Golding Homes accused in allotments row
GOLDING Homes has been accused of “let- ting down” the people of Staplehurst after not providing allotments that had been or- dered by Maidstone Council. In August last year the social housing landlord was given permission to replace three garage blocks and allotments south of Bell Lane with six bungalows for the elderly on condition of a £4,725 Section 106 con- tribution towards allotment provision. However, Golding Homes and officers
from Maidstone Council say they have been unable to find a site for the allotments. Land at Chapel Lane was considered un- suitable due to access problems and exist- ing uses, while land at the far end of Bell Lane had ecological issues relating to a pond as well as complications over access and an existing footpath. Despite the Section 106 agreement, Gold-
Mobile home CATHRYN Meddemen has ap- pliedtositeamobilehomeat Ewell Manor, Ewell Lane,West Farleigh, until the end of 2014. Last December she was given planning permission for a large house at the rural location under government policy PSS7, and the mobile home would be temporary accommodation dur- ing construction.
Games room plan MR Arlidge has applied to con- vert a garage into a games room in Norton Court, Church Road, Chart Sutton.
ing Homes was given planning permission to press on with the scheme without fund- ing the allotments, which angered Staple- hurst Parish Council. Representative Cllr Paul Butcher said: “The land belonged to the borough council and was leased for al- lotment land to Staplehurst Parish Council from 1970. In 2007 we tried to renew the lease but failed as it had been passed to Golding Homes.We now have 36 people on our waiting list for allotments.” Cllr Richard Lusty, chair of the planning committee and local borough member, said: “What I find difficult to accept is that Gold- ing Homes had given notice to residents who had allotments and can just wave a magic wand and say that it is not going to pay the £4,725 that was promised. “They can’t even be bothered to turn up to this committee meeting. I don’t find this
WORK is about to start on an adventure playground for chil- dren inWest Farleigh. The parish council has in- vested £7,000 in nine pieces of equipment from Playdale, who use laminated timber to create “adventure trails”. The company, which has a
sales office in Kings Hill, has supplied a number of other local parishes, includingWater- ingbury, Hunton and Teston. The trail will incorporate a
log walk, a zig-zag stepper and striding stilts as well as timber and twine combinations.
The council obtained four competitive quotes and opted for Playdale because they be- lieved it would last longer than merely treated timber.
acceptable. The people of Staplehurst have been let down and this sends out a very bad message to residents and other villages.” Despite this strength of feeling, council of-
ficers advised the committee to allow Gold- ing Homes to build the development without providing allotments because a re- fusal on this one ground would be likely to be defeated at appeal. Committee member, Cllr Tony Harwood
said: “The fault was that when the council transferred the allotments it lost control of them and in statutory terms there is nothing we can do. We did not transfer them to Golding Homes properly. “We need to work on improving things in
the future rather than trying to correct mis- takes in the past.” Ten of the 12 committee members voted in favour of the development going ahead.
New playground forWest Farleigh
Solar scheme PETER Checkley has applied for retrospective planning permis- sion for 16 solar panels at Castle Farm, Heath Road, East Farleigh. Mr Checkley had previously
been given permission for solar panels on the roof of cold stores and a 30m wind turbine, but these schemes had not been completed. The statement for the applica-
tion, which will be determined by Maidstone Council, said: “I have agreed with our neighbour Jack Martin that we will erect a 2m fence between our houses so the panels will not be visible from his house.”
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