Plea to stay on Nurses’ home plan revealed
temporary site PROPOSALS for the retention of a gypsy site off Branbridges Road, East Peckham, have been submitted to Tonbridge and Malling Council. Kevin Eastwood has applied
for the use of green belt land be- hind the Rose and Crown pub for one family with two cara- vans, including a static home, an access driveway and the erec- tion of an amenity building. Agent Philip Brown said Mr Eastwood used to live on the gypsy site at Windmill Lane, West Malling, but was not on good terms with the resident families since he parted from his ex-wife who still lived there. He had lived at the unautho-
rised site at HoathWoods,West Malling, but moved, when his wife was expecting their sec- ond child, “to establish a set- tled base for his family, in an area where he has long-stand- ing family, social, health care and economic connections”. Mr Brown said there were spe-
cial circumstances to justify the granting of planning permission including the need for private site provision in the borough, the applicant’s need for a site in this area, and the human rights implications of the failure in a development plan to provide for the accommodation needs of gypsies and travellers in Ton- bridge andMalling.
MAIDSTONE & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is seeking to develop some of its land – but the financial proceeds will not be used to ease its PFI burden. The trust, one of several in the country facing a financial crisis, is struggling to repay a private finance initiative (PFI) contract that was taken out to build the Pembury Hospital in Tunbridge Wells. It has submitted a planning ap- plication to redevelop the former nurses’ home (pictured), on the junction of Hermitage Lane and Oakapple Lane, Barming, to pro- vide 53 residential units. A supporting statement said
the property had been vacant for some time. “The facilities are not up to current standards, the building has a maintenance backlog which has resulted in it being unviable to refurbish, and is a space surplus to require- ments.” A trust spokeswoman said one-off payments to clear debts were forbidden in PFI agree- ments, where a contracted amount is paid monthly. She added: “The planning consent is a way to maximise our income from the sale of the site –wehavenointentionof building on it ourselves. Any profit from the sale will be put back into trust funds.”
The 53 homes would com-
prise 18 one-bedroom flats, 12 four-bedroom three-storey houses for private sale, eight three-bedroom three-storey houses for affordable rent, six two-bedroom flats, five three- storey houses for private sale and four four-bedroom two- storey houses for private sale. The statement added: “The
main block, together with the adjacent block to the north, forms an urban square at the junction of Hermitage Lane and Oakapple Lane with central landscaped area, reinforcing the urban form and architectural quality.
“Amenity space for residents
has been considered ... to ensure all units have a good level of nat- ural daylight and outlook on to enhanced landscaped areas.” Maidstone Councilwill deter-
mine the planning application, whichisinoutlineformwith all matters reserved for future consideration. The cost of the trust’s PFI re-
payment is £1.7million amonth from a monthly income of £30 million. The repayments are set to continue for 30 years, by which time the total bill will hit £612 million – compared with the £228 million initial cost. On top of these payments, the Government is asking trusts to save between £15 million and £20 million every year for the next three years, and staff have been invited to apply for volun- tary redundancy. MP Sir John Stanley has re- peated his call for a public in- quiry into the debt crisis facing the trust. Heath secretary Jeremy Hunt
has already turned down the re- quest from the ConservativeMP for Tonbridge and Malling, say- ing the government was already undertaking two enquiries, but Sir John claims the need for an inquiry is clear. He says he will be asking Mr Hunt whether the trust is eligible for help from a £1.5billion fund set aside to help cash-strapped trusts.
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