PROW NEWS – JUNE UPDATES.
- Hougham parish – orders made for multiple upgradings to restricted byway status and a creation
- ER217: Upgrading from bridleway to restricted byway.
- This track runs from the lane (Eight Acres) just north of West Hougham village at GR 266 405, north-eastwards for two-thirds of a mile to GR 275 410 – the junction with new restricted byway ER218B and bridleway ER219.
- ER218A: Upgrading from bridleway to restricted byway and renumbering as ER218B.
This runs from ER217 atGR 275 410 as mentioned above, north-westwards for some 700 yards down to the eastern edge of Poulton Farm at GR 270 412.
- ER218B. Upgrading from footpath to restricted byway.
- This section runs from the end ofER217 at GR 275 410, eastwards for under 200 yards to GR 276 410 at “Soval Pond”. From this point eastwards, footpath ER192 heads across Whinless Down, whilst bridleway ER218C drops down to Lowslip Road/Elms Hill.
- ER309. Creation of a new restricted byway by the banger racing track at Poulton Farm
- This will run from the newly renumbered ER218B east of Poulton Farm at GR 272 412, eastwards for 250 yards to GR 274 412, the start of the public road (Coombe Road) which leads to the Buckland Hospital area of Dover.
Incidentally, quite a number of routes in this area were claimed as byways open to all traffic just before the 2006 cut-off date, but KCC found insufficient evidence then to upgrade any of them.
- Paddlesworth HE379/HE380 – order made to create new byways
The order is based on claims made by Hugh Craddock and Averil Brice. It would create a new short section (70 yards) of byway open to all traffic at its southern end, but essentially a restricted byway (no motorised vehicles allowed) of some 1,000 yards. This would run from the public road at Redsole Farm (GR 202 401) north-eastwards along an existing track to Pay Street at GR 207 408. The new route will run parallel to footpath HE236, about 200 yards further to the east.
- Elham HE375 (north of Ottinge) – Planning Inspectorate’s timetable to examine objections to the creation of this restricted byway
This issue has been caught in the Planning Inspectorate’s backlog for the past year, but it has now been announced that all official representations will have to be submitted by the end of August, hopefully for a decision before the end of 2026. The new restricted byway would run from Millhill Farm at GR 167 428 north-west to Mount Farm at GR 162 433. If approved, this would make the whole route from Canterbury Road (the main Elham Valley Road) through to Magpie Lane/Cullens Hill into a PROW – where it is not already classed as a public road.
- Deal (Mongeham) ED39 – proposed diversion of footpath around new approved housing
New housing between the A258 Sandwich Road and Mongeham Road has been approved, although the development in question (Dover planning ref 22/00652) went to appeal as Dover DC was taking too long to make a decision. The proposed diversion would take the footpath a little further west further between the two areas of housing through a “green infrastructure corridor – probably the best outcome we could have expected.
- Hythe – proposed creation of two new public footpaths across Hythe Green
The proposal is for two new paths, both already visible on the ground. One runs north-south and the other north-east to south-west, both being some 200 yards long. Hythe Green is situated just south of the Dymchurch Road (A259) bridge across the Military Canal, on the southern edge of the town centre.
- Worth – effectively a temporary diversion of bridleway EE233 to the other side of South Stream, just north of the pumping station
Due to “works”, KCC has temporarily (“up to 6 months”) closed some 750 yards of the definitive line of bridleway EE233. This runs alongside one of the more westerly of the South Stream channels, just to the north of the pumping station at GR 349 550. The alternative route is along the eastern bank of one of the more easterly channels in that area. The distance between the two is small, the “new” route should be obvious, and in truth it is often a better walk than the definitive line.
Development proposals:
- Betteshanger Park – proposed sale and changes of use in some areas
No real news to report this month after the announcement at the end of April. I will keep you informed should anything definite be made public in the coming weeks. But the sales brochure speaks of the potential for a 150 lodge holiday park and “additional commercial space”, so no doubt about how Quinn are marketing it.
- Eastry – land to the west of Lower Street
In what seems a very timely announcement, Southern Water (not the outage-ridden Southern Eastern Water) has expressed concerns that it might not at present have the capacity to supply water to the proposed 100 new houses to the west of Lower Street, as you come into the village from the south (Dover planning ref.25/00934). The company hadn’t apparently realised the effect of the new houses currently being built on the former hospital site immediately to the north(!). So this development, which would affect the nature of and views from footpath EE256 on its northern boundary, may at least be on hold for a while.
As always, if you would like more details about any of the issues mentioned above, or any others for that matter, please contact Roger King on 07779 533 583, or e-mail roger.rambler89@outlook.com
