‘Don’t throw away £1.7m KIG cash’
MAIDSTONE Council has been accused of doing a U-turn on a policy of protecting land at the centre of Kent International Gateway plans. The council spent £1.7m opposing the
KIG proposal for a rail/road freight inter- change on land north of Bearsted, culmi- nating in a lengthy public inquiry in 2009. One of its main arguments was the value of the landscape between the A20 and the M20 and between junction 8 and Thurnham Lane – it is designated a Special Landscape Area (SLA). But now the council wants to allocate 11 hectares near J8 for warehousing or other commercial development, and to delete the SLA status as part of its Core Strategy for the next 15 years. This has infuriated residents who fought
Copper theft cuts
phone connections OVER 500 residents and busi- nesses in Bearsted, Detling and Thurnham were disconnected from phone lines and the inter- net after two thefts of copper cable from underground BT ducts.
Around 400m of heavy duty
BT copper main-cable was stolen and apparatus damaged in PilgrimsWay, Detling. A sec- ond raid occurred in the same area a few days later. Kent Highway Services was
also forced to close Pilgrims Way, Detling, between Thurn- ham Lane and Hockers Lane, as it awaited the delivery of re- placement cable from Scotland.
Road safety realities TEENAGERS from St Augus- tine Academy attended a road safety workshop at Maidstone fire station to learn the shock- ing repercussions of dangerous driving.
Maidstone fire station’s Green
Watch are running a road traffic collision (RTC) reduction ini- tiative aimed at 16 to 25-year- olds. The message, delivered via an interactive media pack- age, is followed by a practical demonstration of Kent Fire Ser- vice’s rescue capability The students saw a mock
crash and some acted as casual- ties being cut free from vehicle wreckage. Pupil Paul (16) said: “Watching the firefighters cut the car open was a real eye opener. More people should see it as it really makes you ques- tion what you do when you get into a car.”
so hard to protect land south of the M20 during their long-running KIG campaign. Their mouthpiece, Bearsted & Thurnham Society, has expressed “deep concern” in a response to the draft strategy. “It is in direct contradiction to the line
that the borough council put forward at the KIG planning appeal only two years ago,” the society said. The strategy proposes to strip the area of
its SLA status and to designate it “white space” – so potentially open for develop- ment. The residents’ society says the council “robustly defended” the SLA designation at the KIG inquiry. “Nothing of substance has changed since then.” Indeed, it adds, at an open meeting with the council’s cabinet earlier this year,
leader Cllr Chris Garland and his col- leagues gave a commitment that land at J8 would not be earmarked for development and that land south of the M20 would be given the strongest protection it could pro- vide. The society concludes: “The council should stand by the case it argued at the in- quiry at a cost of £1.7m. “To do otherwise would be to waste the treasure it invested in fighting to protect the area and betray the public commitments it gave a few months ago and on which resi- dents based their votes in last May’s elec- tions.” The society also argues that the council
has enough land with planning permission for commercial development to last it for the next 15 years.
Pond given new lease of life MAIDSTONE landscaping company, The Fryer Group, rebuilt and refurbished the pond at Thurnham CE Infant School, Bearsted, free of charge. Thurnham’s new head teacher, Chris James, said: “We are extremely grateful to Paul Fryer for giving this work free of charge and thank him for making the pond area look so at- tractive. His generosity will enable the children to explore sci- ence and environmental aspects of learning in much greater depth while giving the children a lovely, natural and tranquil area to enjoy.” *Mr James began his new role in September after nine years
as head of Bredhurst C. Primary. He said: “Thurnham is a Christian school with a reputation for excellence, high achievement and, most importantly, care for its pupils. “I fully intend to maintain this status whilst also making it
ready to deal with whatever future challenges the school faces. I look forward to ensuring it remains a happy and friendly place and to working with everyone connected with the school to deliver the very best for our children.”
Head Chris James with Thurnham pupils at their new-look pond
Keep up to date with
local scenes BEAUTIFUL scenes throughout the seasons have been pub- lished in a calendar to raise funds for the care of Bredhurst Wood. All the pictures for the Bred-
hurst Calendar 2012 were taken by BredhurstWoodland Action Group members Jack Picknell and Peter Randall, and each month has a seasonal shot of flora or fauna. The December picture shows
the group’s Christmas gathering for minced pies and mulled wine. BWAG was formed in 2005
by six local residents to address the neglect of the 600-acre an- cient woodland. The calendar costs £8 plus
CSC looks for greater security COMPUTER Sciences Corporation (CSC) has applied to install a 2.4m-high olive green security gate at the entrance of its premises in Pegasus Place, Lodge Road, next to the Vinters Park Nature Re- serve. CSC’s planning statement said: “The proposed gatewill heighten security to the existing entrance and improve the visiting traffic flow in and out of the facility.” The site hosts a detached office building used as a computer data
and storage centre housing sensitive information, including NHS records, on behalf of the Government.
A249 roundabout is key to any new development Continued from page one
difficult to navigate when traffic volumes are high.” The idea was discussed at a recent meeting of
the A249 action group. Mr Moore said the airfield should not be dis- missed just because it is in an AONB. “Wewould not want to see the environment negatively af- fected. It is hardly the most attractive industrial estate now,” he said. Meanwhile, local firm Gallagher Properties has
an option to buy land at Old Mill Road near M20 junction 8.Ward councillor Nick deWiggondene
4 East
said: “They are prepared to take on that piece of land and they have plans for distribution.” Agreeing with a parish councillor, he said he
too had heard rumours that Tesco wanted a site there. But chairman Cllr PeterWaite said: “People are
flying kites. It is all speculative stuff.” Cllr Horne concluded that warehousing is not something Maidstone needs. “It has a low-wage economy. This is the curse it has had for ages. It has a large commuting population. We need a large, organic industry that will help communi- ties.”
£1.50 post and packing. To order call Jim Chalmers on 07870 878907 or email
jim.chalmers@
hotmail.com
No need for house PLANS for a new one-bedroom home at 18 Merton Road, Bearsted, have been blocked. Maidstone Council’s decision
notice said: “The development of this greenfield site, for which there is no overriding need, would fail to respect the char- acter and pattern of develop- ment within the surrounding area due to its design, siting and layout.”
Home withdrawal ASHFOLD Estates has with- drawn its proposal to erect a detached three-bed home on land adjacent to The Cottage, Sutton Street, Bearsted. Six months ago, the devel-
oper outlined an intention to build up to 70 homes on flood land at nearby Cross Keys.
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