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Move to preserve woodland Boxley Parish Mail
CHAIRMAN: Ivor Davies CLERK: Pauline BowderyASST CLERK: Melanie Fooks Parish Office, Beechen Hall,Wildfell Close,Walderslade, ME5 9RU
Tel: 01634 861237 email:
clerk@boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk Website:
www.boxleyparishcouncil.org.uk Contact details for parish councillors can be obtained from the parish office, the Useful Contact Details leaflet or the website
Working with KCC, the parish council will submit an application for this area of woodland and grassland to be re-designated as open space, thus reflecting its com- munity use and village green sta- tus. Planning consent will be sought concurrently for an enabling de- velopment of 12 homes with garages on land next to Wildfell Close to fund long-term mainte- nance of the woods. Upkeep is cur- rently taken on by KCC as landowner and by grants from the parish council to a volunteer group, both ultimately funded by
Inquiry into
homes plan APLANNING inquiry will be held in Maidstone from October 13 into an appeal against the borough council’s refusal of outline permis- sion for about 89 dwellings with open space, access road and bio- mass heating plant off Gleaming Wood Drive, Lordswood. The inquiry is expected to last
four days and the parish council is looking to send representatives to object to the application. Members of the public are wel-
come to attend the hearing which starts at 10am at Thyme to Dine Catering, The Cornwallis Suite, Courtenay Road ME15 6LF, and, at the inspector’s discretion, give their views. Alternatively they can be- submitted in writing. Parish council chairman Ivor Davies said: “Calling it an urban extension is very misleading as the development will actually be in open countryside on the other side of ancient woodland. “The access road will destroy
some of this valuable habitat and there is not the infrastructure to support it.” Parish councillors expressed con-
cern that the inquiry was being held at a venue in southern Maid- stone that many residents would have difficulty reaching when a more local venue could have been found.
Praise for outstanding school
THE parish council has congratu- lated St John’s CE Primary School, Grove Green, on being graded out- standing in all areas in its latest Of- sted report. The school, in ProvenderWay, had
not previously been inspected as an academy. Ofsted commended the head teacher, senior staff and gov- ernors, for helping to foster out-
standing teaching and pupil achievement. The report said the school was continuing to improve as teamwork was a significant strength. Parish Cllr Vic Davies said the school’s achievement was particu- larly noteworthy as it had recently undergone upheavals due to major building works.
Have a say on night lighting
KCCis seeking the views of resi- dents, businesses and communi- ties on the current level of service of night lighting. It is also seeking feedback on
thedimmingof street lightswhen roads are less busy. As the previ- ous decision to switch off some lights between 12.30am and
5.30am concerned many people, the parish council is encouraging its residents to have their say. The consultation runs until No-
vember 29 and can be accessed via the KCC website. Anyone who does not have access to a computer should contact the parish office.
the taxpayer. Parish council chairman Ivor Davies said that if the application was successful, proceeds from the sale of theWildfell Close land and ownership of the remaining area of the Walderslade Woodlands would be passed from KCC to the parish council, who would in turn set up a charitable incorporated or- ganisation (CIO) to take responsi- bility for the woods and their maintenance, together with the supporting funds, in accordance with a 25-year business plan to be submitted with the application. Ownership of the woodlands
would remain with the parish council but leased to the CIO for about 99 years. The CIO trustees would comprise representatives from the parish council, the Walderslade Woodlands Group and the local community. Formal deeds and documents would be drawn up and the woodlands will be managed according to the Kent Wildlife Management Plan. A previous application by KCC
for the enabling development, sup- ported by the parish council, was refused by Maidstone Council. In the new application the focus of the argument for development will
A PLANNING move aimed at securing the future of 40 hectares (99 acres) of Walderslade Woodlands for the benefit of the community has been agreed by Boxley Parish Council.
be redirected in light of the lack of progress on Maidstone Council’s local plan and its need for housing. It will also emphasise the bene-
fits to the local community of hav- ing the woodlands under local control. The neglected trim trail had now been removed by KCC but small linear play areas could in the future be sited in the woods without detriment to wildlife. Similarly, while theWalderslade Woodlands Group currently has an informal agreement with KCC to manage the woods and coppice the trees, the group cannot sell the wood to raise funds.
Warren gate
WITH roadworks to improve the Lidsing Road/PilgrimsWay junction at BoxleyWarren nearly completed, a replacement gate should be in- stalled by late October. This is intended both to help pro-
tect the wildlife area from anti-social issues including off-road bikes and flytipping, and to protect the safety of volunteers.
Tree reports
THEtwo trees planted by the parish council at Grovewood Drive in Grove Green to commemorate World War I were affected by the dry spell earlier this summer. Cllr Tony Harwood said the lin-
den tree had recovered but the oak tree had not survived. A replace- ment tree would be arranged.
Bridge trust
BOROUGH councillor and deputy mayor Derek Butler,whorepresents BoxleyWard, has been appointed by Maidstone Council as its representa- tive on the Rochester Bridge Trust. This charitable organisation is re- sponsible for crossings, by bridge and tunnel, of the River Medway.
New PCSO
BOXLEYparish’sPCSOMegan Day has been transferred to another area. Parish clerk Pauline Bowdery said PCSO Matt Adlington with similar experience had been appointed.
Maidstone East October 2015 37
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