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News Protest over traveller site plan


RESIDENTS in Staplehurst are campaigning in a bid to prevent the creation of a traveller site on the outskirts of the village. An application has been lodged


with Maidstone Council for change of use to gypsy/traveller accom- modation, mobile homes, utility rooms and touring caravans on six acres of land at Folly Farm, Frit- tenden Road. Locals say the borough already


has more than its fair share of trav- eller sites and have formed a cam- paign group with their own website – www.savefollyfarm.com – to get the application thrown out. Concerns raised included flood-


ing and traffic safety on the A229 through the village. The site at Folly Farm was put


forward when Maidstone Council made its speculative call for sites to landowners earlier this year. More than 50 members of the


public attended the parish council meeting which voted to oppose the application.


County has history of itinerant workers


MAIDSTONE has more traveller sites than anywhere else in Kent. But the council says it has historically had more itinerants, due to the hop and fruit picking trades. The borough accommodates almost a third of all the traveller sites in


Kent. Residents fear Folly Farm could end up similar in size to the notori- ous Dale Farm in Essex, scene of riots against police and bailiffs in 2011.


A spokesman for Save Folly


Farm said: “MBC’s approach ap- pears to be driven by its desire to meet stretching targets to accom- modate more gypsy/traveller sites in the borough. However, it al- ready has 66 permanent and 31 temporary gypsy and traveller sites – which together meet its tar- get.


“If Folly Farm is developed to its maximum capacity it would have more pitches than the number in the entire borough of Ashford.”


Folly Farm has an agricultural tie


for the house and land – a reason used by Maidstone Council in the past for rejecting development ap- plications. Although the number of units is


not specified within the applica- tion, the plan shows at least 20 util- ity rooms and 20 mobile homes – but no details of how many touring caravans will be catered for. Frittenden Road floods during periods of heavy rain and residents fear further development will ex-


acerbate the problem. They argue that the proposed


septic tank will also be vulnerable to flooding, with a high risk of raw sewage contaminating the local area.


They add that the blind corner


on Frittenden Road would make the proposed access to the site very dangerous. “Users of the proposed site will


have large caravans and associated vehicles for towing and will be ma- noeuvring in and out of the site onto a narrow, fast moving, busy rural road with a blind bend thus presenting a significant hazard to other users of the highway.” More than 60 letters of objection


have been sent to the council re- garding the application, including one from MP Helen Grant. The issue will be decided by the plan- ning committee on September 10.


Life-saving gift Cyclists invited to join air ambulance ride


WEST Farleigh Sports Club, in con- junction with the British Heart Foun- dation, is donating a life-saving defibrillator to the village. The sports club has raised more


than £2,000 to buy the defibrillator, used to re-start the heart in cases of cardiac arrest. However, rather than confine it to


the sports club, the club has donated it to the whole village. Thedevice will be handed over by


sports club chairman Paul Baines on Saturday, September 12 at the Good Intent pub,West Farleigh Green. The licensees have offered to


house the equipment on the outside frontwall of the pub. No training is necessary to use a defibrillator.However, it is designed to be used whilst giving good qual- ity CPR, so the sports club will be using the British Heart Foundation’s training package to offer free basic life support sessions.


KENT, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance is appealing for cyclists to enter its annual bike ride on Sunday, September 27. More than 300 riders entered last


year’s Double 100 Cycle Challenge and helped raise a record £45,000 for the helicopter emergency service, which relies almost entirely on donations. The 100-mile and 100km rides


start and finish at the helicopter bases at Marden and Redhill and will this year include a 25-mile route to celebrate the charity’s 25th anniversary. Among the riders taking part are a number of former patients and paramedics whowork for the service. Several Kent companies have also


signed up teams to take part. The Double 100, now in its fifth


year, has been sponsored by Howard Cundey Chartered Surveyors and


Estate Agents, and supported by Halfords,Warburtons and Bobby’s Foods. The ride is open to regular,


occasional and sportif cyclists with free lunch and refreshments provided at feeding stations along the scenic route. The registration fee is aminimum of £15. Riders will set off between 7am


and 9am with free parking, changing


The riders set off on last year’s Double 100 Cycle


Challenge


and toilet facilities available at both starting points. Motorbikemarshals will ride the course throughout the day and therewill be mobile mechanics and a breakdown recovery vehicle. To register go to www.kssairambulance.org.uk/involve d/Double100. For details call Julie Clare on 01622 833833, or email juliec@kssairambulance.org.uk


Cancer sufferer fulfils wingwalk for charity


A MUM-of-three has fulfilled her dream to ride on the wings of a plane over Headcorn. Rebecca Scott described her 100mph wingwalk, 500ft above her for- mer village home, as “thrilling, if a lit- tle scary”. Rebecca is “mak-


ing every day count” and raising


funds for charity after learning in September 2013 that she has breast cancer, which has since spread to her spine, bones, brain and liver.


Aswell as starting a “bucket list”,


the 39-year-oldwanted to thank her friends in Headcorn who ran her children – Thomas (10), Rosemary (seven) and Montgomery (two) – to and from school while her husband was at work, and staff at Maidstone hospital. She said: “I amwell enough at the moment to do so much, although I suffer with pain inmybones and fa- tigue due to anaemia. “My children inspire me to get up


in the morning and live each day like it’s my last and the people I meet who encourage me to keep going:


My family, friends, school, the hos- pice, my church and, of course, Maidstone Hospital, where the staff are amazing. They are so busy but always have time for you.” Rebecca, who recently moved


with her family from Headcorn to be near Maidstone Hospital, said: “After Christmas 2014, I began expe- riencing headaches and flashing lights in my vision. In March, scans revealed several brain tumours. Miraculously, steroids reduced the swelling onmybrain and Iwas able to have radiotherapy. I remember waking up in hospital each day and


saying ‘I am still here!’ I was told I had four months and have been blessed with five.” Her wing walk for Breast Cancer


Kent has raised £2,500 for equip- ment to detect breast cancer earlier. Rebecca said: “Next I’ll be doing a paraglide for the Heart of Kent Hos- pice, which has supported us im- mensely.” She is currently putting together memoryboxes and letters for each of her children. Rebecca added: “The important


thing for me is to live life to the full and to keep giving back.”


Maidstone South September 2015 31


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