The Chief Executive of the Hawkinge Community Centre fears that if plans for a supermarket in the car park of the centre are successful, the village's flagship venue could 'effectively' be put out of business.

Centre boss Colin Tearle made his views public in a letter to the Hawkinge Gazette.

He spoke to a large number of concerned and angry residents who attended the Annual Parish Meeting last week, wanting to know the current position of the planning application, and how they could best oppose it.

Both the Parish Council and the Community Centre are against the plans.

Shepway District Council sold the land around 4 years ago for £150,000; a figure which some villagers thought under valued the plot at the time.

David Callahan, the Hawkinge Parish Council Chairman was reported to have been furious at the time. Cllr Callahan said he thought the 1 acre plot was under priced and considered it could be worth as much as £400,000.

Colin Tearle said that Shepway Officers claimed in a report `it has been very difficult to try and dispose of this particular site at full market value` because of the parking guarantees to the Community Centre.

He went on to say that the land was never offered to either the Community Centre or the Parish Council at the time.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©