Countryside Fears Over 262 Building Land Plots
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Four editions delivered to over 88,000 homes every month downsmail.co.uk MallingMalling EditionEdition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE Maidstone Town | Maidstone East | Maidstone South | Malling June 2016 No. 230 News Countryside fears over Koi in lake mystery A LAKE near West Malling seems to have acquired a new, foreign resident in the form of a 262 building land plots large koi carp. 6 THERE are fears for the future of areas of countryside in Malling after the Fancy Goat future? borough council published a list of sites which could be suitable for housing. STAFF at troubled West Malling eaterie The Fancy Goat As part of its “local plan” process, Parish Council chairman David recognise Bradbourne House is a want to take it over. 8 Tonbridge and Malling council has Thornewell (left) said: “People are Grade I building but does not men- assessed more than 200 areas which concerned that they tion 30 acres around it are were suggested for housebuilding could be a lead-up to covenanted to the National Trust.” Fines for flytippers and other uses by developers and an enormous loss of Many smaller sites have been in- TWO men who dumped rubbish landowners. countryside, ruining cluded in the green and amber lists illegally have been given Council planners graded the 262 the setting of West including Larkfield library and land hefty fines. 12 sites green, amber or red according Malling.Promises at Woodlands Children’s Centre. to their suitability for development, that Kings Hill Cllr Thornewell added: “Some of but stressed that not all the sites would be confined to these are what I regard as brown Mayor Mark’s chain would go into the final plan. the old airfield area would be set field sites within the built area and I MARK Rhodes has been installed The green areas include two sites aside and East Malling would be lost think more explanation is needed for as the new mayor of near East Malling – a large swathe of in urban sprawl.” these officer decisions.” Tonbridge and Malling. 15 farmland and orchards at Broadwa- He said that, according to the in- Trudy Dean, chairman of West ter Farm, stretching to Kings Hill terim sites assessment, 4,772 homes Malling Parish Council said it was and West Malling, and a site around could be built at Broadwater, while pressing for the whole area to be in- West Malling fury Bradbourne House at East Malling at East Malling Research, there could cluded in the Green Belt. BUSINESSES have complained Research. East Malling and Larkfield be 5,483 units. “The wording does Housing special, pages 4&5 that new parking charges have hit trade. 17 Joe’s dash for cash Downs Mail readers favour Brexit JOE Westgate has drafted in a Larkfield trainer to get AN OVERWHELMING majority of Downs Mail fit for a charity bike ride. readers are in favour of leaving the European Union, 25 a survey conducted by this newspaper has revealed. More than 70 per cent of respondents said they Crime Reports 26 want to leave the EU while a quarter want to remain. Hundreds of local residents have posted their A WALLET and cards were taken votes online or sent in a coupon from this newspaper from a vehicle in Snodland. ahead of the EU referendum on June 23. As it stands, 72% of those voted to leave the EU, Comment 30-31 while 25% expressed a desire to stay. The remaining 3% are unsure. Obituaries 32 A current poll of polls published by NatCen So- poll were undecided. cial Research suggests that 51% want to stay in the Observers predict a low turnout will point to a win Parish Councils 40-41 EU while 49% wish to go. This does not take into ac- for Brexit while a higher showing on the day might count the “don’t knows” who are believed to be a indicate the remain campaign will triumph. FORMER chairman of the parish crucial component in determining the result. Downs Mail will be running its survey until June council in Offham, Mike Rowe, But an Opinium survey puts 43% in favour of leav- 23 when we will publish our results online. has been awarded a major com- ing, 3% ahead of the “remain” camp and 17% in that Turn to page 30 for voting details munity award for his work. Town Talk Vicar appointed SNODLAND Football Club AYLESFORD will have a new vicar capped a successful season by starting in August. The appoint- winning silverware and promo- ment of Rev Jonathan Hall has just tion. For details see Town Talk YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT been announced and marks the end in this month’s Downs Mail. [email protected] of a six-month recruitment process. The bi-monthly independent 01622 690290 He is currently a hospital magazine is dedicated to Snod- 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent chaplain in Tunbridge Wells. 3 land and Halling residents. 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For more details, Barley. contact Wayne on 01622 710734. The news was announced during services at St Peter and St Paul’s Church by the churchwardens Aloe vera talk Brenda Sladden and Robert Halli- KINGS Hill WI meets on Wednes- day. day, June 22, for a talk on aloe vera Writing in the parish magazine, by Nikki Clarke. they said: “This is extremely good Meetings are on the fourth news with the whole process only Wednesday of each month at Kings taking six months. This could not Hill Community Centre at 7.30pm. have been achieved without a lot of Visitors are always welcome. hard work and time spent by mem- For more details contact Tina Pat- bers of the parochial church coun- terson on 01732 844721. cil.” Rev Jonathan Hall with his wife Erica Rev Hall was ordained in 1999, having switched to the ministry chaplain at Burrswood Christian ing that, he co-ordinated voluntary Craft and song after working as a personnel officer Hospital, Groombridge, near Tun- work at a large hospital in Caterham AYLESFORD Village Community for Croydon Health Authority and bridge Wells. After leaving college for the mentally handicapped. Centre is holding an indoor market South Somerset District Council. with a degree in geography and re- He will be instituted in the church and craft fair on June 26 from 10am He spent four years as a curate at ligious studies in 1983, he had be- on Tuesday, August 9 and replaces to 2pm to raise money to refurbish Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, come a warden of an Abbeyfield the Rev Chris van Straaten, who the kitchen. followed by seven years as rector of care home, doing all the cooking, moved with his wife Kathy to a new Singing group Vocademy will be two parishes on the Isle of Wight, shopping and generally looking parish near Hull in east Yorkshire performing at the fair with their before moving to become senior after the elderly residents. Follow- after eight years at Aylesford. principal Dani Baker. Advertisement feature downsmail.co.uk Malling June 2016 3 News | Housing downsmail.co.uk Colour-coded housing plots DETAILS of hundreds of sites that could be used for housebuilding “People will be have been published by Ton- bridge and Malling Council as it rightly concerned seeks to identify suitable areas for development to include in its local that this could be a plan. The list, which marks an early lead-up to an stage in the process, is the outcome enormous loss of of the call for sites last September when developers and landowners local countryside” were invited to suggest locations for David housing, employment and other uses. Thornewell, Each of the 262 sites has been eval- that sites would be included in the The council has an assessed need chairman, East uated by the borough council’s plan- local plan. of 13,400 homes to be built in the Malling and ning officers, following government He said: “Sites having potential at plan period of 2011 to 2031, but the Larkfield Parish guidelines. The council has placed this stage will be subject to public borough has enjoyed a healthy hous- Council plots into one of three categories, consultation and will be considered ing supply with planning permis- shown as either red, green or amber.