What’s the campaign about?

It’s all about the fight against the proposed building of 84 dwellings, including two blocks of flats, by GSE Ltd. All of this is planned to be built within The Hythe Imperial Hotel gardens, right next to The Royal Military Canal in a beautiful open area of Hythe that has never been built upon before. We need to protect Hythe for future generations.
This is what it is all about, and why local residents, professional bodies and others are fighting it strongly and why we have formed this Campaign. We need as many members as possible - please join and ‘tell your friends’.

Why should you object to these plans?

There are many reasons why these plans should not go ahead. Click here for the full list, where you will see that English Heritage have now written in objection twice.

If these plans are to be stopped it is vital that you take ACTION. Here is what you can do:

• BE HEARD - Write a letter of objection to Shepway Council. You can use your own words, or for ease, use objections from our full list (click here for the full list)
  Address your letter (quoting reference Y08/1036/SH) to:
  Mr. Terry Ellames, Major Applications & Projects Manager, Planning Control, Shepway District Council. terry.ellames@shepway.gov.uk
• JOIN US - The more members we have in the campaign, the greater our influence. So please become a campaign member here



Latest news

Hythe Town Councillor Richard Carroll (Cons) has resigned we are told ‘in disgust’ of The Shepway Imperial development approval.

There is thus, a vacancy for Hythe West, and we would like a Campaigner to stand for election on the ticket of ‘Protecting Hythe Open Spaces and Ancient Monuments’.

Are there any ‘takers’ out there??

We will report more on this, and we understand that The Hythe Herald will be reporting more in this week’s issue.

If you would like to stand then please email us.

Keep watching this site.

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And so; tonight the democratic process has worked it’s magic resultant in a 11:2 vote FOR GSE’s Imperial Plans and thus the development will get built - well so we assume.

GSE’s next steps, given their finances will be telling, but of one thing we can all be very sure; the development land value, aside from the hotel, will have risen to around 25m. Given they paid circa 11m for the hotel and all the land then this is ‘not a half a bad day at the office’.  Add back the price that GSE could well get for the hotel if they were to sell it then the whole site is now worth circa 35m - 40m we believe.

We would assume that GSE can now file their accounts, show a revaluation, and in time to come look to pay their sole shareholder another nice dividend akin to the 19m they paid in 2007 from sale of land.

John Davis gave the speech he intended at tonight’s meeting, made the campaign points and was gracious when the result was known and shook the hand of GSE Chair Mr. Healey, but he was facing, Campaigners are told, a ‘three line’ Tory Whip to approve - thus little contest. For the record, the only two Councillors voting with the Campaign to refuse were: Cllrs Matthews and Cllr Mcneice.

It was very obvious to all who were there just how much this result meant to GSE Chair and sole shareholder Darrell Healey and also to the hotel staff that were there. Campaigners have been hearing and seeing a Firework Display over The Imperial this evening as, we assume, GSE gather for a party.

Campaigners have little doubt that it has saved their jobs and very possibly GSE Group as a Company - we are pleased that their jobs are secure as we never wanted any losses.

But, and this is a big but….

Will GSE do the development as they say, will they sell up - time will tell.

There is nothing more to be done, and the Campaign will now be wound up.

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We have heard today, October 16th, that John Davis, Campaign Co Chair, has been confirmed by Shepway DC as the only speaker permitted to address the Planning Committee AGAINST the Imperial application.

John can be substituted by a Campaign ‘alternative’ if he so chooses or he cannot attend.

Thus, very rightfully, your Campaign will ‘be heard’.

Now, if we may, a point on meeting decorum and simple good manners.

This is a much more formal meeting than the previous Hythe Town Council Meetings and The Campaign asks that all members conduct themselves politely, respectfully and refrain from the cheering, interjection and clapping that was prevalent at the last HTC meeting. The fact that you are there as a concerned resident is enough to let the Committee know that there is a very large public feeling on the application. No matter how annoyed you might get at points being made ‘FOR’ the application we ask that you remain silent whilst the meeting is formally in progress. After the vote has been taken and the result known then, ‘feel free’ to vent your feelings verbally as at this point the formalities will be concluded on The Imperial and then the Committee will turn to The Sainsbury application.

