College eyes struggling gardens Continued from page one


shop, into a viable business. Despite a number of new and successful initiatives, including children’s activities, business breakfasts, ‘knit ins’ and out- door concerts and drama, Paul and his team conceded defeat after just 18months in business. A group of volunteers have


been tending to the gardens since they closed to the public in October 2011 and will be opening them to the public, for one day only, on June 23, from 1 – 5pm.


Co-ordinator Martin Johnson


said supporters had considered various ideas to ‘save’ the gar- dens, including setting up a community interest company,


MEMBERS of West Farleigh Parish Council are looking at ways ofmaking the village safer for pedestrians and motorists. The council is considering


sites for the erection of a gate- way – the white picket-fence style gates now in widespread use around the county, to delin- eate village boundaries. Wide verges are necessary for


the gates to be erected, on either side of the road, but the cost of such gates had greatly reduced, the council was told.


such as the one at Teston, set up several years ago to protect land from development. However, needing a po-


tential ‘pot’ of funds of £200,000, little momen- tum had been achieved. Mr Johnson said fund-


ing from Yalding parish, Maidstone borough and Kent county councils could together help secure the future of the gardens, although a recent bid for funds from the Cobtree Charity Trust failed. Although the trustees would


like to see the gardens maintained for organic and educational use, they have now conceded it may be necessary to sell.


They say the sale of the free-


hold would only be to ‘an ap- propriate purchaser’ and would include covenants which would protect those objectives. A spokesman for the trustees


said: “It has been very difficult for any of the tenants to make a success of the gardens. The trustees have always tried to en-


Council focuses on village safety Cllr Chris Stockwell said the


gates had proved to be an effec- tive psychological tool in getting drivers to slow down on the ap- proach to a village and Cllr Paulina Stockell said she would be prepared to fund the gates from her KCC member highways grant if the parish council was able to find a suitable site. Parish Cllr Julie King has also attended Speedwatch training and is now seeking volunteers to help roll out the scheme across the village.


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She told the parish council that neighbouring villages, such as Wateringbury, had put volunteers on Speedwatch four or five times a week, with impressive results. Although the group has no power of enforcement, its pres- ence works as a deterrent to would-be speeding drivers. She said the aim of Speedwatch was to increase awareness of speed and improve road safety. Volunteers prepared to give a


fewhours of their time are needed to get the ball rolling, she said.


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sure the future of the gardens in terms of organic and educa- tional use ... and have regarded their duty as trying to ensure that an occupier of the gardens maintains their original objec- tive. As has been seen by the failure of the three tenants, this has been extremely difficult. While the trust continues to deliberate, Mr Johnson would be delighted to hear from any- one with business experience who may be able to help take a community interest project for- ward. He continues to seek more volunteerswith a range of skills, including fencing, labouring and DIY and can be contacted on 01622 815498.


Farm shop plan A FARM shop and apple store will not form part of a proposed caravan and campsite at Forstal Farm, Stockett Lane, Coxheath. Applicant Roger Lee has withdrawn his planning appli- cation for all of the above, say- ing he will submit a new one with just camping and caravan- ning facilities. The original proposal was for a 114sqm farm shop, 85sqm apple store and 44sqm utility block. The buildings were planned to serve 17 touring pitches for cara- vans and 26 tent pitches.


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