Green light for school housing plan
KCC has been given permission to build housing in the Ulcombe Primary School playing field. The county council aims to sell off the land to
a housing developer, and use the capital receipt to build an extension in the school for a new li- brary and staffroom.Work is also to be done to the playground. The project will cost an estimated £280,000. In October 2010, Maidstone Council refused the county council’s application to erect four semi-
PAULINE Moore is leaving 10 of her 12 acres toBearstedWoodlandTrust, to be added to the 16 acres it alreadymanages. The trust was originally formed by res- idents in the face of threatened hous- ing development byWards. It was in June 2003, on the afternoon
of the Bearsted fayre, that Wards sud- denly began clearing trees from the site, provoking a massive public outcry. At this point, the Ashness family, own-
ers of nearby Mote Hall, decided to buy the land fromWards in order to protect it as green space, and give the bulk of it to the village in per- petuity. In August a group of 50 volunteers startedwork to clear rubbish from the site. In October the land
had been completed. The whips, planted at five per metre along Ash- ford Road and Roundwell, included hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, holly, field maple and cherry, interspersed with 20 substantial trees. Cllr Mortimer, who planted two specimens, said: “It’s an absolutely
Volunteers in the second work party, including donor PaulineMoore (left of centre) in the red scarf
Hedgerow planting brings community out in force Continued from page one
was offered to TheWoodland Trust, who refused it, so the decision was taken to create a local char- ity to own and manage the land. In December, Medway Valley Countryside Partnership was ap- pointed to produce a management plan. The first meeting of
amazing scheme. They have a great community spirit.” The project was funded by the Phillips Foundation, the Tree Coun- cil, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers through the Heritage Lot- tery Fund and local county council- lor Jenny Whittle through her KCC devolved budget.
the Bearsted Wood- land Trust manage- ment committee was held in January 2004. Pauline is on the com- mittee. “She is just a fantastic person,” said life president Peter Willson, pictured ex- treme left.
detached properties on the site of the former ad- venture play area in the field. It has now accepted a proposal to build one detached and two semi- detached houses on condition that a replacement dawn redwood tree is planted to compensate for the one that will be destroyed in the develop- ment. The decision notice also called for no accom- modation above the first-floor level to prevent overlooking and a loss of privacy.
Spadework helps Pauline’s dream come true
Tool thefts arrests THREE people were arrested by Kent police following a spate of tool thefts from vans parked atMaidstone hotels. Workmen lost not only their
tools, but also business as a re- sult of the thefts. Hotels in the town have
been issued with crime pre- vention leaflets and workmen urged to take valuable tools indoors overnight. CCTV footage helped police identify three suspects who have since appeared before Maidstonemagistrates. Those arrested, a 20-year-
old and two 22-year-olds, were all from the London area.
Fuel costs blamed
for bus fare hikes ARRIVAhas increased its bus
fares.The public transport company said that rising costs, particularly fuel, and a forthcoming reduction in government fuel grants, forced it to raise most single bus fares by 10p or 20p. Most return fares have also
risen, alongwith day, weekly and four-weekly Savers, ex- cept the Family Day Saver, which is unchanged at £13. Info:
www.arrivabus.co.uk or 0844 800 4411.
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To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 East 3
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