News | Sponsored parish council Boxley ParishMail


CHAIRMAN: BobHinderCLERK: Pauline BowderyASSTCLERK: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 fromthe parish office, the Useful Contact Details leaflet or the website Green status


BOXLEY Parish Council has writ- ten to Maidstone Borough Council asking for it to submit Weavering Heath,Wents andFiveAcresWoods for village green status. The move was a result of resi-


dents’ concern about development. MBC has not indicated it is going


to developWeaveringHeath, but as pressure is increased on local au- thorities to find land for housing, residents are seeking protection through village green status. Six residents attended the parish


councilmeeting on September 3 and manymore hadwritten in support- ing the proposal. Councillors saidWeaveringHeath


was one of the few areas in Maid- stone with sweeping views of the Kent North Downs Area of Out- standingNatural Beauty. Wents and Five Acre Woods are


remaining fragments of ancient woodland, also owned byMBC. Cllr Vic Davies said: “Residents


said it is also about localism and community cohesion.”


Planning help


THE parish council’s environment committee is a legal consultee and receives copies of all planning and tree protection order (TPO) applica- tions submitted toMBC. Parish councillors consider the ap-


plications and then submit com- ments to the planning officer. Members are happy to hear from


residents or companies and have a pre-applicationpolicy to talk to any- one submitting an application. Equally, members are happy to


hear from any resident who is con- cerned about development. Allmeetings of the parish council


and its committees are open to the public to attend.


Report problems RESIDENTS are being encouraged by the parish council to report any fly-tipping, litter, potholes and blocked drains. Litter and fly-tipping need be re-


ported toMBCon 01622 602750 and potholes and highways issues to KCC www.kent.gov.uk or 03000 418181. Please keepa note of the ref- erence number.


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Council investigates causes of flooding


BOXLEY ParishCouncil’s environment committee has taken up the issue of frequent localised flooding in six areas of the parish.


A Freedom of Information re-


quest for drainage records shows that Kent County Council attends the same problemdrains time and time again. However, the parish council says


that all that seems to happen is that debris is removed and the same area floods at the next big downpour. Two residents who attended an


environment committee meeting supplied videos and photographs of the flood water heading over a verge towards their properties and also of dangerous driving as an in- considerate driver sped through standing water completely blind- ing another moving vehicle with spray. Areport on all the issues and ev-


idence from the information ob- tained from KCC was sent, along with the videos, to the chairman of the Maidstone Joint Transporta- tion Board (JTB),who has referred it to KCC with a request for a re- sponse to the issues raised by the parish council.


downsmail.co.uk


Flooding is a frequent problemat Impton Lane Parish council chairman Bob


Hinder,who has recently been ap- pointed to the JTB, said: “It is not right that drains are just cleaned outwhen it is obvious to everyone that there is an underlying prob- lem. “Hopefully, KCC will take on


board all the issues and actually undertake work to stop the flood- ing”. Some investigations by KCC has


already been undertaken and a CCTV investigation into a road- side compartment and drain has been booked.


Homes refused to protectwoodland


MAIDSTONE Borough Council has refused planning permission for 115 houses on land at Gleam- ingwood Drive, citing a recent change in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to pro- tect ancientwoodland. The parish council’s objection


forcedMBC’s planning committee to consider theNPPFprotections to woodland. Cllr Ivor Davies, who repre-


sented Boxley, said: “This is a vic- tory but not a great victory because the original approval for building 89 houses is still valid, but it is a step in the right direction.We shall continue the fight.”


Maidstone East October 2018 The landalreadyhas outstanding


planning permission for up to 89 houses, including a bio-mass unit. This 2015 permission was granted at appeal,despite strong objections fromthe parish council andMBC. The applicant’s agent indicated


there would be an appeal against refusal, although the committee memberswere not impressed.One actually said they did not appreci- ate being “bullied” and that the comments of the agentwere “pecu- liar” and “totally bizarre”. The planning officer notified


members that if the 89houseswere builtwithout a bio-mass unit, then legal action, “a completion notice”,


couldbe issued, althoughitwas ac- knowledged that this would be very unusual. Borough councillors identified


that a decision to refuse was re- quired by the new statement and was vitally important as itwaspos- sibly the first national test for the change to the regulationandwould be closely followed by others in a similar position. The applicant’s agent also stated


that the applicant, Palm Develop- ments, would submit toMBC, be- fore November 18, details of the bio-mass and would be using this outstanding planning permission to strengthen its appeal.


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