PROW NEWS – OCTOBER UPDATES
- Sutton footpath EE422 upgraded to bridleway status – order confirmed
This path runs northwards from Sutton Lane (the lane from Ripple village to Beacon Hill) at GR 343 501, up to and over Beacon Hill and then down again to the road at Little Mongeham (GR 333 509). This also involves renumbering a short section of footpath EE423A as bridleway EE422 at the Little Mongeham end. A very useful route often used on club walks.
- Sholden footpath ED56 upgraded to restricted byway status
The order to upgrade this path has now been confirmed. It runs from Sholden church north-eastwards along the Sholden/Deal parish boundary as far as Church Lane. The route already has a tarmac surface and is very well used.
- KCC orders made but objected to, which have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for a decision
Just now there seems to be a record number of proposals for the creation or upgrading of PROW which have been objected to, and are with the Planning Inspectorate (who appear to have a backlog) for an Inspector’s Decision on the basis of written representations from all parties involved.
A quick reminder of issues in our area currently waiting to be determined:
- Ottinge (south of Elham parish) – claimed new restricted byway from Millhill Farm to Mount Farm, north-west of the main Elham Valley road.
- Nonington – one upgrading and one creation (both restricted byway status) claimed in the St Alban’s Downs area, in the east of the parish
- Nonington – upgrading to restricted byway of 1.8 miles of footpath from just south of Fredville Park north-easterly through to Thornton Lane
- Eastry – claimed new restricted byway, from Great Selson Farm north to the Eastry-Staple road.
- Barham – claimed new byway open to all (including motorised) traffic from Dane Farm to Peafield Wood Road, in the far south-west of the parish.
- Stelling Minnis – claimed new bridleway in the south of the parish, from the corner of Eastleigh Wood eastwards to the main Stelling Minnis – Rhodes Minnis road near Wheelbarrow Town.
I will let you know when decisions are eventually published
Development proposals affecting PROW:
Most news this month has not been of paths which will be directly affected by new houses built across their actual route, but of paths that will now run along the boundary of a new development. Not disastrous, and with a green “buffer” in most cases, but any rural “feel” is diminished. Other topics :
- Sellindge – Elm Tree Farm development approved.
Just outside our territory, but on 9 September Folkestone & Hythe DC approved the building of 105 new houses immediately north of the A20 (ref. 24/1413). The development almost surrounds the Primary School and extends northwards to take in what is currently the Elm Tree Farm site. An application has already been approved to divert footpath HE299, ahead of the extension to the school and its grounds. The new proposals will affect the rest of footpath HE299, much of HE295 and part of HE296. Although their routes will remain essentially the same, all will now be routed through green corridors within the development. Many Sellindge residents feel they are being overwhelmed by the hundreds of new houses approved on different sites – and that without taking the nearby Otterpool “new town” proposal into consideration.
- Developments halted due to financial problems
You may have seen a number of press reports recently of where house building has stopped due to the developer’s financial problems. In our area these include the sites: (a) off the old A20 at Farthingloe (White Cliffs Court), (b) on the old Eastry Hospital site, and (c) behind South Court Garage, opposite the Three Horseshoes in Great Mongeham. Only (c) has a footpath (ED38) running along the boundary of the site, and that is still easily passable, but in many ways an abandoned building site is worse than a completed new estate for local residents.
- Shepherdswell – rejection of application for proposed new house adjoining the North Downs Way (ER77)
This would have been built at the point where the NDW emerges onto Mill Lane, next to the parish church. In reality it would have had little effect on the path, but locals were vehemently against it, and Dover DC Planning Committee turned down the proposal at their 25 September meeting.
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
