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Maidstone and the Weald
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Recent News For Maidstone
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Article: May 19, 2013Campaign launched with massive show of support from local people
If the leader of Maidstone Borough Council had come down to the woods today he would have been in for a big surprise: a huge crowd of local people demanding he re-think Conservative plans to plough a road through much-loved ancient woodland.
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Article: May 17, 2013Thanks to your pressure, Bridge Nursery has won a reprieve from the bulldozer. After our massive petition the council has been forced to accept that a full set of environmental studies must be undertaken before allowing the area to be concreted (see http://savebridgenursery.wordpress.com/ for the latest information). Now we face another battle every bit as vital.
The ancient bluebell wood off Hermitage Lane where many locals enjoy walking their dogs and letting their children play is under threat of development. Worse still, we have been misled about the scale and nature of the building project which contravenes national planning policy.
Croudace, the developer, now plans to build across land that was never included in the consultation last autumn. To do this, it proposes driving access roads through our precious bluebell wood. Council officers have amended the original plans to allow this. Without acknowledging there had been such a destructive change to the plan, the council's Conservative cabinet quietly passed the scheme in March. The Government's National Planning Policy Framework is clear in demanding that any application that damages ancient woodland should be thrown out.
The council's own inventory of Ancient Woodland shows this site to be a remaining fragment of Kentish wildwood. Our research shows it was here since at least 1600, and quite possibly since the end of the ice age. Not only is it achingly lovely, it contains valuable wildflowers and wildlife. To build over it would be vandalistic; it would also break crucial planning rules.
This Saturday, 18th May, there will be a demonstration and photo-shoot in the wood. We hope to show the scale and strength of local opposition. We must force the council to see sense.
A group of residents and campaigners are meeting at Freshland Road, ME16 0WJ at 10am. The more people who turn out, the more pressure there will be on the council. Children, partners, friends and even dogs all welcome!
I should declare that opposition to this development is being by Liberal Democrat county and borough councillors whose diligent research has shown how the plans flout government policy. However, we are not electioneering (the county elections have just finished): we simply want to save this wood. Therefore, whatever party you support (or none at all) I hope very much you will join us and all your neighbours in coming out to block this assault on the beauty and peace of our area.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Jasper Gerard
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Maidstone and the Weald -
Article: May 17, 2013
Just to remind you that we have a Pizza and Politics event on Tuesday 21st May at The Chequers Inn, Old Loose Hill, Loose, ME15 0BL at 7.30pm.
The guest speaker will be Antony Hook, a barrister specialising in criminal cases who was recently selected for the number two slot on the Lib Dem list for the 2014 European elections. He will be doing a talk on "The UKIP Fallacy".
Entry is £5 or a mere £1 for students and comes with free pizza. This is a very informal event so come along to meet new people, no matter what your views.
This is the follow on to the last event that we held in March on "Hop Gardens or Houses" which you can read more about on our website.
All are welcome, hope to see you there!
