Where I live...
East Malling and Larkfield Parish Council New homes approved
With the pressure from central government to allocate more land for new homes, the borough council has approved 32 new dwellings on the Ferns Surfacing site off Bellingham Way, Larkfield. However, in Ditton parish, the company indicated it no longer required the full site and will just be keeping an office. The parish council did not oppose the application as it is a brownfield site but did stress the need for adequate car parking.
Carnation Green, East Malling
The parish council pressed for the borough council to remove the stump and clear up the spot where the tree fell in the winds. This has now been done but the parish council would like to see the tree replaced.
Public footpaths KCC has, after many years, produced an up to date map of Kent’s footpaths. A paper copy has been supplied to the parish council and can be inspected at the offices in Church Farm, New Hythe Lane during office hours. It shows all the footpaths and bridleways with their official numbers.
New water main
Between now and April 2015, South East Water will be installing a new water main from its Burham treatment works across the River Medway to feed Larkfield, Ditton and Aylesford. It means the towpath between New Hythe and Aylesford will be closed while the work is done and it will also be crossing the country park from the New Hythe Lane/Papyrus Way roundabout to Lunsford Lane by the old farms. South East Water promised to keep disruption in the park to a minimum and to respect its wildlife.
Healthy walks
Tonbridge and Malling Council, with the support of the Ramblers Association, runs regular led healthy walks from the car park at Leybourne Lakes Country Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 10am. They last an hour and there are also longer walks on Saturdays. Walking boots are advised. For more information, call 01732 876155.
New Road walls
The parish council is pressing for the ragstone wall along New Road to be repaired at various locations. Some sections belong to the borough council and other sections to the housing association. Although some parts have been repaired others have been left. Ragstone walls are a local feature of the parish and the parish council feels they need to be kept in good order.
Flooding, New Road, East Malling
There continues to be problems with the piped stream which runs down in two routes from the dip hole in Church Walk to join the Ditton Stream before it runs into Bradbourne Lake. As we went to press, works were ongoing in Church Walk. Unlike the Ditton Stream, the Environment Agency is not responsible for this stream and landowners plus KCC have the job of stopping flooding.
30mph repeater signs
Every so often the parish council is asked to get KCC to provide repeater signs along local roads to remind people of the speed limits. However for many years because the Highway Code says where there is roadway lighting, a 30mph speed limit applies...unless signs say otherwise. Parliament has made it illegal
for highway authorities to put up repeater signs or roundels on the road in 30mph limits. This does not, though, apply in rural areas with few or no street lights. The parish has been advised that although the traffic signs rules have recently been updated, this prohibition has been kept.
Church room, St James’s Church Permission has been given for a new church room in the churchyard at St James’s Church, subject to a list of conditions. These include that the felling of the yew tree cannot take place until the project is able to proceed. The issue of graves and stones to be removed is dealt with separately by the church authorities and the borough council has generally no power over this aspect.
Winterfield Farm
An application has been made for the conversion of the barn to a dwelling. This is a new type of application as it is based on rules coming into force this year which allow barns to be changed to homes unless they are in special planning designations such as conservation areas, flood risk land or national parks. It is another example of the Government’s push for more houses and a first in the parish but we do not have many barns left.
Further information For further information about any of the above items or any parish issue, please contact the parish council chairman David Thornewell on 01732 847415.
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