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News | Sponsored parish council Boxley ParishMail


CHAIRMAN: BobHinderCLERK: Pauline BowderyASSTCLERK:Melanie Fooks ParishOffice, BeechenHall,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 Concern over school plans


BOXLEY Parish Council members and residents have expressed deep misgivings about the proposed entrance to two newschools on the KentMedical Campus site nearGroveGreen. The site atPope’s Fieldwouldbe


accessed via the busy Bearsted Road, near the newly-builtmental health facility. Many had hoped that the new


primary and special educational needs (SEN) schools would be linked to the internal KMC road system. At a packed parish meeting on


December 3, a delegation fromthe LeighAcademies’ Trust (LAT), the Department for Education and planners were left in little doubt what local people felt. Councillors and residents ex-


pressed fears for children’s safety, concerns about crossing points, traffic volumes at peak times and speeding. They also strongly doubted the


applicant’s belief that someparents or carers would walk children to the primary school fromBearsted, a trip that would involve crossing the busy unlit roads ofWare Street and Bearsted Road at various


points as existing footways were staggered. Footpaths – including the one at


the Gidds Pond Cottages pinch point –would bewidened. But the line of parked cars at the houses will remain and pushed further into the road, with the likelihood that therewill be an increase in the current damage reports to resi- dents’ cars caused by other road users trying to squeeze through the narrowed area. A speed limit of 30mphwould be imposed. When fully up and running, the


two-storey buildingwill house 540 pupils,with an estimated 65mem- bers of staff, say LAT. There are 85 main car park spaces and 35 pick- up and dropping off slots for cars and mini-buses planned in the scheme. A representative of the Depart-


ment forEducation,MelanieBurn- ham, said that therewas an urgent need for schools but this was the only site available and she ac-


Mayor opens extension


CHAIRMENof Boxley Parish Council past and present and honoured res- identswerepresentas theMayorCllr David Naghi officially opened the extension to theBeechenHallmeet- ing room, named The Acorn Room. As part of his opening duties, the


Mayor was also asked to unveil two honour boards, one showing the names of past chairmen to the parish council and the other the list of Kent Association of Local Coun- cil’s Community AwardWinners. Some regular hall hirers were also


present and had their photographs taken with themayor. The Sing and Sign leaders taught the Mayor and his consort Angela Vincent to sign Happy Christmas. The extended meeting room,


which will hold up to 30 people and the refurbished public area has


22


added much-needed space for smaller community groups, training events and for generalmeetings. A Baby Yoga Club has already


signeduptouse the venue fromJan- uary 2019 and the parish office will bemarketing it in theNewYear. Chairman Bob Hinder said: “The


Mayor was impressed by the stan- dard of the venue and I cannot thank the parish councillors and of- fice staff enough for getting this project through to completion. “Beechen Hall has often been re-


ferred to asWalderslade’s ‘best kept secret’, so it’s time to shout out loud what a fantastic facility this is.” The parish office is based at the


hall, andwith regular child and adult clubs, it is a vibrant venue with lots of repeatand“recommended”book- ings.


Maidstone East January 2019


knowledged that it was not ideal. Later inthemeeting, itwaspointed out to her that the 1,700 residential developmentproposedforDetling Hill includedaprimary school and that application had already been submitted. We understand that the school


planning applicationwasdue to be submittedby the endofDecember. Appealing directly to the audi-


ence, CllrWendy Hinder: “I have your concerns. I feel the same as you. But they are trying to provide school places that we urgently need.” Addressing the school delega-


tion, she “beseeched” a re-think, adding: “I have young grandchil- dren and I wouldn’t want them walking along that road.” The parish council is seeking a


meeting with Kent County Coun- cil’s principal transport and devel- opment planner Brendan Wright to discuss local concerns about Bearsted Road.


Visiting from Bearsted Parish


Council,Cllr FabienneHughes of- fered to take the delegates on a tour to show how local primary schools currently cope with high volumes of traffic. Many local people accept the


need for new schools and resi- dents have been impressed by the facilities –which include two play areas, sports pitch, poly-tunnel and a mini-amphitheatre – pro- posed for the students. LAThopes to provide training to


its 140 SEN pupils in local busi- nesses and horticulture to help themgain future employment. Start times for the schoolswill be


staggered tominimise congestion, say the applicants butWeavering Heath resident Ian Stuart ques- tioned whether planners from local firmDHAhad a contingency in case this policy failed due to traffic. DHA claims the system willwork and can absorb the extra traffic.


downsmail.co.uk


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