Northdown Park on the back burner

Northdown Park the house and grounds are frequent topics covered on Bignews Margate, and recently it was drawn to my attention that the coach house, had been boarded up.

It seems ironic to me, that the Coach House which as I understand was originally leased, to be put to use as a museum, gives the casual viewer, the impression of a building that has been abandoned.

As the property is currently unoccupied, I understand on the advice of insurance companies the property has been boarded up, now I don't know the precise agreement that the council have with whoever leases this property from them, but given that the whole estate was gifted for public use, it might be a sign of open government if this matter were to be brought up for public scrutiny.

I get the impression that whoever, the tenant or leaseholder is, may well be in breach of the terms and conditions of their original lease but Thanet council don’t have and can’t afford the legal process, as with most things, TDC prefer crisis management, so this issue will remain on the back burner till it boils over.

Doubly ironic is the fact that Thanet council actually own the building and the hullabaloo surrounding efforts to force other local property owners to make good their properties are in stark contrast to the state of this property and also the minimal maintenance of Northdown house itself.

In May Thanet Council served a 215 planning notice on the owners of the Arcadian, Fort Hill to renovate the property they now have 15 months to completely restore and reinstate the features of the building.

How long I wonder before TDC have to issue themselves with planning notices for properties which they are not maintaining properly.