Friends of Margate Caves website is go!

How fabulously fast these good people have worked to get a website up and running and also fully constituted. Check out: http://www.margatecaves.co.uk

We also received this info from the group:

"Please circulate to anyone whom you think would be interested in the future of the Caves.

Good evening everyone,

Over the past three weeks, I've been struck by the number of people I've met who have enduring, visceral and tangible memories of being inside the Margate Caves. I've met people who've returned to Margate/Cliftonville to live and who visited the caves every time they came to Margate/Cliftonville as children on holiday and even now still regret their closure in 2006. The scientific, geological, historical and cultural heritage of the Caves needs to be conserved and it is because of this that I am forwarding the following information from the Friends of the Margate Caves.

A message from the newly formed "Friends of Margate Caves"--

Thanet District Council has submitted a Planning Application to build houses on part of the Margate Caves site. The community reaction to this application has led to the formation of "The Friends of MargateCaves" (FOMC).

The FOMC have two aims:

• To safeguard the Margate Caves and gain recognition for the heritage site as one of national interest and importance

• To re-open Margate Caves as a prominent, popular, public amenity for the benefit of all who visit or reside in Margate/Cliftonville/Thanet

There’s strength in numbers so please join us! We’ll send you regular email updates on the latest Caves news and FOMC activities. Simply email info@margatecaves.co.ukwith Please make me a friend in the subject line.

The website for FRIENDS OF MARGATE CAVES is now up and running. Please consider leaving your comments, suggestions, memories and a donation to the FOMC www.margatecaves.co.uk

The Friends welcome any and all contributions. The issue of building houses on the Caves site has been simmering for a while and despite assurances that the plans were on hold, everyone has been amazed to see that very recently TDC cleared the land, chopped down tree(s) and poured concrete to seal off the main entrance to the Caves.

The current TDC planning application flies in the face of the results of its own Margate Caves Consultation (2009). Over 90% of respondents opposed the sale and development of the site. Specific concerns voiced included infilling of any part of the Caves and the potential loss of a tourist attraction for the town. Representations included one from Margate Civic Society and a petition of 2,592 signatures.

The Caves are an important and fascinating part of our area's tourism offer. Their potential worth is far greater than that of seven poorly-designed houses, which would be built immediately adjacent to a conservation area. With Margate on the brink of a bright new tourism future, FOMC believe that this is an ill-conceived proposal that will extinguish any hope of the Caves being re-opened as a tourist attraction.

If you would like to read the application, you should go to:

http://www.ukplanning.com/thanet

and search for application number: F/TH/10/0546

If you would like to object to the application, click the "Comment on Application" button.

You will need to complete your name and address. Then click Object to the proposal.

There is also a Save the Caves Facebook Group"

Spread the word!