News | Sponsored parish council Boxley Parish Mail
CHAIRMAN:Bob Hinder 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
Womble call THE parish council still wishes to identify the modern-day versions of the furry lovable characterswhocol- lected litter fromWimbledon Com- mon.
Anyone who undertakes litter picking or knows areas in the parish that need a spring clean is asked to contact the parish office. The parish council is happy to or-
ganise local litter picks, and can ad- vise and support individuals with litter bags and organise litter bag pickup points.
Dogwaste bins MAIDSTONE Council is to consult parish councils on the removal of the dog waste bins which could be re- placed by bins that will take dog waste aswell as general litter. Parish councillorswere concerned
that this might result in fewer bins. Cllr Vic Davies raised the issue of dogwaste bins in the Vinters Valley Nature Reserve and Maidstone Council will be approached about including the trust in the meetings that are being arranged. Dog waste can be disposed of in residential and general litter bins.
Safer crossing ARESIDENTwhose child attends St John’s School, raised the need for a safer crossing at Grovewood Drive North. The parish council supported for
her request and her planned petition and will work with her to raise the issue with County Cllr Carter and the highway department. For the e- petition, go to
https://goo.gl/UicGb8
Play area seats THEenvironment committee is pro- posing to the parish council that up to £3,000 is provided in the 2017/2018 budget to purchase and install additional seats and bins at the Timber Tops play area. Cllr Paul Dengate had proposed
the project after seeing that therewas now insufficient seating for the en- larged play area, which has resulted in adults and older children perch- ing on play equipment.
Audit success THEOctober meetingwas informed that the council had successfully passed the independent external fi- nancial audit that was required by law.
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Council bid to preserve open space in local plan
THE parish council attended the Local Plan public inquiry at Maid- stone Town Hall on October 11. The council had employed a planning consultant to produce and present its submission that the draft Local Plan provided insuffi- cient recognition and protection of an area of countryside that stops Lords Wood joining up with Hempstead This area at Lidsing used to be identified as an Area of Local Land- scape Importance and as a strategic gap, but Maidstone Council had not included it in the list of areas of Local Landscape Value (LLV) even though it met most of the criteria. Cllr Bob Hinder (pictured), chair- man of the parish council said:
“With a recent approval for 89 houses at Gleamingwood Drive and a current application for 450 houses just over the border in Med- way, it is vitally important that this area is properly protected. “Whilst LLV status won’t neces-
sarily stop small-scale development, it lays down a marker that this is a spe- cial area.“ The finger
of countryside joins Gilling- ham to the Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) and ultimately Maidstone. Resi-
Memorial tree planned
THE PARISH council has de- cided to plant a True Service tree (sorbus domestica) at Beechen Hall in memory of Cllr Alan Springate who was an ardent supporter of na- ture. In addition to this, the
parish council indicated to the Walderslade Woodlands Group that it would support the idea of a seat next to the proposed pond at Cossington Valley.
Road issues THE parish council’s environment committee is chasing KCC for re- sponses on: yellow lines for Proven- der Way and possibly Grovewood Drive South; drainage at Boxley Road and Cossington Lane,Walder- slade and Boxley Village. Cllr Lynn Clarke said there was
an issue in the village about water, during heavy rain, washing debris and grit down into the village. This was then diverted by the large raised speed cushion towards resi- dential properties. It was agreed that the matter would be discussed at the November meeting.
Maidstone East November 2016
Plan on show THE environment committee meeting on November 14 will now be held at the ESO, BoxleyVillage so that residents can easily attend and view any proposals concern- ing the possible development at the end of Forge Lane. The doors will open at 7pm to
allow residents to view plans that the agent will make available. Fur- ther details will be placed on the parish council’s website, notice- board and sent out via its commu- nity alert email system, which residents can sign up to by con- tacting the parish office.
dents have strong views that de- velopment within the gap should not be allowed, but with both Maidstone and Medway councils not identifying a five-year housing land supply it is now under threat from developers. In the past 12months, the parish council has attended three plan- ning inquiries to fight to preserve the site. Cllr Bob Hinder said: “Prepar-
ing for and attending the inquiries is quite a commitment on parish councillor and officer time, but it is clear that residents feel strongly that the area is protected and it is right that the parish council makes time and money available for this.”
Opposition to homes plan
EVIDENCE was submitted and a statementmadeto thepublic inquiry held at Medway Council, an appeal having been made against Medway Council’s refusal for 450dwellings at Ham Lane, Lords Wood. The site is next to the parish boundary and would be within a strategic gap that stops LordsWood joining up with Hempstead. Cllr Bob Hinder, chairman of the
parish council said: “Large volumes of traffic from this site will be using local roads and junction 3 of the M2. Quite frankly, the residents, school and medical infrastructure and roads can’t take any more.” The parish clerk attended all three
days. She was joined by residents, borough CllrsWendy Hinder (Box- ley) and David Wildey (Medway) and on the first day Tracey Crouch, MPfor Chatham andAylesford. The parish council’s submission to
the inquiry covered the concerns about traffic, impact on local facili- ties and the loss of countryside.
Meeting date THE next meeting of the parish council will be onNovember 7 at the European School of Osteopathy (ESO), Boxley Village.
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