Council refuses Bluebell Wood plea
A PETITION signed by more than 2,000 fu- rious residents to preserve meadowland south of Bluebell Wood, Allington, fell on deaf ears when it was handed over to mem- bers of Maidstone Council’s cabinet. Despite an assurance from council leader
ChrisGarland that therewas “not a great deal of difference” in the opinions of the council and the protesters, the cabinet failed to retract its earlier decision to include part of the wood, east of Hermitage Lane, in its latest draft strategic housing allocation. With developer Croudace set to submit a planning application, residents who enjoy the peace and quiet of the ancient woodland fear the council is set to ride roughshod over their wishes – and the wood. An original plan for land east of Her- mitage Lane included just one plot – but, in March, the cabinet added a separate section without recourse to public opinion. Although the council says residents will
have a chance to make their views known in a future public consultation,members of NAGS – the New Allington Action Group – fear it could already be too late. Keith Young, chair of NAGS, who pre- sented the petition to the cabinet, said: “This is fast becoming a test case for other threatened sites aroundMaidstone and it is
crucial MBC amends its policy. If the coun- cil allows this to go ahead, its decision could be considered unsound as the na- tional planning policy framework states that ancient woodland must be protected.” A previously-approved development of a
site identified by Croudace in October 2000 has been superseded by a significantly more ambitious plan for 600 or more houses on a much extended
site.Ancient woodlands and orchards will be destroyed to make way for roads, housing and a school, says the group. Jasper Gerard, Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman, said: “On March 13, the cabinet decided to change its housing allocation and put our wood at risk. The cabinet had the chance to change it back again to pro- tect the wood – and chose not to do so.” Chief planning officer Rob Jarman said:
“No planning application has been submit- ted by Croudace and reports on this and other suggested housing sites will come back to us in September for further consid- eration, along with the views of Natural England, KCC and ecological agencies.” But Cllr Tony Harwood, the Lib Dem planning spokesman, said residents were “sitting on a ticking time bomb” should Croudace submit its plans before Septem- ber. He said: “This wood is in real danger. Maidstone needs to fight for its own destiny – not rely on Natural England and other ex- ternal agencies.” Cllr Stephen Paine, cabinet member for planning and development, said: “As a council, we are doing the best we can to protect this land: we are following policy.” Following the meeting, Cllr Harwood
said: “The analogy I would make is with a householder who pre-emptively burns their own house down because they fear an ar- sonist might one day do the same.” Mr Gerard said: “Unless the cabinet over-
turns the decision made on March 13, the de- veloper is bound to take it as a green light. “With the decision of Eric Pickles to de-
stroy Oaken Wood and a dozen ancient woods under threat of development in our borough, I fear for the future of theWeald.”
Planning fears
for countryside Continued from page one
The hillside (left) was packed as flag-waving concertgoers made the most of the sunshine
Flying the flag at castle concert
REVELLERSwavedtheir British flags with pride and sang patriotic songs as they enjoyed the open air classical concert at Leeds Castle. The show, attendedbyarecord14,000people,wasnarratedby former
Strictly Come Dancing winner Chris Hollins and featured theRoyal Phil- harmonic Orchestra (conducted by John Rigby), the Military Wives Choir and the Patriot Girls. The audiencewas also treated to air displays. A Kent Spitfire flypast got the ball rolling, and then Blades Aerobatic
Display Team showed off more than 30 aerobatic manoeuvres. The au- diencewas then treated to an amazing spectacle for the opening of the main show, as the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft took to the skies.
Mayor Cllr Clive English (left) enjoys the spectacle, and below, the choir from Sutton Valence Prep School performs. Right, all the flag-waving was hard work for this guest
Chris Hawkins admitted at a recent planning committee meeting that “speculative appli- cations can now be submitted”. Council leader, Cllr Garland, highlighted a recent planning inspector’s decision to allow 200 homes because South Gloucestershire Council did not have a required five-year housing land supply as a warn- ing for Maidstone. Longer term, he says it is cru-
cial that the council gets its Core Strategy in place. After a call for sites in February, the cabinet will decide which ones it will allocate for housing in September. The number will be based on a higher target of 14,800 dwellings between 2011 and 2031. Following a six-week public consultation, the sites will be decided by the full council be- fore being signed off by the Government, hopefully by sum- mer next year. He said: “We need to get our
local plan in place, butwe have to do it responsibly so we can get it right first time. Any de- lays to the process will result in more speculative applications.” Cllr Tony Harwood, the Lib
Dem planning spokesman, said the council was paying for tak- ing a “laissez-faire” approach to regeneration policies. He said: “There are still sig- nificant amounts of land across our town, villages and hamlets requiring regeneration and modernisation, which will now just be left to rot because devel- opers have been, quite deliber- ately, allowed to pursue a ‘greenfield first’ approach.”
6 Town Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk
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