MataHari

a more realistic picture.........Jumeirah Beach park on Friday....

W10

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Society/10114718.html

Well done Shk Mo...well done.

Reigning your children back in is a good thing!! I mean for christ's sake, the guy is only 25 and he's basically running Dubai Municipality...

Blue Cat

didn't realise he was that young I must be getting him confused with someone else.

arbroath_abroad

totally agree. for once common sense has prevailed. (for the time being)

shiva

I love benevolent dictatorships. In a democracy that would have taken months of committees to stop. Well done Sheikh Mohammed.

Still think it needs a corniche type walkway though

Blue Cat

it has prob been sold to someone else for more money!

Fairydust

'Great will be able to canx my beach club again now

W10

No...in a democracy a public beach wouldn't have been closed in the first place. Most public beaches like this would have covenents on them in the first place.

and if someone bought it (because in a democracy it would need to be bought), the public would have the chance to inspect the plans, objections, planning permissions, referrals to the secretary of state etc...

shiva

A fair point and I admire your faith W10, but have you ever tried to fight a building plan in the UK. If the right sums have greased the right palms its impossible. Its also impossible to get planning permission in most towns in the UK unless you grease the right palm. I've tried to do both and beleive me democracy aint in it!

W10

The unarguable point is that it would be protected by covenant. The issue of a public beach being turned into flats and shops would not come up.

Nimbys can hold up plans for years and years, so much so that the project becomes unviable. Look at how long it took the GOVERNMENT to force through Heathrow Terminal 5. Private developers would not get that far.

On the flip side, if you fit the planning guidelines (which most developments don't) then you will probably get permission. I obtained planning permission to alter my apartment in Kensington and Chelsea (who are notorious for refusing permissions) simply by following the guidelines set by the council architects.