Your Campaign has done as it has promised, The ‘A Case To Refuse’ fully updated four colour bound document has been sent to all Shepway Development Control members together with a covering letter from Campaign Lawyers requesting deferment until GSE finances have been clarified. This was mailed out on Wednesday this week. Your Campaign also took the decision to not only send to DC committee members but to ALL Shepway Councillors, and also pertinent KCC Councillors, we have done this in order to fully and totally make all our elected representatives aware and to frankly ‘do our best’.

As a backup, we will have extra copies of ‘A Case To Refuse’ on hand at the meeting together with a handout, to the committee, of the Experian report and credit rating on GSE Group and Construction finances.

We can only demand a fair, honest and just debate by the Committee members and that they make an informed decision. Your Campaign has most definitely given them the tools to so do for refusal argument.

And finally, for those who have not done so, it is not too late to write/email the members requesting a deferment until GSE finances are clarified. Your Campaign has not asked you for much, but now we are asking: a simple but important request that we ask you to complete please, it will help greatly and is important. If you only have little time:

then go to, and fill out the online contact form for Cllr Mrs J. Hollingsbee, The Chair of the Development Control Committee. Write that you feel deferment is the order of the day and that you support the many Campaign points that all Cllrs have been made aware of.

http://www.shepway.gov.uk/content/view/1569/1748/

And finally, finally, now we are close to the Campaign conclusion, we would like to thank all members for their support and action and look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday next at the Council Chamber, Folkestone Civic Centre. As the meeting starts at 1900hrs, it is best to be there by 1815hrs, or earlier, to be sure of getting a seat in the chamber public gallery – please come.

Very Best to all, and we are happy to take any questions at all:

John Davis can be reached on: 01303 268670 or email: john@bdfoods.co.uk

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When Eleanor Jones of The Herald published her investigations into GSE Group Ltd, the GSE Company that owns the Imperial, she reported their credit rating of ZERO and a going bust probability of 4:1 in the next 12 months. Eleanor also reported that GSE Construction Ltd had a credit limit of: 79,000 back then.

Experian now report that GSE Construction Ltd have an updated credit rating also of ZERO as at October 13th, down from 79,000 since 24th September.

GSE Group Ltd. have not moved since Eleanor’s report and are still at ZERO.

Thus, all GSE Companies are now Experian rated at ZERO credit rating and MAXIMUM RISK.

Hardly a good position to be in if you are thinking about building houses . On the face of it, they cannot afford it, no way.

As Mr. Ellames has recommended in his report that a Section 106 agreement be drawn for around 1.5m to  bind GSE in to affordable housing and hotel improvements, then the financial health of GSE is of paramount importance, yet he has not recommended any deferral to await GSE filing their Statutory latest (2008) Accounts with Companies House - why is this, he surely should have, his job is to diligently advise his committee on all aspects.

Mr. Ellames knows what we know about this, we know, we have copied him with the Experian Reports and surely he must have seen The Herald lead report on GSE Finances and their ZERO credit rating.

So Campaigners, what can you do: well we ask that ALL write/email Shepway Councillors on the Development Control Committee demanding a deferment pending GSE clarifying their financial health by filing statutory accounts BY THE DUE DATE OF END OCTOBER 09 - HARDLY MUCH OF A DELAY AT ALL.

Councillors addresses are but a click away on this site, and please remember: our Councillors are ‘real’ people with real informed opinions and they do much good for us and they will listen to reasoned argument.

Please email or write to them, it is important.

What is your Campaign doing,: we are writing to all Shepway DC members and enclosing our ‘ A Case To Refuse’ document.

We will also be there ‘to be counted’ and to speak on the 20th, as we have 135 members then Shepway cannot refuse us a speaking slot.

Have to say, we just don’t ‘get’ the Terry Ellames report, and any decision may well be ‘up for’ a Judicial Review.

