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Thurnham Parish News


Sponsored parish council | News Ware Street parking call


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


Waste inquiry MAIDSTONEBorough Council is to be asked what enforcement action is being taken over the use of a site off the A249.


Councillors say the gated site at Langton Woods is being turned into “a large scalewaste site”.


Appeal lodged ANAPPEALchallenging the refusal of permission for 10 houses on a paddock near Hockers Lane has been lodged, councillors heard.Two previous applications have been re- jected by the borough council.


POLICE chiefs are to be invited to explain why they believe parking on a main road through the parish presents no danger to parents and children crossingWare Street. Thurnham Parish Council and BearstedParish Council wrote to res- idents along the road asking them not to park where they would block the vision of pedestrians forced to cross the road near Sandy Lane. Councillors say the positioning of


a vehicle on the main road has led to a “creeping problem”, with more


CRITICISMS of poor procedural practicewere raised by members in relation to planning issues. Cllr John Horne raised concern


that the borough council had “sur- reptitiously extended its urban boundary” to “slip in” the Barty Farm development without con- sulting parishes affected by the de- cision. Letters are to be sent to the area’s MPs and to the Planning In- spectorate outlining the parish council’s concern. Even more important, was the curious position the borough coun- cil found itself in regarding an ap- peal by Roxhill Developments for warehousing at Woodcut Farm


cars parking in the road and on the pavement. The council has agreed to invite


Insp Jody Gagan-Cook, Sgt Rachel Cumberland and PCSO Matt Adlington to their next meeting to explain why they believe the park- ing issue does not represent an ob- struction. Parish council chairman Daniel Skinner said: “We object to this on- street parking on safety grounds as children have to cross here and their vision is being obscured.”


near junction 8 of the M20. Cllr Horne said:“We have an ap-


peal pending challenging the bor- ough council’s refusal of this application, with officers saying at the recent Local Plan inquiry that they saw it as the only possible site for future job generation. “One wonders what stance the council will take when it comes to defending its ruling at appeal.” The Joint Parishes Group will be writing to urge Paul Carter to rep- resent the county’s highway con- cerns at the upcoming appeal. Cllr Horne said: “If this goes through we can forget any protec- tion along this stretch of the A20.”


Mickey’s


Cllr Mike Stark added: “It will be interesting to hear what the position of the police would be in the event of an almighty accident. Surely, it is the duty of the police to act before this happens.” Cllr Smith said: “We would ap- preciate those making this decision to explain how they reached this conclusion. There can be no justifi- cation for supporting a belief that randomly-parked cars serve to slow traffic here. Traffic-calming schemes need to be properly engineered.”


Planning practice queried Burglary foiled


PCSO Matt Adlington reported two crimes in the area since the last parish council meeting. A wallet containing cash and


credit cards was taken from a hotel room at the Tudor Park on February 15, while double-locking a front door thwarted a burglary at a house in Baron Close on February 6.


Church booking


THERE was good news for the parish church, with a proposal from theU3Ato use St Mary’s for some of its meetings. Cllr Richard Smith said: “This demonstrates that the church can be used for other things andwe would like to encourage this.”


Café Diner


Come to Mickey’s to enjoy our home-made traditional English food. All ages, parties and groups catered for.


All Day Breakfasts • Jacket Potatoes • Burgers Baguettes & Sandwiches • Various Salads


Pasta Dishes • Pies & Traditional English Food Carvery every


Wednesday & Sunday £6.90


Open Early Morning - 7 Days a Week Ample Parking - Free Wi-Fi - Get connected at Mickey’s


Blue Bell Hill, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7EZ


01634 682928 Maidstone East March 2017 25


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