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Thurnham Parish News


Traffic fears over homes proposal


Meetings normally held on the third Monday of each month at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel. Publicwelcome.


CHAIRMAN:Daniel Skinner CLERK: Sherrie Babington 01634 867173


Church concert


PROGRESS is being made with the formation of a new trust to encour- age the use of St Mary’s Church, Thurnham by the wider commu- nity. A plan is well under way for a concert, to be held in the church, on the evening of Saturday May 16 with music performed by Rachael Lloyd.


Tickets will be on sale nearer the


time with funds being raised to help support the future of St Mary’s.


COUNCILLORS criticised a plan- ning application for 100 homes be- hind Barty House, off Roundwell. Members of the public expressed concern about the development and its impact and the parish council unanimously voted to object. Developer Crabtree & Crabtree


says the scheme would be accessed from the existing road serving Barty Farm, and would include an emer- gency access onto Ware Lane. A large open green would be created in themiddle of the houses, of which 30% would be affordable. Despite a number of 125 homes on


the site in Maidstone Council’s draft allocation, the parish council was concerned at the level of develop- ment and the precedent it would set at M20 Junction 8 and the infill be- tween Water Lane and Thurnham Lane. Development would lead to the


loss of agricultural land and the coa- lescence of part of Bearsted and part of Thurnham which would detract from the rural character of the area. The parish council had serious concerns about access to the devel- opment. It would be on a sharp bend


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Maidstone East March 2015 33


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in the road and at the bottom of two slopes in which the topography re- stricts the sightlines for oncoming vehicles. The proposal would increase traf-


fic and create an additional hazard on a busy road – the application said there would be an extra 400-plus car movements a day. It was felt it would be inevitable


that the majority of traffic travelling to London would use junction 7 of the M20 rather than junction 8, in- creasing traffic through Bearsted. Subsequently the council was de- lighted to hear that SouthernWater had confirmed that the sewage sys- tem could not copewith such a large development. KCC had objected to a smaller planning application at Roundwell, saying therewere insuf- ficient school places.


Parish vacancy


THE parish council was pleased to note that a resident attended the meeting and expressed an in- terest in filling the current va- cancy.


Sponsored parish council | News Play area plan


brings a smile THE parish council welcomed news that the play area in Peverel Drive is to stay open and be reno- vated after Maidstone Council’s earlier insistence on its closure. After pressure from residents


and Thurnham Parish Council, Maidstone Council cabinet mem- ber Cllr John Perry confirmed that the play area would be improved. The funding will come from the money received from development of the old Brake Bros site and ear- marked for the improvement of local play areas. Maidstone Coun- cil had wanted to reallocate these funds elsewhere. Cllr Nick de Wiggondene said:


“The parish council and I couldn’t have wished for a better result after having been trying to obtain the de- veloper contributions for this for more than a year. “The play area is in an ideal posi-


tion, is secure and is well-used, es- pecially by young children, their parents and local play groups. “The money is available and I see


no reason why the work should not start as soon as possible.” The parish council chairman Daniel Skinner thanked Cllr De Wiggondene for his assistance in securing this decision.


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