News

Plans which have been submitted for a foodstore sited in the existing car park of the Hawkinge Community Centre have angered villagers and a meeting has been hastily arranged by Hawkinge Parish Council for next week.

The meeting to decide whether the expansion of Lydd Airport can go ahead has been delayed for another two months by Shepway council, after a request from the airport’s lawyers.

By Cllr David Godfrey

On Sunday (19 April) I attended the public meeting in the Hawkinge Community Centre organised by concerned residents to discuss the plans for the care home on the employment land in Hawkinge.

The Gazette has been sent a 'Notice of Intent' for planning permission to turn a store in Bouverie Place, Folkestone into the latest branch of an expanding chain of adult stores.

Shepway Lib Dems believe the planning applications for Lydd Airport expansion may not to be heard until May 2009 - "and probably later".

In response to an enquiry from Lib Dem Shepway Council Group Leader Lynne Beaumont about the expected time before a planning meeting on Lydd Airport's planning applications for a runway extension and new terminal building, Shepway Council Officer Terence Ellames, Major Applications & Projects Manager has said: "We are still awaiting clarification on some flight path assumptions - especially as related to the Navigation Performance Scales (NPS).

"We are being told these will not be significant, and could have less of an impact on noise, but we await the full details before asking our consultants to complete their work and deciding if any further consultation is required.

"The applicant has also requested time to provide comments about socio-economic, drainage, sewerage and possibly ecology in response to consultation responses at the end of last year. We are now being told this information and comment will be received in early March.

"Until we have this it is impossible to know the implications. Leaving aside a final report by our consultants BV, and any potential reconsultation on some aspects, we need at least 2-3 weeks to assess everything and decide if we need legal advice on a recommendation. Only then can we factor in planning a special Council meeting meeting, which we estimate would require approximately 6 weeks once we know our recommendation."

London Ashford Airport (Lydd) formally submitted the planning applications relating to it's expansion at the beginning of 2007. Two major applications were filed with Shepway District Council.

The 1st (Y06/1648/SH)concerned transforming their runway to handle large jets, (Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 size), by adding 294 metres to it's length, plus another 150 meter starter extension. The 2nd (Y06/1647/SH) was for the erection of a terminal building and car parking to handle an initial 500,000 passengers annually.
 

The building of a new health centre on the employment land off Spitfire Way in Hawkinge will not now be going ahead.

Drs Beaton and Stewart of the Hawkinge and Elham Valley practice, which operates from Canterbury Road in the village, have written to the parish council saying the development plans for new GP premises at Spitfire Way will not be pursued.

The practice had previously caused controversy over  planning applications to build a health centre and pharmacy in woods between Mill Lane and The Street in Hawkinge.

Local residents were critical of the site for the Centre and re-formed the Hawkinge Civic Society to fight the plans.

The first application was withdrawn in October 2005 but the second was thrown out by district councillors after they supported the recommendations of Shepway council officers in August 2006.

The practice have said in their letter to council Chairman David Callahan that they would like to work closely with the parish council 'to explore further options'.

A meeting with the Chairman and Vice Chairman and representatives from the practice has been arranged for 18 February.
 

Dover is to get a multi million pound boost for the planned large-scale regeneration.

The district will receive  £2.6m from Government over the next two years.

Dover District Council submitted the bid last year, working with a range of partners including the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), English Partnerships, Kent County Council, Dover Harbour Board and Dover Pride.

The Government initiative provides support to local communities who wish to pursue large scale and sustainable growth.

The district council is receiving an allocation of £1m for 2009/10 and £1.6m for 2010/11 to help it to make a real and early difference in the planned large-scale regeneration for Dover.

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: “In these difficult economic times we must not lose sight of the long-term need to build more homes … This money is targeted at those local authorities with the most ambitious growth plans. As well as helping to build the new homes we need, it will ensure we have the support and infrastructure in place so that these homes become part of the existing community, not a burden on their resources.�

Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council said: “It is exceptional that I can again inform residents and businesses of new investment coming into the district; particularly during the difficult times that so many are having to currently endure. This is a significant funding announcement for the delivery of growth coming on the back of the recent Sea Change funding. A range of developments that on their own are important, together will provide a transformational regeneration programme.

“This funding helps support the delivery of this programme and follows successful partnership engagement across a whole range of national agencies and partners who are sitting up and matching their positive words with hard cash. Growth Point status is recognizing Dover as a national priority and is helping to provide the working finance to deliver regeneration. This is a major announcement in supporting sustainable growth and a world-class future for the district.�

 

An action group which claims its views are supported by experts in aviation, nuclear safety and ecology has called on Shepway Council to refuse expansion plans at Lydd Airport.

Lydd Airport Action Group (LAAG) has submitted its response to environmental information issued by Lydd Airport in support of its planning application for a 444 metre runway extension and a new terminal.

The group have raised questions over the close proximity of Dungeness nuclear power station and Lydd and Hythe military ranges, which all have restricted airspace in their vicinities.

And the airport's plans for an on-site sewage treatment works is considered by the action group to be a major development in its own right and requires the same thorough investigation in the planning process as the extension of the runway and the new terminal.

They say that since a treatment works has the potential to adversely affect the European Natura sites which surround Lydd Airport, due to waste water discharge, its plans must be appropriately assessed under the European Habitats Regulations.

Shepway Council is due to make a decision later this month.

Following a letter to the Hawkinge Gazette which indicated that there is still no progress on the new Hawkinge Health Centre, Shepway District and Kent County Councillor, Susan Carey has immediately checked whether the development is still going ahead.

The Centre was given the go ahead in November 2007 but a Gazette reader, who lives near to the proposed site, noted that they had seen "little progress to date."

Cllr Carey has contacted the Hawkinge Health Centre surgery in Canterbury Road and was told that the doctors are still negotiating the Heads of Terms with the developers and discussing the level of funding with the Primary Care Trust (PCT).

She was told that because it took so long to get an acceptable site in Hawkinge, all the financial aspects of the project had to be redone, although it seems no one expected it to take so long after planning permission was granted.

Cllr Carey has said she will be keeping in touch with the doctors about the project and has offered her assistance if needed.