Greengiant Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 I thought this was going to be built in the old works here, so this is a new build? What gave you the idea? It has always been a new build on the old wagon works site. The building in your picture is part of a retail and homes development. We did look into being in part of this development but the costs to adapt the building within Grade II listing regs would be prohibitive, alongside issues of road access and parking. With a new build we have better control over shape and environment which is vital to keep the models in ideal conditions. However we have been offered items/features from the main loco shed to use in AIMREC. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard brown Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Any more news yet. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greengiant Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 We will be doing a public display and consultation 19-20 September at the Ashford Designer Outlet before submitting which hopefully will be the final planning application. We have had to do some redesign of the building and car parking to keep in line with the council requirements and requests. In the meantime we have been dismantling, reparing and storing some rather large layouts that have been donated to the centre. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 What will happen to the donations if planning is not granted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greengiant Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 They will be returned. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 The best of luck with the planning application! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bezzy Oppo Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Yes, best of British; I'm going through a similar tortuous process at the moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium gc4946 Posted September 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 20, 2015 Application can be viewed at Planning application no.: 15/00008/EIA/AS http://planning.ashford.gov.uk/Planning/details.aspx?systemkey=101723&pageindex=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSG Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Apparently it's got planning permission, according to the report in the Indy: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/roger-daltrey-and-cliff-parsons-help-launch-world-s-largest-model-railway-exhibition-centre-a6942096.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22, 2016 They would have been daft to turn it down. This is going to bring a lot of visitors and income to the town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) They would have been daft to turn it down. This is going to bring a lot of visitors and income to the town.In my personal experience, note experience NOT opinion, planning department decisions don't always reflect the guidance given to applicants at the time of application...... Edit, the application in question was business related, but not on the same scale! Edited March 22, 2016 by leopardml2341 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22, 2016 In my personal experience, note experience NOT opinion, planning department decisions don't always reflect the guidance given to applicants at the time of application...... Edit, the application in question was business related, but not on the same scale! Sadly, my experience of planning parallels yours. Bad enough when they gave pre-app guidance for free but our lot now charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSG Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Sadly, my experience of planning parallels yours. Bad enough when they gave pre-app guidance for free but our lot now charge. The main reason for charging for pre-application advice is that too many commercial developers were taking the Australian lager by effectively getting the planning department to do their research for them at the taxpayers' expense. You don't normally need pre-application advice for typical householder applications unless they're complicated; all the information you need is generally available on the web. If it is an unusually complicated householder application, then paying for professional advice is not unreasonable. And commercial applicants ought to be paying all the costs they incur anyway, not expecting the council to pick up the tab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22, 2016 The main reason for charging for pre-application advice is that too many commercial developers were taking the Australian lager by effectively getting the planning department to do their research for them at the taxpayers' expense. You don't normally need pre-application advice for typical householder applications unless they're complicated; all the information you need is generally available on the web. If it is an unusually complicated householder application, then paying for professional advice is not unreasonable. And commercial applicants ought to be paying all the costs they incur anyway, not expecting the council to pick up the tab. I agree with all the above. But how does that justify the council charging for advice which they then ignore themselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Having been 'victim'; wot 'e said ^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSG Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I agree with all the above. But how does that justify the council charging for advice which they then ignore themselves? Pre-application advice is only advice to the potential applicant about how best to ensure that their application is compliant with relevant laws and policies. It isn't advice as to whether or not an application will be successful. The only way to know for certain whether a planning application will be successful is to apply for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22, 2016 Pre-application advice is only advice to the potential applicant about how best to ensure that their application is compliant with relevant laws and policies. It isn't advice as to whether or not an application will be successful. The only way to know for certain whether a planning application will be successful is to apply for it. So you are told that your proposed application is in line with "policy". And then they make a decision which must therefore be out of line with policy. How is that reasonable? What is "policy" for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 (edited) The latest news according to Kent On Line is that planning consent has been granted by Ashford District Council. There's also a grant application going in to help fund various other bits of the project. If I can find the link I'll post it here. As a slight aside, the EU has granted via local development agencies £75,000 for 5 heritage railways in Kent to help with publicity to help promote tourism.heritage-railways-get-a-boost-96586 Edited May 30, 2016 by roythebus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 As a slight aside, the EU has granted via local development agencies £75,000 for 5 heritage railways in Kent to help with publicity to help promote tourism.heritage-railways-get-a-boost-96586 No, it's a grant from the British Government, not from the EU: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/whats-on/news/heritage-railways-get-a-boost-96586/ The Chinnor & Princes Risborough have also been awarded a grant under the same scheme to get back to P.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) I spoke to Cliff and Rupert (I think?) at Ally Pally last weekend, asking how the project was coming along. Although planning consent was given last year, it appears that the proposed site has contamination issues and the cost of decontamination is prohibitively expensive. Something AIMREC cannot afford to pay for alone, unless the land purchase cost can be adjusted accordingly. Apparently, Ashford borough council have offered a variety of alternative sites, all within the same area and within walking distance of the railway station. I got the impression that the alternative sites were less than ideal. Hopefully an official update will be issued in the near future, but it looks as if the realisation of this project could be slipping back a few years. . Edited March 30, 2017 by Ron Ron Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 That's unfortunate but entirely predictable on such a former industrial site. It is why there is such pressure to build homes on Green Belt rather than "brownfield" as the cost of decontamination can be so high. But one has to wonder about the professional competence of those involved in the project. One should not spend a lot of time and money on planning consents before checking that the land is "fit for purpose". If they go to a new site, all the planning process has to be gone through again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Any further news on this project. The AIMREC web site hasn't been updated for what must be a couple of years now. It still shows artists renderings of the original design, which was changed, based on the original proposed site, plans for which have since been scrapped. The last meaningful FaceBook entries were posted early last summer (almost a year ago). The Twitter account appears to have been dormant for about 4 years. The set back of having to lose the original planned site for AIMREC must have been a bodyblow to the project. Is this dream just fading away in the background ? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 9, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2018 There was a stand for the project at Ally Pally (next to the LNER Society) but I didn't have time to peruse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 They were at York as well and I was able to have a chat with Cliff and Len. Things are still moving on, they have more space in the old works than was planned in their own building and they are working on how to fit that space out. If they're now part of a larger project, of course, they can only move at the speed of the whole thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted April 9, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2018 Seems a bit odd to go to the effort and expense of stands at exhibitions and yet not keep website and other social media up to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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