News


Solar farm plan is turned down


VILLAGERS have been speaking of their joy following the decision by a government inspector to throw out plans for a massive solar farm in Staplehurst. The proposed development


would have taken up 70 hectares of farm land off Pagehurst Road, with about 20 hectares set out with over 2,600 racks of almost 64,000 solar panels and a 2.1m high mesh fence. Planning inspectorAndrew Ham-


mond noted Great Pagehurst Farm was within the LowWeald national character area, adding: “These wide open vistas give the landscape its in- trinsic character and qualities. The result would be to fundamentally alter the landscape in a contrived way to seek to accommodate the solar panels.” In conclusion, he added: “The ben-


efits of the scheme accruing from a significant reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases are consider- able, to which must be added the benefits of farm diversification and improved biodiversity. “However, the harms to the in-


landscape are substantial, both in significance and scale, and would not be mitigated by the landscape proposals which seek to screen the development from view.” Staplehurst borough councillor


Louise Brice added that, while she acknowledged farmers need to look at diversification, the size and im- pact of the development would have been significant. She said: “Resi- dents have campaigned long and hard to make their views heard.” Fellow borough councillor John


Perry added: “I am not against re- newable energy, but it must be in the right place, not in a prominent posi- tion in theWeald of Kent,knownfor its beauty.” Villager Shirley thanked support-


ers for standing shoulder-to- shoulder on the issue. She said: “We have had to wait


nearly four years for a final decision. To say we are delighted to have saved some of our precious, produc- tive countryside, from being indus- trialised, is a huge understatement.” Staplehurst Parish Council said it


trinsic and visual qualities of the was pleased by the outcome.


downsmail.co.uk Bluebellwalk boosts hospice


MORE than 1,000 walkers, many with their dogs, came together for the Heart of Kent Hospice BluebellWalk. Among them was six-year-old Elsie Embleton (pictured), who lives near


Loose in Maidstone. All were there for their own reasons to “Get Behind” the hospice, which has been holding the event for 30 years. Starting and finishing at Harrietsham Village Hall, Elsie’s mum, Hayley – who has a rare auto- immune disorder and has received advice and support from the hospice in Aylesford – was there tomeet her. She said: “She did it, and she met her goal of doing it without ‘whinging’ (her words not ours).” Elsie walked with her dad to raise


£549, and an extra £110 in gift aid. Waitrose donated water for


walkers and their dogs; Tesco provided cups, napkins and other accessories, while Gary and Lisa Micallef gave refreshments and a picnic place where families could buy a windmill in memory of loved ones. A spokesman for the hospice said: “Thank you to all the walkers and our volunteers who helped to make Sunday such an enormous success.”


Road re-opens after mains upgrade


THERE was good news for motorists forced to make lengthy detours during work to upgrade a water main in a busy country lane linking Hollingbourne and Bredgar. The work had been expected to take sixweeks, but the route re-opened


on Friday, May 5, a fortnight ahead of schedule South EastWater said the schemewas needed to improve the capacity of the network due to increased demand forwater from local farmers.


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