There are fears a multi-million-pound council project will end up as just “an empty tin shed” as businesses appear to have shown little interest in the plans.
The Port of Ramsgate was originally meant to host a so-called ‘green campus’ for training, enterprise and light industry, but after years in the works, money needed from the private sector has not yet come forward.
Thanet District Council (TDC) received £19.8million from the government as part of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) for projects around the district.
Some £6.1m was earmarked for the Military Road campus, built partially by the council and partially by the private sector, but critics say it’s no surprise investors aren’t forthcoming, as the plans are still sparse and without “vision”.
And time is running out, as the deadline for expressions of interest is next Wednesday, October 30.
It is hoped the site will provide training, education and business opportunities for the marine and maritime sector.
Project bosses also want the buildings to be ‘eco-friendly’, running completely on electricity rather than gas.
They’re also envisioning electric vehicle charging points as well as parking spots for bikes.
However, a report prepared for TDC’s cabinet meeting on Thursday says anticipated match-funding from the private sector has not been “forthcoming and secured”.
“The design has developed to be a phased scheme, with the first phase achievable within the LUF budget,” the report adds.
According to the development brief, the campus would consist of three blocks, labelled Blocks A, B and C, with TDC constructing A and C, while a developer or tenant would take on B.
A planning application has been submitted, which will define the actual physical structure, but not necessarily what it ends up used for. The application has not yet been published.
The lack of detail so far has drawn criticism.
Cllr John Davis (Con) on TDC describes the expectation that businesses will come forward as it stands as “frankly ludicrous” .
“How can you go out to tender and go into a binding contract when you don’t actually have a specification, a model or a vision?” he asked.
“What sensible contractor is going to do that?”
“At the moment we’re looking at an empty tin shed with solar panels on the roof.”
Cllr Davis argues that with the Thanet wind farm off the peninsula’s coast, there’s no shortage of possibilities for the campus to be used, but TDC has scuppered those possibilities.
He goes on: “Match funding we were told was a key part of the whole levelling up process, which was designed as seed money to attract further investment.
“Instead of that we end up with a project with no match funding, no business case that we can find, and more questions than answers.
“It’s poor management I believe and profligate spending of money potentially for the sake of spending that money.”
Money from the government’s Levelling-Up Fund is time-limited – so local authorities which receive it must spend it within a deadline – and TDC’s is March 2026.
TDC is planning to build two blocks of the campus itself between January 2025 and March 2026, while the developer will be expected to develop its section by March 2027.
Stephen Byrne, of the Ramsgate Regeneration Alliance, is also sceptical of the authority’s management of the project.
“It’s not ‘build it and they’ll come’ – build it and provide a complete management infrastructure to allow their businesses to grow,” he says.
“As it stands, without a business plan, of course it’s not going to work. Who’s it going to sell to, who’s going to buy its services?”
Despite the gloomy tone of the council report, council leader Cllr Rick Everitt sought to emphasise there has been “significant interest” in the campus, and warned that naysayers could deter potential investors, in a statement given to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Cllr Everitt said: “The council is currently inviting expressions of interest from maritime organisations to develop Block B, one of the three green campus buildings which have been designed and submitted for planning approval. We have received significant interest in this opportunity, which will contribute match funding to the green campus programme.
“While we understand that there are differing opinions about the green campus and wider Levelling Up schemes in Ramsgate, it’s crucial to highlight that a unified community approach is essential for attracting investment and fostering growth. Negative commentary locally from parties who cannot be fully sighted during negotiations because of commercial confidentiality can inadvertently create an environment that deters potential investors, ultimately impacting our town’s development and the benefits that new projects could bring.
“The council remains committed to engagement and collaboration with the local community. By working together and focusing on constructive solutions, we can create a positive narrative that highlights the opportunities available in Ramsgate and the wider district.”
It’s understood that when the bid for Levelling Up cash was submitted, it was anticipated that match funding would come from renewable energy businesses already based in Ramsgate.
However, the companies then confirmed they were not considering expanding their land-based operations.
After announcing the opportunity for investors at the beginning of this year, a number of responses were received from potential investors interested in the campus.
This will inform the council’s decision making in relation to the long-term operation of the building.
