PROW NEWS – April 2024 UPDATES
For once it’s really been quite a quiet month on the PROW front, with very little new news.
- Developments at Betteshanger Country Park approved
No PROW are directly involved here, but the Country Park is of interest to most people. On 7 March the Dover DC Planning Committee approved by a sizeable majority the building on site of a 120 bed hotel, plus a surfing lagoon and ancillary leisure facilities. Local public opinion was quite split on this one, but in the end the presumed health and economic arguments won the day.
- Proposed Solar Farm at Postling rejected
This large development was to have been sited in an AONB, and would have dominated the view from the North Downs escarpment and NDW above the village. Good to see that a Council now dominated by the Green Party can still accept that whilst we need renewable energy, the means of producing it have to be in the right place. Read all about it via the link below (sorry about all the adverts) https://www.kentonline.co.uk/folkestone/news/kent-s-green-council-reject-plans-for-huge-solar-farm-303801/
- Extension to “temporary” closure of Alkham restricted byway ER261
This track runs from the bend in (St Radigund’s) Abbey Road at GR 271 421 north-eastwards for ¾ mile to the junction with restricted byway ER175 (St Radigund’s gateway – Chilton Farm – Alkham Valley Road). Closed since 2016, repair of this route, which suffered from severe flooding and erosion problems, has proved very challenging. However KCC hope to have it open again by this time next year.
- Woodnesborough footpath EE195 – serious illegal blockage
In conjunction with local people, I am pressing KCC to take urgent action to remove the obstruction to this path. Just beyond where it leaves footpath EE196 (Ringleton Manor gates to Coombe Lane) the landowner has erected a barbed wire fence preventing access (at GR 298 574). This was partly torn down in early March, but the reaction has been to erect a new double fence, plus an official-looking (but “illegal”) plaque to indicate the route is closed. Happily KCC Brabourne’s initial reaction has been to take a serious view of this matter.
- Recap of orders made but still awaiting resolution
- Ringwould, Ripple, Langdon parishes – extension of bridleway ER16, and the creation of short new bridleway EE498 opposite Hangman’s Lane.
- Wingham and Goodnestone – Inspector’s decision still awaited regarding the creation of new byways (EE496/497) in the Little Twitham area.
- Eastry and Woodnesborough – creation of new restricted byway (EE499) between Selson Lane and the Eastry-Staple road
- Alkham – diversion of footpath ER150 close to Ferne Lane, Chalksole Green. This has been hanging fire for almost a year now.
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 01304 362730, or e-mail roger.rambler89@outlook.com