Watch this space - we will report more and please come along on the 20th. Folkestone Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 1900hrs.

Best to all.

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Campaigners have now got a copy of the report that Terry Ellames has written to his Committee - and he recommends approval.

So fellow Campaigners - we have a real battle on our hands and we are disappointed that Mr. Ellames has done this in the face of his statutory consultees recommending refusal.

Remember it took Hythe Town Council two full meetings and two Plans and Works Committee Meetings to fully understand the issue and to finally vote AGAINST. English Heritage have recommended refusal  at every stage.

We believe that Mr. Ellames, whilst he has the right, has certainly not taken the views of both his local elected representatives and  his professional advisors in English Heritage into account properly, we believe.

So, we resolve to fight the battle into Shepway Development Control on the 20th with right on our side, our arguments are; just, fair, correct and based upon sound reasoning.

We shall send out to every Shepway Councillor our ‘A Case To Refuse’ document and we will also make the case for deferment of any decision until GSE finances are clarified - no less will do and no less is justly due.

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We have just been told that Shepway have moved the decision date to October 20th.

The Herald, this week, has published a very thorough report from their investigations into GSE finances and we advise all to buy a copy, makes informative reading.

The campaign was asked to comment on the report: we remain convinced that regardless of anyone’s views on the development the question of GSE finances has to be clarified before a decision is made as there is just too much arising from it to ignore.

The Campaign thus, asks that Shepway defers a decision until GSE 2008 accounts are filed by the Statutory date of end October - hardly much of a wait and hardly a tangible one at all particularly as GSE Auditors, KPMG, resigned in August only a couple of months from statutory filing.  Highly unusual.

GSE Chair, Darrell Healey has stated publicly that his Experian credit rating of zero and ‘going bust’ Experian rating of 4:1 will all be totally rectified upon filing these accounts, we actually really hope he is right, but it needs to be proven beyond all doubt after The Herald report for very obvious reasons, if GSE are to offer money to buyout the affordable housing then very simply both Planners and Councillors have to be absolutely certain that they have got it.

The Herald report also prompted some more investigations by Campaigners: particularly of note is the fact that GSE Investments Ltd, a subsiduary of GSE Construction Ltd, declared a share dividend to Darrell Healey of some £19m in 2007 accounts, coupled to Directors salary of £3.525m.

Mr. Healey might have chosen not to have declared such a huge share dividend and salary. Instead, he might have invested some of this into the refurbishment of the Imperial and thus totally removed any enabling  need for cash to spend on the Imperial arising from the development.

It appears from the accounts that Mr.Healey was able to pay such a high dividend only as a result of the sale of GSE owned land for development by others - Campaigners ask if The Imperial development is designed for similar treatment.

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Campaigners have just been told by Terry Ellames that THE SHEPWAY DECISION DATE WILL BE:13th OCTOBER, 1830hrs, at Folkestone Civic Centre Council Chamber, the change from Sept 22nd is without doubt resultant from The Hythe Town Council LATEST REJECTION.

We have got a bit more time, let us use it well  - check this site for your Campaign Committee advice please, we are working on it!

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After an impassioned standing room only meeting at The Town Hall last night Hythe Full Council took a vote resulting in a RECOMMENDATION TO REFUSE GSE PLANS FOR THE IMPERIAL HOTEL. This recomendation will now formally be made to Shepway by Hythe Council who are STATUTORY CONSULTEES.

Hythe Council rightfully HAVE ALIGNED WITH ENGLISH HERITAGE , HYTHE CIVIC SOCIETY AND THE CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT RURAL ENGLAND plus over 100 members of this Campaign, ALL LOCALS.

Both Planners and Shepway HAVE TO TAKE NOTICE of this, Hythe Council are the elected representatives who represent the people of Hythe and a NO vote has been given.

This application has not had much publicity, a point very well made by one of the TWELVE speakers at the meeting. It has taken time to awaken the people of Hythe to this development.

