News

The initial opposition to plans to build a foodstore adjacent to the Hawkinge Community Centre, has now changed to support from some residents in the village.

This is the third planning application by Edinburgh Land Estates Ltd for a retail store at the rear of the Community Centre submitted to Shepway District Council.

The first two never reached the development control committee, but this one does look like it may reach that stage of the planning procedure.

A number of villagers now appear to support the plans and think the village should start to look at itself as a town, embracing new businesses and competition.

But many still consider Hawkinge to be a village, albeit a large and expanding one with a population of more than 7,000 people, and they want to retain its rural character.

Whichever view you take, the current plans for a new retail store will probably not have universal endorsement or rejection for that matter.

As for the recent history of the land; it was sold to Edinburgh Land Estates for £150,000 three years ago, for what some Parish Councillors considered to be a knock-down price. Parish Council Chairman Cllr David Callahan went on record saying he considered £400,000 would have been a more realistic figure.

But there were some conditions put on the land sale including one in which the purchasers had to be willing and able to accommodate the Hawkinge Community Centre Trust's requirements concerning shared parking.