News


downsmail.co.uk Anger over Cobtree parking fees


DOWNSMail reader Jean Inchmore has questioned the trust’s mathematics over the implementation of parking charges at Cobtree Park.


The park, run by the Cobtree


Manor Estate Trust charity, is main- tained by Maidstone Council on the trust’s behalf. After an improvement pro- gramme costing more than £1m, which will see the introduction of a visitor centre and cafe, children’s playground and nature trails, the trust has decided to introduce a charge of £1.50 per day to help pay for its upkeep. Mrs Inchmore said: “We have


been informed that visitors have in- creased some 700%, from 40,000 to 280,000 visitors per year.That infers there are 767 visitors every day of the year. “This is ludicrous. I visit the park


twice daily and if there was ever anything in the region of 767 visitors per day I think I would be giving it a wide berth.” A2,300-signature petition has crit-


icised changes to the park, which in- clude the introduction of paid parking.


Charity snub


A GROUP of charity bikers deliv- ering Easter eggs to children in hos- pital have been told they cannot meet at the Cobtree car park. The bikers had hoped the 80-or


so riders could use 10 of the park- ing spaces to meet on Sunday March 29 before their ride to the Medway Maritime Hospital. However, Maidstone Council felt


the car park would be busy with its own visitors. A spokesman said: “We need to


make sure that the main car park is available to visitors. “We are very happy to discuss


other events like this in the future, when we can balance the needs of park users with the requirements of the event.” Organiser Cindi Powell has now arranged for the bikers to meet at the Harley Davidson garage, fur- ther along Forstal Road.


Bowls open day


COBDOWN Bowls Club is holding an open day to give people a chance to try the sport. The event is at Cobdown Sports


and Social Club, Station Road, Dit- ton from 2pm to 5pm on May 10. Only casual clothing and shoes


are required and the club has ample stocks of bowls for your use. Just turn up or ring Bill Menniss 01622 765928 for more details. He will be happy to make alternative arrange- ments with you.


14 Malling March 2015 Mrs Inchmore, from SnowdonAv-


enue,Vinters Park said shewas con- cerned that the flat-rate parking charge would penalise people such as dog walkers who wanted to visit for half an hour, while benefitting commuters who would park for the day and “car pool” for their onward journeys to work. “How the trust/Maidstone Coun-


cil can possibly think it fair to charge the same for someone visiting the park for a quick snack orwalk their


dog for an hour compared to people who visit for the day, with picnic in tow and enjoy thenewfacilities, beg- gars belief,” she said. “If there has to be a charge it should reflect the time one spends in the park – on the same principle as the majority of car parks. “Some days there might be 20-30


cars in the car park – and some of these are people who work in town and enjoy free parking while they use one pool car for the journey into


town. When the £1.50 charge comes into force they will have a cheap day’s parking. “On sunny weekends and in


school holidays, there is an influx of visitors and therefore the prospect of a great deal of revenue from parking charges and the refurbished cafe. “We are told that fines from failing


to purchase a ticket will go back to fund further enforcement. One can only hope that visitors are not caught out.” The Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee considered charges be- fore setting the fee. These range from £1 during the week and £1.50 at weekends at the White Horse Coun- try Park and £1.50 at Trosley and Manor Park during the week (£2 at weekends) to £2 at Shorne and £4 per person at BewlWater. Leybourne Lakes and Haysden CountryParks charge 80p forupto 4 hours and £2.80 and £3 for more than four hours. Season tickets range from £25 to £40.


Cuing costs


COBTREE Manor Park is funded and run by a charity. The Cobtree Manor Estate Trust is financially in- dependent from Maidstone Council and is not allowed to make a profit. Until recently, the golf course


Call to keep family-run cafe Continued from page one


in the park, using a £5,000 trailer (pictured above) while the building works take place. Caroline said: “The council’s deci-


sion has cost my family its sole source of income, and that of its em- ployees too. “We believe if the council runs the


park, it will lead to a lowering of standards, increase in prices, and none of the love, pride, and friend- liness of a family-run business.”


covered maintenance costs at Cob- tree Manor Park, but this is no longer the case and the trust had to look at other ways to cover the costs. Aspokesman said: “The new café


Caroline is also one of the many opposed to the introduction of a £1.50 parking charge from May. She said: “This is particularly un-


fair to dog walkers who simply want to enjoy a morningwalk.” “We feel that Maidstone Council


is acting purely in its own profit- making interest.” Don and Marion have now taken


on the former Bentley’s coffee shop in Aylesford and will open as The Village Pantry on Good Friday.


and visitor centre, which will open in May, are part of a 2012 plan for Cobtree Park, whichwas consulted on before it began. Bringing the café in-house will reduce costs and im- prove the customer experience. “Money raised from parking and


the café will be reinvested in the park. We would like to thank the current café operator for his work in the park, but his contract is now coming to an end and we are look- ing to move the park forward.”


Details of Peters Pit homes Water work


PROPOSED details of the first 152 homes at Peters Village have been recommended for approval by Tonbridge and Malling planners. Developer Trenport’s submission consists of a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses and two four-storey blocks of flats on the former Peters Pit and cement works beside the River Medway in Wouldham. Outline planning permission has already been granted for a new community including 1,000 homes,


a school and village centre. Work currently underway to im-


prove road links to the site must be completed before any of the houses can be built. Construction of a new bridge linking the development to the opposite bank near Snodland must be finished before the first phase of homes can be occupied. The properties will be sold at mar- ket value.


Councillors were due to debate


the proposal on March 19, after the Downs Mailwent to press.


WORK on a new water main is forging ahead at Leybourne Lakes Country Park. The first phase of the £8.1m scheme to upgrade an old leaking water main has involved installing 340m of new pipeline through the park. The work by South East Water


has involved laying the pipe under a stream while keeping it flowing. The second phase of construction


was due to start this spring in Bushey Wood, near Eccles.


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