MARGATE FOOTBALL CLUB PROPOSALS FULLY SUPPORTED

Council recommendations about Margate Football Club’s future expansions have been fully supported by the council’s Cabinet, with a promise that any further proposals will go out to public consultation.

The Cabinet was passed a series of recommendations by Full Council for them to agree, which relate to the leasing arrangements on public space at Hartsdown Park and Tivoli Park in Margate.

The recommendations agreed were to:  

·            support the extension of the current lease for the main ground from 10 to 24 years;

·            refuse granting a lease for an extended area for a football pitch, as this is too intrusive in Hartsdown Park;

·            advise the removal of the extended parking area from the proposal or, at most, grant a small extension to the current car park. This would require the developers to seek an alteration to the current planning condition on parking provision. The reason for this is to avoid any further significant intrusion in Tivoli Park;

·            support the granting of a lease within the current football ground area for the construction of a hotel in line with the approved planning application, but try and ensure that the lease is as short as possible, whilst still making the project work financially. Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Cllr. Alan Poole, to agree the final length of lease, in consultation with Cllr. Rosalind Binks; and

·            support the extension of the lease for the current five-a-side pitches and car park from 15 to 24 years, to coincide in timing with the main ground lease.

Cabinet also agreed that they would take into account any comments made by the public, as a result of a statutory notice that has been placed in the local press.

As the lease for an extended area for a football pitch was refused, Cabinet also agreed that, if any further proposals come forward to lease additional land to construct a new football pitch, these would be subject to further public consultation, before any decision is made on them. The Cabinet were told that Margate Football Club are looking at alternative plots adjacent to their ground, as the new pitch is key to their business proposals.

Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Cllr. Alan Poole, said: “The lease arrangements for Margate Football Club have been very carefully considered by this council. We’ve ensured that we’ve balanced the need to protect our public open spaces, while supporting the club as much as we can. We realise that an additional football pitch is something that’s important to the club and understand that they are looking at alternative sites. I want to make it clear to the public that, should any alternative proposals come forward, we will ensure that we listen to people’s views before we make any decision on them.”