downsmail.co.uk


Shut our lane overnight to beat antisocial yobs


ANTISOCIAL behaviour on a quiet country lane has reached suchproportions that residents in Thurnhamare asking the council to close the road overnight. JeanetteMacleodis one of half-a-


dozen people living in the remote Castle Hill. The road used to join the A249 but was closed to cars many years ago for safety reasons. Residents say the lane is adump-


ing ground for rubbish, a popular haunt for courting couples drink- ing, drug-taking and fly-tipping. Those that live in the area and


staff at theBlackHorse pub say use of the no-through road by walkers and those using the White Horse Wood Park is expected, but they nowwant to call time on the use of the lane by cars after dark. Jeanette collects rubbish daily-


while walking her dog around Bearsted, Detling and Thurnham. She said: “It has now become im- possible to keep up with the rub- bish discarded every night.”


She regularly collects six black


bags of rubbish, including take- away wrappers, beer cans, vodka bottles, condoms, wet wipes and drug-related litter. She says drastic action is now


needed. “I’ve lived here 35 years, and it’s beyond a joke. This road was nevermeant to be a car park.” Residentsblamepoor access from


the A249 and say road improve- ments should provide easier access to the park’s designated car park


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Call for action: Thurnham residents Mandy Lane, Jeanette Macleod, Janys Ferguson and Danielle Petrescu


fromthemain road. DaniellePetrescu,wholives at the


top of the hill, fears her home and family are at risk because vehicles parked over-night stop emergency services getting through. Mrs Macleod added: “We feel the time has come for this no-through road to be protected from misuse and abuse overnight by a barrier,witha keypadfor thosewhoneedaccess.” Kent County Council was ap- proached for a comment.


News Care home on


bungalowsite DETAILS of a proposed luxury care home on the Ashford Road nearHollingbourneweredue to go on showaswewent to press. A public exhibition by Berkley


Care Group at Hollingbourne vil- lage hall on March 26 was due to present the idea for a 79-bedroom care home in place of the house and bungalow at White Heath – home to Allied Lumptons – near Musket Lane. It is understood the owner has


been unable to sell his home fol- lowingMaidstone BoroughCoun- cil’s decision to permit


the


Woodcut Farm development, whichwill surround the property. Berkley Care Group says it will


buy the site, subject to gettingplan- ning permission. It says the home wouldmeet a shortfall inprovision for the elderly in the area and pro- vide jobs for 100 to 120 staff. The company’s CEO Seamus


Halton claimed the “change and development” will excite local in- terest. Woodcut Farmfound a place on


the Local Plan as a location that would generate local jobs.


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