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News KCC to underwrite flood defences


THE leader of KCC, Paul Carter, has pledged the authority will underwrite the cost of building better flood defences for Yalding, East Peckham and Tonbridge. Cllr Carter says a “flood forum”


will raise the £17m needed to match-fund the Government’s own £17m grant, but has not confirmed where the money will come from. LibDemparliamentary candidate


Jasper Gerard had previously ac- cused him of backtracking on a promise to find the money. After Deputy Prime Minister Nick


Clegg promised the coalition would come up with £17m to raise the height of the Leigh barrier and cre- ate a flood barrier on the Beult, Cllr Carter initially said that those at risk of flooding might have to pay a higher tax precept to fund KCC’s half of the scheme. But the leader later added: “We'll underwrite it, but we're forming a flood-funding forum with our friends in local government – parish councils are involved in that – in looking at how we can locally help to narrow the gap that will be


the area. Extra funds could also be available through our application for a Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Fund.” Mr Gerard said: “It has been a struggle, but the people of Yalding, Laddingford, Wateringbury, the centre of Maidstone and other areas wholive in fear of flooding can now look forward with more confidence. “Wemust keep up the pressure to


ensure the defences are delivered on time, because every year they are not in place, lives are at risk.” The initial estimated cost of de-


Nick Clegg at the meeting with MP Helen Grant and Lib Dem parliamen- tary candidate Jasper Gerard


placed upon the council tax-payers of Kent. Because we can't just find £17m overnight. “We will look at a developer con- tribution from new houses built in


‘Stylish’ homes plan unveiled


DEVELOPER Trenport is prepar- ing to submit a detailed planning application to Tonbridge and Malling Council for the 150 homes suggested as the first phase of Pe- ters Village. The development, on the site of


a former quarry and cement works beside the River Medway, will eventually include 1,000 homes. Work on a new bridge over the river, providing a link to the A228 near Halling, is under way and expected to take 18 months. Subject to planning approval, Trenport expects construction of


THE recently formed Eccles Community Group is raising funds for a new village defibril- lator.


Volunteers were busy organis-


ing a variety of events in the run- up to Christmas including a sponsored dog walk, which in- cluded a farmers’ market stall


FIFTY young musicians staged a con- cert in Maidstone inspired by a view of the world froma different angle. Performing their own pieces,


the houses, setting a “high quality tone and style” for later phases, to start by July. The company said the plan should “reassure resi- dents who had been worried by speculation that we intend to make widespread use of tall struc- tures of up to five storeys”. Trenport said the proposal in- cluded a few four-storey buildings and thesewere limited to riverside and key locations where they would act as landmark buildings “echoing the skyline of the old Pe- ters Lime and Cement Works from which the site takes its name”.


Village seeks defibrillator


selling hearts, and a carol singing tour of the village. The next date is January 31


when there will be a karaoke evening atAylesford Social Club. Follow the group on Facebook


or contact Philippa on 01622 710166 or send an email to Eccle- scommunitygroup@yahoo.co.uk


veloping aLower Beult storage area is about £25m, and the estimated cost of increasing capacity at the Leigh barrier is £11m. Danny Alexander, Lib Dem chief secretary to the treasury,was one of the politicians who visited Yalding and met victims of floods in Decem- ber 2013. The Environment Agency says it


will be four more years before a de- tailed scheme can be drawn up and tested – and up to a further four be- fore it is completed. In the mean- time, residents continue to try various methods of protecting their properties, while battling with in- surance companies reluctant to cover areas of high risk. A spokesman for Maidstone Council said:“We have not been ap- proached for a contribution towards the capital cost of the work but pro- tecting the borough from flooding is a high priority for us. We worked closely with Kent County Council, the Environment Agency and Ton- bridge and Malling Borough Coun- cil to fund the feasibility study for the flood defence works andwe are working with others on a bid to the Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Fund for a contribution to- wards the capital cost of the flood works.”


Professor steps down


THE chief executive at East Malling Research (EMR), Profes- sor Peter Gregory, is to leave his post at the end of April to pursue his academic and other interests. Peter, pictured, joined EMR in


May 2011 at the same time as taking up the post of Professor of Global Food Security at the Uni- versity of Reading and, after nearly four years in post, has been commended by the indus- try for transforming the future outlook of the organisation. EMR chairman FrankAttwood


said: “EMR will be forever grate- ful for the legacy Peter will be leaving. His achievements in his time here have been nothing short of outstanding: EMR is now back on the international fruit-research platform with a strong team delivering 30% year- on-year increases in research and development revenues. “Peter has put EMR on a very positive trajectory – the vibrancy of the organisation, detected by


all in the fruit industry, is testament to his hard work and guidance over the years – something East Malling and the wider


fruit growing sector will be ever grateful for.” Will Sibley, chairman of the


East Malling Trust, said: “Peter came to East Malling Research at a very difficult time, following the withdrawal of direct public- sector funding support. He has driven the reputation of the or- ganisation to new heights and provided stability.” Professor Gregory has spent


most of his career researching the interactions of plant roots with soils, and has worked ex- tensively in Australia, Syria, Nepal and Kenya on projects seeking to increase crop produc-


Musicians’ own work has new view of life on earth Office conversion Project manager Sue Marlow said:


prompted by the historic “Pale Blue Dot” photograph of Earth taken by Voyager 1, the showwas the culmina- tion of the Orchestra One Project 9. Leading the 18-year-old musicians


from across Kent was singer, instru- mentalist and composer Ayanna Wit- ter-Johnson.


“Creativity is highly-valued and every- one has a way of expressing them- selves through music.” The projectwas held by Kent Music


over four days at the New Line Learn- ing and Cornwallis academies in Maidstone, with backing from KCC, Golding Vision and Rhythmix. Those taking part had the chance


of gaining a nationally-recognised Arts Award.


Some of the teenage musicians


FORMER NHS offices at Birling Road, Leybourne are set to be con- verted into a house. Tonbridge and Malling Council


ruled that Audley House, which was used by Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, was originally intended for residential use so did not require change of use planning approval. The home will share an access


drive with the Leybourne Grange Riding School for the Disabled.


Malling January 2015 23


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