Ferry Terminal +

A Guinea Pig named Dover

The recently published Localism Bill claims to “deliver the most comprehensive overhaul of the planning system since 1947”. Dover can be seen at the forefront of the adoption of Localism through its very recent strives in Community ownership of the port. Dover is in need of change and through a macro testing of Localism I aim to suggest the future possibilities to be adopted. It is within a full understanding of beaurocracy that these opportunities can be realised

The Community Right to Buy is a clause within the Bill that has lead to the contested ownership of the Port of Dover. The privatisation of the Port offends the community and lead by MP Charlie Elphicke they have formed a trust to attempt to buy the Port. Ownership would be shared between shareholders, ideally planned as £10 per person in Dover. It is the playing out of this scenario that I take interest in; the changing programme and hybridised land claiming of a community and a seemingly streamlined system of the port. The possible introduction of Civic functions into the port; questioning the planning system; highlighting the interesting dichotomies of non-planning of the port and community opinion based planning of localism. The changing condition of the port will be used as the majority of the design thesis; the Ferry Terminal + will be explored in the terms of programmatic hybrid; the additional civic functions sited within the port to provide shared spaces and ever changing landscapes which relate back to the town.

The changing faces of private company to community; the seemingly un-conservatist social power increase and moments of exchange between contrasting systems are all strands of interest and through the understanding of this real world scenario and playing upon it I aim to provide a useful undertaking which is relevant to Dover and the UK in this time of change.

Inital Thematic Studies

Chris Simmons