Pyramid Comment

This journal takes an alternative view on current affairs and other subjects. The approach is likely to be contentious and is arguably speculative. The content of any article is also a reminder of the status of those affairs at that date. All comments have been disabled. Any and all unsolicited or unauthorised links are absolutely disavowed.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

China Gateway - The Players


China Gateway
China Gateway - Key Points
China Gateway - The Facts

Partial approval (for Phase 1) with conditions was granted 09.10.08. Regardless of any conditions, the approval of Phase 1 was recorded. But are Phase 2 and Phase 3 subject to this initial consent or can the specifics be altered without the full committee being involved? What exactly are Phases 2 and 3 with respect to Phase 1? Once a project has begun variations can happen:

Planning Permission

  • Already, indications are being announced that could modify existing Health and Safety Executive (HSE) rulings that enable technically getting around problematic issues. In place are conditions that prevent building within certain limits to some businesses. Such a one is Theatrical Pyrotechnics. Comments like: "it may be possible to build slightly closer... if the buildings are constructed in the appropriate fashion" open the flood gates to forced alterations of existing conditions.
Contentiously, this business has no plans to move or cease trading until at least 2013 when its lease expires. The China Gateway must start within 3 years of the planning approval (2011) or reapplication for approval must be made. Apparently, the AIM-listed property developer CGP (Commercial Group Properties) has a specialist in obtaining planning permission, but for an application on allocated employment land at the Manston site, no such advice is needed. That presumably will be needed later only after Phase 1 has been implemented.

The conditions are only applicable to the Phase 1 'approval' and will be decided by the council's planning committee after discussions with the applicant. How public will such discussion be? Any major deviation before the Phase 1 approval would probably have caused the proposal to be rejected. Any changes after approval, imposed conditions notwithstanding, provides a different scenario. That no information is available for Phases 2 & 3 before approval to commence Phase 1 is disturbing for no less reason than full details are not known to Thanet District Council (TDC) before providing consent. Ratifying the unknown is unprofessional and ill-advised. Confidence in the competence of Thanet District Council (TDC) is at an all-time low and action like this is incredibly inept. Unless, of course, the hidden agenda is known, but deliberately being kept secret. It is alleged that the council could benefit directly as a consequence of its own approval decision. The Gateway developer CGP was charged £2.25m for 5 acres of land for its Gateway building.

Roger Latchford OBE

Clearly, extensive negotiation has been ongoing for some while that has not been publicly discussed. This begs the question what other deals have been quietly done? The Chinese are controlling the schedule and TDC appears to be the 'wagging tail'. No impropriety is being suggested, yet questions are inevitable.

  • Chief executive Richard Samuel said: "This was a very positive step for Thanet. I am confident that we are in a good position if we can work at the speed the Chinese want.
  • Very speculative and filled with uncertainties. The tour was organised and paid for by Chinamex, an outward investment company, supported by the Chinese government and Chinamex is looking to develop a business centre at the Manston Business Park, which is part own by CGP.
Wigan and China

Council leader Sandy Ezekiel attacks the challenge describing protesters as "scaremongers". Ezekiel brings the charges down upon himself and the whole of TDC by the railroading approach in the crude attempt to crush any reasonable debate. Too many answers to fair questions have been avoided and to then ridicule by suggesting 'conspiracy theory' shows arrogance. At best the 'donation' of £12,500 by CGP ostensibly to support the Margate's Big Event is ill-judged timing and for someone of Ken Wills experience and self-proclaimed success it doesn't involve conspiracy theory to question such a 'philanthropic' act. It could be regarded as an attempt to influence a planning application that is entered after the donation. The application was not referred to an independent planning inspector. To state that there is no connection between the donation and planning application (council leader Ezekial) fundamentally weakens any TDC case. Donations to local causes by businesmen who have interests in local affairs will always be suspect. Donations elsewhere tend to cloak activities and unsurprisingly connections will be made however well-intentioned.

