The Madness of the Metes

[longdog]

That is certainly a high risk bet for the developer. I'd not get into that mess without some pretty firm if covert assurances that the planning thing would go his way, whatever they are saying in public.

It really does not make a lot of sense otherwise. Cleaned up the land may be worth a tenth of the clean-up cost.

I rather get the feeling this is one of those cases where a developer hopes they're going to get planning permission on the basis that they're not quite as bad as the previous owner of the land who didn't even pretend to obey the law. Not the sort of thing I'd invest my meagre savings in to be honest.

[The Seventh String]

With the EA already aware and involved any developer or landowner would be unwise to try and cut corners clearing and decontaminating the site. The EA will probably want to see an action plan, who the contractors are and whether they have the necessary paperwork for dealing with what has to be assumed is a contaminated site and so on. HSE would have an interest as well if their relevant laws weren’t being followed. The penalties for not doing things correctly can be remarkably steep.

Whoever gets to pick up the bill for properly disposing of the stuff and decontaminating the site will need deep pockets. Where we live, like a lot of brownfield sites in the West Midlands, was a factory site for a century then cleared for housing in the 80s when the factory went under. The developers had to start by scraping off about 15 feet of soil to be certain any known or potential contaminants had been removed. They still made a reasonable profit on the estate, which isn’t salubrious by any means.

But at least they knew what they were dealing with when they took the job on. That huge pile of rubble and garbage could contain pretty much anything anyone wanted to dispose of on the cheap and no questions asked.

[Siegfried Shrink]

If I were the developer I'd have created a new limited company to buy the land and do all the planning and so on for the development. If, after all possible efforts to get permission to do something profitable with the site had failed, and before laying out millions clearing up, or if the local authority cleaned it up at the owners expense, the limited company could be put into liquidation, limiting the loss to maybe £50,000, which I would consider a reasonable bet in such a high stakes gamble.

[SteveUK]

At the moment, after coughing £20k for the land, he's paying £5k a week just for security. The council have indicated they won't grant his plan for a residential plot. I think he's going to struggle to turn a profit on this one.

[Hercule Parrot]

At the moment, after coughing £20k for the land, he's paying £5k a week just for security. The council have indicated they won't grant his plan for a residential plot. I think he's going to struggle to turn a profit on this one.

Utterly crazy. If the waste removal isn't funded by development of the land, only two possibilities remain. Either the land remains a contaminated eyesore forever, or Canterbury City Council pays £1m for the clearance work.

It appears that common-sense did eventually prevail, and development was approved -
https://www.rpclandandnewhomes.co.uk/la ... -wood-farm

Google satellite map shows the clearance works -

[grixit]

That is true, I'd forgotten that aspect. Any value the land had would be far less than the penalties.
A google Earth view of the farmland shows what might be a couple of acres covered with dumped material.

There's a photo here, they estimate about 5 Olympic sized swimming's pools worth.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/ ... ous-38486/

Worst remake of Alice's Restaurant ever!

[ArthurWankspittle]

I'm losing track of what's going on here. RPC are agents for who? I can see the solution is to sell the land to a real developer who will have to clean the place up, but who is getting what out of this?
Edit: Right er, so HF developments now own it and hope to move it on either before or after clearing it up, with a price to match.

Given the expected prices, that land could be worth £2.5m in a near ready to build on state, so this whole thing might actually get sorted.

[Siegfried Shrink]

It appears this was all done and dusted 3 years ago, making recent speculation rather foolish although more or less accurate.

[SteveUK]

They're back!!!! 1!!!

[ArthurWankspittle]

What is going on that they are in Crown Court? Also be aware that this may be an ongoing trial so careful with the comments please.

[TheRambler]

They're back!!!! 1!!!

The case number is one of the two referred to in their cancelled hearing last June.

So, the original matter; whatever that is; is ongoing.

TheRambler

[TheRambler]

Maidstone Crown Court 4 T20180053
Billie Rose Mete
James Mete
Lucy Mete
Details: - No Information To Display -
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 00:00 - 10:32
Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 11:53
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 14:00 - 12:12

They’re back today, Wednesday, and scheduled to continue tomorrow. No mention of the case in any local media. It obviously hasn’t excited much interest.

TheRambler

[Siegfried Shrink]

Local mdiae my be observing sub judice rules.

[AnOwlCalledSage]

Slated for Monday so it's not over yet.

[TheRambler]

Slated for Monday so it's not over yet.

Have you any idea of what they’ve been charged with? There’s no mention in the local press, not really surprising as unless it’s particularly interesting they tend only to report when a verdict is received and sentence awarded. It’s the number of witnesses that intrigues me and that they are being tried together.

A whiff of conspiracy perhaps?

The Rambler

[Siegfried Shrink]

There was a fair bit about this when they first showed up. I think they are charged with illegal dumping of waste on a massive scale.

[TheRambler]

There was a fair bit about this when they first showed up. I think they are charged with illegal dumping of waste on a massive scale.

I have just read through the transcripts and think I see how it has arrived at this stage. It would appear to be the original case has finally arrived at the trial stage.

TheRambler

[Gregg]

I think it was more along the lines of running an illicit toxic waste dump. It involved a company dumping waste on farmland, not the neighbors emptying the bins in the garden.

[ArthurWankspittle]

Have you any idea of what they’ve been charged with? There’s no mention in the local press, not really surprising as unless it’s particularly interesting they tend only to report when a verdict is received and sentence awarded. It’s the number of witnesses that intrigues me and that they are being tried together.

Likely that is the press approach. Lots of witnesses would fit with allegations of dumping and licences and the like.

[TheRambler]

I think it was more along the lines of running an illicit toxic waste dump. It involved a company dumping waste on farmland, not the neighbors emptying the bins in the garden.

I feel that it largely academic as they have a cast iron defence tactic doomed to failure of denying the jurisdiction of the court. I saw no hint whatsoever of any connection with reality in the transcript and somehow doubt the trial will be any different.

I look forward to the press summary when the trial is concluded, provided that is, that the prosecution doesn’t lose the case due to poor administration. There has been evidence of that at the previous hearing.

TheRambler