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I would like to thank the Faversham Eye for the lovely TRIBUTE they paid to my brother Findlay Macdonald means a lot to his Scottish family in Ayrshire.
From, Annie Kerr
In response to ‘Faversham Creekside Buildings’ in Issue 10:
"What was once rich, diverse and ever fascinating to look at..." Mate, Standard Quay was a fertiliser depot for many, many years until relatively recently. We could return to that heritage, perhaps? Although I suspect what the red-trouser brigade actually want is a chocolate-box twee artisan workshops that serve no-one outside of their niche interest groups. We don't need bad housing, nor do we need out-of-touch partisan interest groups trying to pickle the town in aspic. Accept some change, or change will be thrust upon you.
Captain Lars
Hi, I was quite alarmed after reading your piece on TS Hazard in issue 10. I am currently trying to find out who to address my concerns/complaint to. Perhaps you could encourage others to do the same in Issue 11? It would be a tragedy if this old building was lost for the sake of greed.
Regards, Gary White.
Note that the Cabinet Member for Economy and Property who has the responsibility of maintaining Swale's buildings is Councillor Monique Bonney (Monique.Bonney@swale.co.uk)
In response to ‘Cleve Hill: The game was rigged from the start’ in Issue 10:
You will love this; “Electricity Storage: The Cornerstone of the UK’s Future Energy System” written in a famous but unlikely format.
At domestic level, air source heat pumps, very popular on the continent, may soon be promoted even by British Gas, as an alternative to installing new gas boilers. These have an efficiency of between 4:1 and 2:1. Also there are very high density electric storage heaters, that take up less space than those old things that never quite worked. With intelligent controls exploiting low tariffs, these domestic systems will gradually convert gas heating systems to electric and soak up excess power generation. It will need government carrot and stick of course, because UK is very backward in efficient house design and energy utilisation, but the right noises are already being heard and the target date for carbon free is set. A few very cold winters will soon accelerate the process.
The cost of electricity drops when supply begins to exceed demand, in one case recently in Germany, actually going negative, to deliberately encourage use. As this happens more frequently with variable renewables, wind and solar, this has resulted in some consumer tariffs that reflect the spot price to the benefit of consumers in the UK.
There is no government or industry plan to start turning off renewables, or even to cut back the development of renewables, and there continues to be a need for a healthy storage industry.
Buffering the supply will allow the existing and developing AI based systems, to predict and match supply and demand. As Electric domestic, and especially commercial vehicles, come on stream in exponentially increasing numbers, and as Vehicle to Grid connections are established, the demand for electricity will increase, but with the buffering capacity of thousands of kWhs of batteries. (50MWh per 1000 50 kWh EVs). This will of course require the same modifications to the Grid as is needed for domestic PV installations, which everyone is keen to see.
Not all buffering is by battery; there is pumped hydro and compressed/liquified air, others in development, and in the near future, hydrogen production will soak up surplus. Whilst Renewables can never entirely replace gas, it will certainly limit its expansion, and hopefully reduce it if we are to reduce emissions.
R Telford
Dear Editor,
Now that Robert Jenrick, pin up boy of the billionaire developer has driven local planning controls to the brink of extinction what future or point is there for the Local Plan?
In recent years the people of Faversham were reminded on a number of occasions by the then Tory controlled council that their powers to regulate developments were limited to the point of futility.
The council, they told us in an uncharacteristic display of candidness, did not have the legal and financial resources to combat appeals and re-submissions by developers with deep pockets.
The orgy of saturation housing developments in and around our town bear testimony to the impotence of local authorities to resist the central government housing policy which is entirely target driven.
If local councils fail to meet government targets they are liable to have their already cash strapped budgets slashed even further by draconian fines or even be taken over by central government. This even if the housing shortfalls are caused by property speculators putting their projects on hold until the market fulfils their greed.
Mr Jenrick’s claim that the new planning regulations will enhance localism by involving local people in planning strategy is a sick and cynical lie. Far from empowerment local authorities and local people will have any rights, already vestigial, completely obliterated and the Local Plan a meaningless farce.
If you want to know what the Tories have ever done for Faversham don’t ask Robert Jenrick. Just look around you. And keep looking ‘cause things can only get worse.
John Wellard
In response to our article ‘Ordnance Wharf’ in Issue 10:
It's telling that Mike Cosgrove is one of the few (only?) who commented in support of this planned development.
He claims it would be a "sympathetic and sensible addition" and that those who oppose the plans do so "simply because they do not own the land."
What a guy.
K Raine
The last thing we should encourage is for this developer to contribute to the restoration of the bridge and basin; that would certainly give him the kind of influence that he would use to his advantage and everyone else's detriment. His previous contribution was a 'museum' on the site...
R Telford
I live in Coxheath, Maidstone and came across The Faversham Eye thanks to a Faversham resident. Well done for your superb articles - especially Whately Watch - what a total disgrace the woman is!
May I suggest that if possible, you should try to publicise any public appearances she may attend so that some of her many detractors can attend and make their voices heard. Long live democracy and your excellent and highly professional news sheet.
Tony Monk
It is worth noting that for the next issue we have invited Helen for an interview.
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