP is already aware. There really are no other non-tidal alternatives in this area so we are hoping Medway Council will reject planning on this basis.

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 12:47pm

Good luck with it.

Sounds like the landlord has glossed over things a lot.

Out of interest how long is left on your current lease and do you have an option to extend under the same terms?

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: kneewrecker
Date Posted: 01 Jul 14 at 12:56pm

have you considered paying the landlord more for the lease? One assumes he or she is commercial driven, as most landlords are....

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Posted By: R_Snipe
Date Posted: 08 Jul 14 at 7:58pm

Objections to the planning application close on July 14th. Please spare a minute or two to make your objection via the link below and help save two RYA training centres and a Kent Schools regatta venue.

Many thanks,

Richard Lambert

Senior Dinghy Instructor

Blue Circle SC

http://planning.medway.gov.uk/DCOnline/AcolNetCGI.gov?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPSESSION=%7B%5B%2A%21273221372128243C2A3D312079202E621B3B37163D3D352B2218373C797F727D7D636769160711000E1E177816212E3A6A611715232B0221223E372B30002427283B302A313C07213D3E7E102A27303B2A073337232B35070B6E67777D7B787D797660017462122B3C203B2A2A07057376666772727D797E786462%21%2A%5D%7D" rel="nofollow - http://planning.medway.gov.uk/DCOnline/AcolNetCGI.gov?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPSESSION=%7B%5B%2A%21273221372128243C2A3D312079202E621B3B37163D3D352B2218373C797F727D7D636769160711000E1E177816212E3A6A611715232B0221223E372B30002427283B302A313C07213D3E7E102A27303B2A073337232B35070B6E67777D7B787D797660017462122B3C203B2A2A07057376666772727D797E786462%21%2A%5D%7D