A reader signing himself merely as 'Concerned Resident' has emailed me regarding yet more palisade railings going up on the island. This time it's Ramsgate Cemetery that's getting the, er, makeover. He writes:They are truly awful, one neighbour compared them to a concentration camp. I am genuinely upset as I used to enjoy the view from my house in Cecilia Rd. They will also form many a final resident's journey enroute to the cemetery!!
The council did not consult with the residents before removing the original iron railings and replacing them with this hideous option. There have been bouts of vandalism and I do sympathise, but this has really spoilt the aesthetics of the area. I am sure other options would have been more suitable and less intrusive in a residential area such as mine.
The cemetery area was originally donated to the town by Sir Moses Montefiore - along with the old railings I presume? When I rang the council they "explained" that the site is internal and that after consultation with their Planning Office they did need not need any planning approval. I have just built a house in Cecilia Road and know how stringent they were with me - it seems like one rule for us and another for them. They did however state that they could be painted, just remove the bloody things I say!
It does seem as if our beloved council has picked up a job lot of these hideous railings and adopted a 'one size fits all' policy towards their installation. If, as you state 'CR', the original railings were part of the Sir Moses Montefiore bequest, I'm pretty sure he'd be turning in his, er, mausoleum. But not to worry, there will no doubt be a delegation of councillors along shortly to explain why this is 'progress'.
14 comments:
They wouldn't look quite so bad if they were painted black or dark green - but I agree I'd rather have the old ones.
Damn!
I was due for a photo shoot with Peter Checksfield at that cemetery next week! How the hell am I going to get over that bloody thing without laddering my stockings?
Some-one on the North side said a certain 'fence' was not an issue as it was just a fence! He was clearly unaware at the time of the programme for putting these in at allotments all over Thanet.
Its time for some of our Councillors to ask for a pause while each site is examined and plans drawn up properly to implement security in the most unobtrusive way. 1.14 is quite right; these come in green and black and different heights but a brief look at the photograph shows that by putting the fence a metre back and planting a hedge in front of it, it would soon be screened. We are going to end up with a few more 'Stalags' around Thanet unless TDC gets a grip of this fast!
The last thing we want is a pause. We have waited long enough for fencing to be erected to stop vandalism. It's all very well for people whose interest is aesthetic to moan but we allotment holders are losing money and wasting time and effort while we wait.
Fail to see the problem... hang the vandals high I say. Then give 'em a pot of green paint and tell 'em to graffitti that lot!!
Yes. I used to work an allotment there at Cemetery Gates.
I threw some young yobs off and it transpired they must have intimidated an allotment holder into lending them his key. (An adult with learning difficulties I think)
But the phantom gooseberry thief was no vandal. That was an allotment holder.
Also there was one allotment back then rented by a couple who used it to store tat for their black economy boot sales. I caught them on the opposite side allotments one night so I think there was a bonus for them of not cultivating their own allotment but havingkeys to go in of a night and take other people's produce ?
We live oop North now and our allotments here are self managed. Brilliant. We have a small prob with a thief some nights. But the posse is organising. Wait for reports of a tragic drowning int canal. Move North. It's great. And so much grant aid. They spend the cost of the projeceted Turnert Centre on research into spending the main funds !!
Leave Thanet. God only created it for somehwere to stick the enema in.
Please can someone do something about this fencing that is now appearing all over Thanet, its all over Broadstairs, Ramsgate, the Isle looks like a prison and the fencing never gets painted. Maybe it is time to put it round the Council offices and maybe the people repsonsible won't be able to escape from there and will be prevented from erecting anymore of this type of horrible fencing!
Sue, the allotment holders all over the Isle have the sympathy of the rest of us but putting industrial 2.4m high fencing around allotments as if they were the Securitas Depot without due planning, landscaping and screening plans etc is the height of folly! In the nicest possible way, allotment holders are a minority and the needs of the rest of us 'proles' not to have our local area scattered with 'Stalag Culmers' has to be taken into account by TDC as well. Therein lies the problem. Our Councillors need to have some input into what is being proposed for allotments in their wards and the whole issue should be addressed to the same rigorous planning standards that are applied by TDC to any private individual. Allotment holders can get good security without the rest of us having to see 'eye-sores' when we are out and about.
By the way I have been told that this fencing whilst being an eyesore is also ineffective if not placed on a concrete plinth along its length! You don't need to get over it you just dig under it! So thousands of pounds spent to give you veggie growers security and you don't actually get it!
I wonder if anyone is trousering a commission payment for this fencing
As I suggested before it would be interesting to know who has shares in the fencing company???
The housing opposite the Ramsgate Cemetery fencing is in my Eastcliff patch, and needless to say I was not informed this was happening. I visited the concerned residents (and the allotment holders) at the weekend.
There is no doubt in my mind that this fence is inappropriate in this location. Fences over 2m, or if within 1m of a highway, then over 1m should require planing permission. This would have led to proper consultation with residents.
I have raised the matter with appropriate officers and await their response.
Why is TDC ignoring planning rules for its own works whilst calling UVPC windows in a building 'essentially vandalism'? Why will TDC not involve the local communities around our allotments and our elected Councillors in the process; everyone supports improved security in our allotments and a good PR opportunity for the Council is rapidly turning into an embarrassing one because of the insensitive 'we know what's best for you'approach.
I wonder where the old ones are now, I suspect they are quite valuable even as scrap?
Sue,
Only last week my friends car was vandalised in Cecilia Road, it is sad to report but it seems that we are all victims of mindless acts of vandalism and not just allotment holders. My gripe is the choice of fencing that will sadly be with us for years, I feel that the council are gradually dismantaling our local heritage, and this is what I care about,once it has gone that is it! Potatoes will grow again.
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