Margate Football Club consultation

Public consultation now closed

1. Consultation overview

Members of the public were asked for their views on proposals received from Margate Football Club for land at Hartsdown Park and Tivoli Park in Margate. 

Thanet District Council owns both parks, parts of which have been leased to Margate Football Club since 1958.  Margate Football Club submitted proposals to the council requesting:

• To change the length of their current leases
• To lease two new areas of the park – which would mean a change to a public open space

The council had a duty to consult on these proposals as part of its Asset Management Strategy.

View the proposals

View our Frequently Asked Questions

2. When was the consultation carried out?

The consultation was carried out 17 October - 14 November 2011.

3. Who was consulting?

Thanet District Council was consulting on proposals received from Margate Football Club.

4. Who was consulted?

This consultation was open to all members of the public.  However local community, resident and interest groups were targeted directly.

5. How was the consultation carried out?

Members of the public were invited to comment on the proposals.  All comments had to be submitted in writing to the council offices or by e-mail to a dedicated e-mail address.

The consultation was promoted extensively to ensure that as many people as possible were made aware.

This included:

• Letters delivered to the properties directly adjacent to Hartsdown Park and Tivoli Park (this included 2,000 properties)
• Adverts placed in local newspapers
• Press release issued to local media
• E-mails and letters sent to local resident, community, interest and sports groups
• Letters sent to Ward Councillors
• Information available to view on the council’s website - with Margate FC button on the front page
• Flyers available to collect in local libraries and sports centres.

6. What were the results of the consultation?

173 individual representations, 4 group representations and 2 petitions were submitted.

View a summary of the consultation responses

7. What happened next?

• Cabinet Members carried out a site visit to the football club grounds to walk through the proposals on Thursday 22 December at 2.00pm.

View the procedure note from the Council Leader which details the order of business at the site visit.

The proposals and consultation responses were then considered at the following meetings:

• Cabinet - Thursday 5 January 2012 and Thursday 2 February 2012
• Full Council - Thursday 19 January 2012

8. What was the final decision?

The full set of recommendations agreed by the council on 19 January and Cabinet on 2 February were to:  

• support the extension of the current lease for the main ground from 10 to 24 years;
• refuse granting a lease for an extended area for a football pitch, as this is too intrusive in Hartsdown Park;
• advise the removal of the extended parking area from the proposal or, at most, grant a small extension to the current car park. This would require the developers to seek an alteration to the current planning condition on parking provision. The reason for this is to avoid any further significant intrusion in Tivoli Park;
• support the granting of a lease within the current football ground area for the construction of a hotel in line with the approved planning application, but try and ensure that the lease is as short as possible, whilst still making the project work financially. Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Cllr. Alan Poole, to agree the final length of lease, in consultation with Cllr. Rosalind Binks; and
• support the extension of the lease for the current five-a-side pitches and car park from 15 to 24 years, to coincide in timing with the main ground lease.

Tel: 01843 577589

E-mail: consultation@thanet.gov.uk