downsmail.co.uk Despite my own misgivings over
development at Woodcut Farm (and having never personally voted for the Local Plan), I understood that this allocation enjoyed majority support at Maidstone Borough Council, and therefore sought to play a constructive role. This included negotiating design parameter enhancements and a binding legal agreement which ensures that the applicant must provide more than 22 acres of new woodland nature reserve (in perpetuity), thus conferring big gains for wildlife and landscape and, crucially, providing a buffer against any future westward expansion. Cllr Tony Harwood, Liberal Democrat member, Maidstone Borough Council
Urban sprawl admission
THE admission of responsibility for our ferociously pro-development Local Plan by the Conservative planning commi�ee member, Cllr Ma� Boughton, in Downs Mail is a welcome intervention. His surprisingly open admission shines a light on where true blame lies for this depressing blueprint for urban sprawl and gridlock. Conservatives ran Maidstone council
between 2008 and 2014 when the ‘call for sites’ exercise was undertaken, which spawned a raft of controversial developments, such as those in Su�on Road and Hermitage Lane, and saw local landscape protection deleted or diluted. By the time the Conservatives lost
control, largely as a result of public anger at their development choices, the process had gone too far to reverse. Government had by then introduced
punitive rules for councils without a Local Plan, which had made them prey to speculative development. The urgency of agreeing a Local Plan
further intensified when Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, announced plans to increase housebuilding by 40%. With a plan in place MBC can (hopefully)
fend off this increase until 2021. There are two visions for the future of our still
beautiful borough. Cllr Boughton’s words make it clear the Conservatives intend to implement “their” Local Plan in full, while local Liberal Democrats intend to make big changes at an early review. Tackling gridlock and pollution, and re-
introducing the tough policies vital to protect local quality of life, landscape and biodiversity all inform the Lib Dem vision for a reset Local Plan. Clive English, member of Maidstone Borough Council’s Liberal Democrat Group
Noxious fumes concern
MOST, if not all, local motorists will have no doubt experienced the frustration Dennis Fowle expresses at being routinely caught up in heavy traffic congestion afflicting Maidstone every day. One might add that it is not very pleasant for the many pedestrians making their way to and from the town, either – inhaling noxious and health-damaging fumes all the while. Air quality is a real issue here as, indeed, it is elsewhere. Yes, building more roads, as your
commentator suggests, would, I fear, only generate more traffic – andmore pollution. What is really needed is a much be�er
public transport system – in this case, buses – than currently exists as a way of dissuading drivers from using their cars. Safe lanes for cylists would be an added bonus. KG Banks, Maidstone
Thanks for hospitality
MORE than 60 pensioners a�ended the Bearsted Community Luncheon on December 9 at the Madginford community centre. This was a huge success and, on behalf of everyone, we should like to thank all the local businesses who supplied the food and drink to the many volunteers before and during the afternoon. Pat Grimes, Bearsted
Towpath walk still lovely IN RESPONSE to Ray Town’s recent le�er
– “River walk not what it was” – I regularly cycle along the river path and the kingfishers have not gone. In addition, there are li�le egrets, green woodpeckers, nuthatches, kestrels, cormorants, and others besides. An abundance of wild flowers – orchids, kingcups and red campions, to name a few – can be seen beyond Allington Lock. The barge dwellers have all lawfully obtained their land beside the river and are making it very a�ractive. I am sorry that Mr Town no longer uses
the path, because he is missing out on so much peace and joy. Margaret Tate, Maidstone
‘Mast year’ for the oak
I WAS wondering if any of your readers has been as staggered as I have been by the sheer number of acorns which fell in the autumn. There is one tree in the King’s Wood near Broomfield where literally tens of thousands dropped to the floor. And virtually every other oak I have come across this year has been the same. At one oak, I disturbed five jays as they
did their best to work their way through the masses of seeds on the ground. It is not uncommon to see a pair of jays but I have never seen five in one place at one time. It must say something about how abundant the feedingwas in Kent. Still, even as I write, in mid-December,
thousands of acorns under the Broomfield oak remain. I have noticed, however, that quite a few have started the process of germination. This event is known as a “mast year”
when the sheer scale of the fruit harvest ef- fectively means there will be enough spare seeds to germinate and bring on the next generation. In other years, the oak fruiting will fluctuate massively. What causes the “mast” is not something I
have been able to get a definitive answer to in my own researches. Some suggest it is weather-related, others
that it is a natural check for the tree or there are messages spread from tree to tree via funghi roots deep underground.
Mrs I McIlrath, via email (Editor: See page 30 for explanation)
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