Never before have there been twelve speakers, and never before has Hythe Council taken such time to allow this and to LISTEN OBJECTIVELY and to DEBATE quite so OPENLY.

We APPLAUD our Councillors for this and thank them for it.

Yes it was a lively meeting, feelings were running high now Hythe ‘is awakened’, applause was given for Campaign points yet the one speaker FOR the development was heard in silence. The Campaigners against listened too, FAIR PLAY was given.

So on we go to Shepway with a NO VOTE, a LOCALS REFUSAL backed by their COUNCIL and we MUST make sure that SHEPWAY COUNCILLORS are as fully aware as Hythe Councillors now are, and this took FOUR meetings to get a full, frank and OBJECTIVE debate and an INFORMED NO VOTE.

With Shepway we have BUT ONE chance, one meeting.

So what does your Campaign now advise members to do….

Quite simple, Campaigners should to write/email SHEPWAY COUNCILLORS, particularly those who make up the DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE, THIS SHOULD BE DONE ASAP.

Addresses are on this site, just click on the button.

Shepway Councillors should be reminded that HYTHE COUNCIL after hearing logical, full and valid points voted AGAINST, and they are the LOCAL AREA COUNCILLORS - they LIVE HERE and are AGAINST after hearing for the FIRST TIME an ‘AWAKENED’ PEOPLE OF HYTHE.

More will follow on this site, but get your pens out now!!

We thank all who came, all who spoke and we thank our elected representatives for listening it is A VOTE FOR HYTHE PROSPERITY.

The meeting has been accurately reported, by The Herald publishers on:

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/hythe

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Campaigners are told that in the face of both law and Councillor pressure Keren Belcourt has decided to make a ‘u turn’ and set a date for a FULL COUNCIL MEETING to discuss The Imperial revised plans.

9th September @ The Town Hall, 6.30pm.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE THERE PLEASE

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Campaigners have been told this evening that:

• Hythe Mayor, Keren Belcourt, sent an email out, this week, to Hythe Councillors stating that she had no intention of holding a full council meeting to discuss and vote upon the Imperial revised plans.
• This statement is contrary to democracy and her own Plans and Works Committee that voted to PASS BACK TO FULL COUNCIL the debate and vote on this development.

Hythe Councillors have obviously taken a very dim view of this email and the Mayor’s stance as, we understand, no less than SEVEN Hythe Councillors have petitioned her to hold an EMERGENCY FULL COUNCIL MEETING to debate and VOTE on the revised plans.

This means:

• Our Mayor has SEVEN DAYS to set a date for the EMERGENCY MEETING. This is the law.
• IF she does NOT do this, then the petitioning Councillors have the lawful right to call such a meeting and to take THE CHAIR, debate and vote on the issue.

Campaigners APPLAUD the stance taken by Hythe Councillors in ensuring democracy and that they are not bounced into an unjust corner by, we believe, the high handed stance taken by The Mayor.

This does not mean that the petitioning councillors have the same views on the development as ‘us campaigners’, nor should it.

It does mean that, the petitioning councillors have just procedure and DEMOCRACY at the TOP OF THEIR LIST whatever their ‘Imperial Views’ and Campaigners sincerely thank them for this as it really means that we have some good people as our elected representatives who are simply not prepared to be ridden roughshod over personally and have governance and lawful procedure given the same treatment.

So, Mr. Mayor - A lesson in democrcay and procedure, and this time, as well as us, it is your own COUNCILLORS, NO LESS THAN SEVEN,  that are saying this and we say that such an error of judgment and subsequent ‘cabinet revolt’ should surely be a RESIGNATION ISSUE, it certainly would be at national government level.

Campaigners would like to again thank Hythe petitioning Councillors, no matter what they think on the development, for standing up and being counted. Democracy is far more important than the development and for this, we again applaud them hugely.

We will report more, when more is known - any questions to: john@bdfoods.co.uk

REMEMBER: SHEPWAY ARE STILL GOING TO DECIDE THIS ISSUE ON SEPTEMBER 22ND. PLEASE BE THERE.

Best to all.

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