  • Wills also made a donaton of £25,000 in 2007 to Thanet South Labour Party. This was presumably declared as required by law by the Labour members on the planning committee when the planning application was submitted in August this year (2008).
  • In 1998 Wills was the majority shareholder in KMfm Thanet, but control is now with Kent Messenger Group when investors were bought out and rebranding to just KMfm (March 2003). [On Wills' webspace he is described as Chairman and founder of KMfm Thanet and this is presumably historical information although not clarified as such.]
The CGP, China and Thanet connection began officially back in December 2007. Obviously, preparations had been organised before this announcement.

  • Leader Thanet District Council, Cllr. Sandy Ezekiel, along with Deputy Leader Cllr. Roger Latchford spent four days meeting with companies both in Shenzhen and Beijing as well as the President of the China-Europe Association for Technical and Economic Cooperation and the President and Chairman of Chinamex. A return meeting with the Chairman and President of Chinamex in Thanet is now planned for early 2008. The visit, coordinated and accompanied by directors of CGP, was organised and paid for by Chinamex, which is looking to develop a business centre at Manston Business Park which is part-owned by CGP.
  • Chinamex Middle East Investment and Trade Promotion Centre ("Chinamex") led by Mr. Feng Hao is a multinational company registered in Dubai with the mission of implementing trading platforms under the management of the Ministry of Commerce.

  • Commercial Group Properties PLC, led by Ken Wills is an AIM (Rule 26) listed company which was established to invest in property and owns three sites in the South of England.
    • From Rags to Riches (BBC video) - Today he boasts a jet engine maintenance shop, a helicopter firm, a fire prevention company, a restaurant, a jewellery business and a radio station on the Isle of Thanet. [The local radio station association appears to have been broken in March 2003].
As always, money appears to have undue influence regardless of any implied meaning.

The Odessa Children's Charity links are defunct. The Ukraine-based charitable activity is noted on Wills' personal webspace, but no such specific mention regarding other payments.

A major stumbling block should be the drainage and possible contamination of Thanet drinking (and irrigation) water. Since the agricultural land will disappear, the irrigation issue will evaporate. However, approval has been conferred upon this project Phase 1 without any consideration to to the drainage issue. Two weeks should get around the conditions. Unlikely, unless simply ignoring them. Many knowledgeable people are too closely involved with this entire application to allow the issues to slide through without noticing.

That's theory, but actually it depends on who is on which side, but dark clouds continue to assemble over Thanet.

Thanet Extra - original articles

Scaremongering (17.10.08)
Protesters lose Gateway fight (17.10.08)
China Gateway to create 1,300 jobs (10.10.08)
Dispelling the myths about China Gateway (03.10.08)
Time for a reality check (26.09.08)
Call for China Gateway inquiry (26.09.08)
Residents: We don't want China Gateway (19.09.08)
It's all about the right balance (12.09.08)
Delay meeting urges councillor (05.09.08)
China Gateway Project put under the spotlight (05.09.08)
Gateway decision deferred (29.08.08)
Business park could be gateway to 3,000 jobs (22.08.08)
President is impressed on his whistlestop tour (01.08.08)
Business park 'is no threat to water supply' (25.07.08)
Film out on DVD - Thanet Under Threat (23.05.08)
Residents oppose business park plan (19.05.08)
Residents fight plan for industrial estate (16.05.08)
Chinese woman caught working in brothel jailed (05.05.08)

Other

Fears over threat to homes
Brothel woman jailed
Protestors vow more demos as Gateway deadline draws near
China Gateway under spotlight
Call for public inquiry into China Gateway
Protestors welcome delay on China Gateway decision
Residents fight plan for industrial estate
Chinese businessman sees Manston as hub for Europe
Crunch time for huge development plans
Green light for China Gateway - but with strict controls
China Gateway: Reaction to a dramatic evening

posted by Louis Brothnias @ 7:40 am