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SWAMPY!  WHERE ARE YOU?

Dear Editor,

With reference to the correspondence concerning The New Health Centre planned to be sited at the Junction of The Street and Mill Lane, Hawkinge.

It seems that an organisation has sprung up to oppose the Plans, the Hawkinge Civic Society.

There is but a short space of time to write to Shepway District Council (SDC) to voice one’s individual opposition to these plans.

It seems, that the formal approval of these plans is being treated as mere formality in itself. It seems that the contractors have already been engaged and are ready to carry out preliminary ground work.

I apologise if the following has already been considered and acted upon by the Hawkinge Civic Society, but if not, I submit for their consideration:

If this is the case, then with the collusion evident between the two public bodies concerned, the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the SDC, should not a Court Injunction be sought to postpone the date, for when objections can be lodged.

Should not the matter be referred to the Committee on Standards in Public Life and the Local Government Ombudsman, as it seems that somewhere within either of these two bodies, there may well be a case of Malfeasance in Public Office.

I find it remarkable that the Plan also has the approval of the Highways Authority, the traffic flow in The Street will increase by a minimum of 140 vehicle journeys per day, when the centre is opened. This narrow road already suffers the burden of a high volume of traffic, it was not designed for and can not sustain for that much longer.

I know that the site proposed is a scrappy piece of wooded area that has been abused over the years by members of the public but it seems entirely an inappropriate location to site a Health Centre. Better if it were levelled and turned into a Children’s Play Area, or just a grassed over area

It would be of interest to hear the views of The Woodland Trust, Council for the Protection of Rural England, and Friends of the Earth on this matter.

It would also be of interest to know if the once famed “Swampy� is still active, or if any of his successors would be interested in “digging into this matter� !!


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