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Sponsored parish council | News Boxley Parish Mail
CHAIRMAN: Ivor Davies CLERK: Pauline Bowdery ASST CLERK: Melanie Fooks Parish Office, Beechen Hall,Wildfell Close,Walderslade, ME5 9RU
Tel: 01634 861237 email:
clerk@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk Website:
www.boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk Contact details for parish councillors can be obtained from the parish office, the Useful Contact Details leaflet or the website Call to volunteers
THE parish council acknowledges the excellentwork of the many vol- unteers working within the com- munity, but there can never be enough. Many village hall management committees, environmental groups, schools, etcwouldwelcome help. Parish council chairman Ivor Davies said: “In a busyworld it can be hard to find time to help others but if more volunteers don’t come forward many community activi- ties that people take for granted will deteriorate and ultimately dis- appear.” If you would like to do your bit,
the parish office can forward any expressions of interest.
Fence disappears
A HAZEL wicket fence about six feet long has disappeared from WaldersladeWoods. Two of the fenceswere built there
by a volunteer as examples of a dying art. Theywere placed in two of the dry valleys that cut through the woods, each with a framed ex- planatory notice. Now one of the fences has disappeared, complete with its notice.
Advertising vans
BOROUGH Cllr Wendy Hinder has reported that she had received complaints about advertising vans parked on the Lidsing Road bridge over the M2 motorway. She was investigating whether
this could be dealt with under plan- ning regulations. The parish office has contacted
the companies responsible for the vans to ask that they refrain from parking there.
Memorial plaque
ARRANGEMENTS are now in place for a plaque to be placed on a low stand to the right of Boxleywar memorial to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. The plaque will have a black back- ground with gold lettering.
Consultation over
The informal initial public consul- tation period for the neighbour- hood development plan has now closed. The parish council will con- sider the comments received at its September meeting.
18 Maidstone East August 2014
Objections to homes planned at studios site
THE parish council has objected to Maidstone Studios’ plan for 77 prop- erties on the undeveloped area of the site atNewCut Road, Grove Green. It has asked that the application
be reported to Maidstone Council’s planning committee for elected members to make the decision. In its response the parish council expressed concerns about the abil- ity of the educational infrastructure to cope, with local schools being al- ready over-subscribed; and the lack of recreational facilities. It is re- questing a section 106 payment to- wards providing or improving play provision in the immediate area if the application is approved. The on-road car parking issues in
Grove Green when large audiences attend the studios is a continuing problem and the council has asked that, if the planning officer is minded to approve the application, a condition be put in place that, prior to any development, arrange-
missing from the current proposal. This site is far closer to centres of employment than many of the de- velopment sites that have recently been proposed for housing people who need such assistance. The council also noted that in
ments be made for audiences to use the Sittingbourne Road park and ride facility. Whilst aware that this proposal replaces an earlier plan for 142 dwellings on the same site (to which the parish council objected but MBC approved), and the num- ber of properties now proposed is almost half that previously agreed, the council has objected that the provision of affordable housing is
2007 the applicant argued that the original development was needed to safeguard the future of Maid- stone Studios.Without this cash in- jection they would probably close. Seven years on there had been no such development and the studios were still there. Aware that a confi- dential financial and business state- ment had been submitted to MBC, the parish council has asked that this be closely scrutinised in the light of this and the studios adver- tising themselves as a business park.
Concerns overwaste plan Puddle to ponds
THE parish council has raised a number of concerns regarding the proposed use of a waste transfer centre at North Dane Way, Lordswood, close to the parish boundary. Replying to an Environment Agency consultation on an envi- ronmental permit application by 3RWaste Ltd, the council said the site is in a sensitive area with ex- tensive housing estates, a leisure complex and farmland nearby and in a water catchment area. There was also a proposal to build 500 homes close by and possible fur-
ther large developments in the neighbourhood have been mooted.
Commenting on the company’s
own risk assessment, the council considered the highway infra- structure to be inadequate, which could lead to contamination through accidental spillage. There were also fears of fly-tipping of asbestos waste by unscrupulous contractors on the roadside near the site and of wildlife such as birds and foxes ripping open the plastic bags containing such waste.
HGVs blamed for footway damage A MEMBER of the public reported that the roadside footway leading to the north-bound Sandling bus stop on busy Blue Bell Hill had been ploughed up, possibly by a lorry. It is thought thatHGVs are parking there overnight and churning up the
path as they power-up to gain speed to get out of the layby. KCC has said that remedial work is planned, but it could take three months to resolve the issue. Repairs will also include some form of restriction or physical barrier to stop the HGVs parking there.
CLLR Tony Harwood confirmed that funding had now been at- tracted for two more ponds at Box- ley Warren Local Nature Reserve, costing an estimated £2,000. Sites had been chosen where
there was flooding and puddling on the Pilgrims’Way. The first one built had filled up very quickly and itwas hoped the pondswould keep the footpath drier.
Fly-tipping action
IN response to concerns expressed at the parish council about in- creased fly-tipping in Yelsted Lane, CllrWendy Hinder said shewas in- vestigating whether covert filming could be put in place and had asked Maidstone Council to flag it as a fly-tipping hotspot.
Welcome Martin
MARTIN Hinchliffe a long-term resident in Grove Green, was co- opted to fill the vacant SouthWard seat on the parish council at its July meeting.
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