New 'Garden City' at Ebbsfleet
Discussion
TheD said:
I had a wee read of Howards vision of a Garden City. http://www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/garden-cities.html and there is no way it will even come close.
Some key words/phrases in that "vision""community ownership of land" (Key for squeeze properties in tighter)
"mixed-tenure homes and housing types that are affordable for ordinary people" (Key for apartment blocks)
"strong local cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable neighbourhoods; and
integrated and accessible transport systems" (Key for narrow roads and one way systems)
"However, we have also the new challenges of globalised markets and the urgent need to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change." (Key for small homes with inadequate parking and dubious construction methods/design"
"as set out in Howard’s vision of the ‘Social City’" (Key for the government knows best... see Singapore)
McWigglebum4th said:
Fartomatic5000 said:
greygoose said:
Think your maths is a bit off there, 15000 houses with 50% having 2 cars and the rest having one is 22500.
True, but I think there will still be a traffic issue, we've seen it before with Kings Hill in Kent. Build houses first and worry about traffic later. Only after years of traffic jam misery does the area get the roads it needs. They will build an ECO city with bugger all parking and bike lanes and sustainable housing
They will end up with cars covering all the pavements
The houses will turn out to be crap and made of carboard with no heating
A few brave souls will buy them
The rest will end up as dolite accomdation
20 years from now it will be considered a massive mistake
30 years from now and it will be a war zone with zombie chavs and honey badgers the only things living there
Now, there is some hope here. Given that there is no indigenous industry or features of the land that could be used to create industry, perhaps a highly networked city could be the way forward. Think of all the telecommuting that could be done here, supporting the financial sector in 'The City.' Cars, the ecotown theory goes, would not be necessary - but how would you restrict house holds from buying them?
All is not lost, but imagine the quality of life of those poor sods, spending their days in their tiny new build box with only other tiny new build boxes to look at and nary a hill nor a tree to be seen...
The counter argument would be that some decent Code 6 housing, with local work centres (i.e. hire a desk type affairs) and sufficiently dispersed service centres through the city, along with schools and shares spaces may succeed in instilling a sense of community on a village scale within regions of the overall city. Who knows... But the moment Tescos roll up and insist on standard approach being repeats all hope is lost...
skyrover said:
TheD said:
I had a wee read of Howards vision of a Garden City. http://www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/garden-cities.html and there is no way it will even come close.
Some key words/phrases in that "vision""community ownership of land" (Key for squeeze properties in tighter)
"mixed-tenure homes and housing types that are affordable for ordinary people" (Key for apartment blocks)
"strong local cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable neighbourhoods; and
integrated and accessible transport systems" (Key for narrow roads and one way systems)
"However, we have also the new challenges of globalised markets and the urgent need to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change." (Key for small homes with inadequate parking and dubious construction methods/design"
"as set out in Howard’s vision of the ‘Social City’" (Key for the government knows best... see Singapore)
And his "interlinked cities" principle smacks of The Hunger Games' distopic vision. And we genuinely are at risk of creating this here. Now, which "Region" will this city be? 12? We can but hope.
Best I can find but, they want to build it down that large hole:
The brown bit with the 'lakes' as they put it.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Best pic available from the road.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Roger
The brown bit with the 'lakes' as they put it.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Best pic available from the road.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Roger
109er said:
Best I can find but, they want to build it down that large hole:
The brown bit with the 'lakes' as they put it.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Best pic available from the road.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
It seems I may be wrong, or am I The brown bit with the 'lakes' as they put it.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Best pic available from the road.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bluewater&ll=...
Just watched Meridian News and they showed this area:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Ebbsfleet&ll=...
as the new site for this 'city' and then showed a picture of this site as 'how it looks now
showing this area.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Ebbsfleet&ll=...
If its the first site, surely that would be an extension of Swanscombe and be nothing more
than a 'new' housing estate. Even if it is the second larger site, the only thing between
Swanscombe and 'it' will be a small clump of tree's and a 'cliff' face.
So now the question is, What site is the correct site
Roger
sugerbear said:
grantone said:
Is there a way to create a 15,000 house town without central planning?
I think it should be left to the developers. That we can get reasonably priced properties with plenty of space. 
Whats really confusing me is the name - how on earth do 15,000 homes make a City? Surely thats more like a small town?
think the idea being that these new homes are within walking distance of Ebbsfleet Int. Stn
And the new tenants can commmute to St Pancs in "20 mins"
Not only is the High Speed at the point of becoming unaffordable, but it is also becoming full to capacity too.
Plus alot of the roads in the area are dual carriageways and not great for walking families and commuters.
The proposed developments, if they go ahead, will be purchased off plan by investors looking at buy-to-letting, and owners forced to buy at / forcing up themselves, inflated prices, due to its "easy commute into London"
In reality this is a tiny marshy field next to Ebbsfleet Stn and not worthy of 500 houses surely
And the new tenants can commmute to St Pancs in "20 mins"
Not only is the High Speed at the point of becoming unaffordable, but it is also becoming full to capacity too.
Plus alot of the roads in the area are dual carriageways and not great for walking families and commuters.
The proposed developments, if they go ahead, will be purchased off plan by investors looking at buy-to-letting, and owners forced to buy at / forcing up themselves, inflated prices, due to its "easy commute into London"
In reality this is a tiny marshy field next to Ebbsfleet Stn and not worthy of 500 houses surely
I think whoever thought of 'Ebbsfleet' and the station there must have been overly influenced by 'Field of Dreams' ("You build it and they will come").
It's been open for years but where's the development that was expected to accompany it?
I did stop some American gap year students alighting the Eurostar there one windswept evening - they thought they'd reached London.
Should have let them carry on and view the beauty that is northern post-industrial Kent...would have been a high point after their visit to Paris no doubt.
It's been open for years but where's the development that was expected to accompany it?
I did stop some American gap year students alighting the Eurostar there one windswept evening - they thought they'd reached London.
Should have let them carry on and view the beauty that is northern post-industrial Kent...would have been a high point after their visit to Paris no doubt.
109er said:
MysteryLemon said:
People saying the local road networks can't support it...
To right they won't, you should see the hold ups when Bluewater is open, especiallyweekends and bank holidays
With this new 'housing estate' it will be one big carpark.
With this and the paramount park they'll need to seriously think and invest in the infrastructure.
k me you guys are miserable.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff