Medway Joins No Use Empty Scheme

Medway Council joins KCC’s No Use Empty homes scheme

No Use Empty, the longest-running empty property initiative in the country which is run by KCC, is expanding its operations by partnering with Medway Council.

Latest council tax records show that there are a total of 6,798 long-term vacant dwellings in Kent alone. However, without the 500 properties per year which NUE is returning to use, the number of long-term empty properties would be significantly higher.

Medway’s figure for long-term vacant properties is 1,573.

The NUE team has seen an unprecedented increase in loan applications over the last 18 months with 63 individual loans being awarded with a value of £9.6million. This means a further 166 homes will soon be back into use providing much-needed homes across the county.

Since 2005 NUE has recycled loans to the value of £43million which has leveraged an additional £37million from the public/private sectors, making a total of £80million investment into tackling the problem of empty homes.

The programme is delivered by KCC in partnership with all 12 district councils in the county.

KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Derek Murphy, said:

“No Use Empty has been combating the on-going problem of empty homes through a variety of interventions with impressive results. In these challenging times, initiatives such as this are becoming increasingly important.

“We realised that the scheme could be replicated and are pleased to announce that Medway Council are our latest partner to join us.

“This is a tremendous boost for our nationally recognised NUE brand which continues to go from strength to strength and now has banket coverage across Kent and Medway. NUE is ready to administer new loan applications and help Kent’s economy recover as well as delivering the homes required.”

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, said:

“I am pleased that we have joined the No Use Empty Scheme which will help bring empty properties in Medway back into use, providing much-needed homes for residents. I would encourage residents with empty properties to find out more about the scheme and how we can help them turn their house into someone’s home.”

Loan products offered by NUE are:

• Interest Free Loans - Funding available to help owners/developers refurbish/convert empty homes or redundant commercial buildings to provide good quality residential accommodation. On completion, properties must be made available for sale or rent. Loans are secured as a first or second charge and offered over 2 or 3 years.
• Top Up Loans - Folkestone & Hythe DC, Dover DC and Tunbridge Wells BC have allocated funds to offer an additional £15k on top of the NUE loan of £25k providing up to £40k per unit to help with refurbishment costs.
• Live Margate - The focus of the project is regeneration by converting or redeveloping poorly managed, dilapidated, or vacant HMOs into quality family homes (target of 66 homes to be created). NUE has an allocation of £2.9m from the Live Margate project.
• NUE Commercial - In 2018, KCC was awarded £1m Growing Places Fund (GPF) for the NUE Commercial project Funding allocated over two financial years. The project aims to return long-term empty commercial properties to use, for residential, alternative commercial or mixed-use purposes. A further £2m was awarded from GPF for a second phase to be launched 2021-22.
• Interest Bearing Loans - Subject to the level of funds available interest-bearing loans have been introduced to help developers bring projects which are of a larger scale either as a top up or to fund the whole scheme. Loans are secured and administered on a phased basis and interest will be charged at market rates.
• New Build Loans - Subject to the level of funds available interest-bearing loans have been introduced to help developers bring forward smaller plots of land which have planning permission for new build homes. Loans are secured as a first and only charge on title, interest charged at market rates and collected quarterly basis.

All funding is subject to availability.

For further information and/or to apply for a loan, go to: www.no-use-empty.org.uk

Murray Evans - Kent County Council

Temporary Road Closure - Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow

It will be necessary to close part of Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow from Monday 27th September 2021, with estimated completion by 8th October 2021.

Wardwell Lane will be closed in the general vicinity of The Cobbs, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route is Wardwell Lane, Vicarage Lane, The Street, Breach Lane, Boxted Lane, School Lane and vice versa.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while cabling and splicing works are carried out to complete BT spinal works, undertaken by Openreach.

For information regarding this closure please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Thank You from Upchurch Village Hall - Upchurch Afternoon Tea

Upchurch Afternoon Tea.

As part of the full re-opening of the Village Hall, the Management Committee held an open to all Afternoon Tea, on August 21st, to thank the residents and organisations of Upchurch for supporting us prior to and during the Covid-19 closure. During that closure, a significant amount of work was commissioned on refreshing the hall ceiling, floor, electrics, and fire systems.

Free tea and slices of cake were offered [and superbly prepared by members of the Upchurch WI] enabling those who attended to sit and talk to friends without disruption. Also present were many village organisations signing up new members or raising funds for their causes plus a chance to tell others their plans. In fact a chance for us all to reconnect with each other again in the life of this village.

Thanks to the following organisations, who are all from Upchurch, for attending - Book Art [trade stand], Bug & Beagle Books [trade stand], The Choral Society, the Friends of St Mary, the Guides, the Horticultural Society, Mr Fizz the Magician, “Old School Afternoon Tea” [trade stand], the Players, The Royal British Legion, the Scouts, “Smile Malawi”, St Mary’s Church, UpARA, the Women’s Institute and “Wooden Crafts” [trade stand]. There was no charge to any of the stall holders.

The feedback about the event was very positive on the day from attendees and stall holders. The Committee received many plaudits about the work on the hall.

Upchurch WI.

The Committee especially wishes to express its gratitude to the Upchurch WI whose contribution on the day was outstanding. The cakes that you ate were all made and donated at no charge by the WI members - in recognition of this the UVH committee has made a goodly donation to Upchurch WI funds.

David Steward - Chairman UVH

Website: upchurchvillagehall.weebly.com

Doorbell Stolen | Property Burgled | Vehicle Stolen - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/178610/21

Between 16:00 on Tuesday the 14th of September and 07:30 on Wednesday the 15th of September, somebody stole a doorbell from a door in Playstool Road, Newington.

Crime Number: 46/181507/21

On Friday the 17th of September between 11:15 and 12:00, somebody broke into a residential property in Playstool Road, Newington.

Crime Number: 46/181348/21

On Sunday the 19th of September, somebody stole a green Toyota Landcruiser, S156***, from the road in Keycol Hill, Newington.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

Newington History Group - Unveiling of Roman Newington Remains

The reconstructed foundations of a Romano-British temple, uncovered in 2018 during an 18-month archaeological excavation at Watling Place, Newington, will be officially unveiled next Tuesday. (Sept 28th)

A short ceremony will be held at 11:00am on the recreation area off Watling Drive, ME9 7FX.

A selection of Iron Age and Roman artefacts uncovered during the dig will be displayed.

Reconstruction of the 2,000-year-old temple’s foundations has been completed by Newington History Group and Swale and Thames Archaeology Survey Company (SWAT), with the support of Persimmon Homes.

The history group succeeded in persuading Persimmon to spare the foundations only days before they were due to be covered by the 124-home housing project.

The original stones have been re-laid only 70m from their previous location, on the same orientation and alignment. The main structure of the temple was demolished around the 2nd century.

The temple foundations will be on permanent open display along with an information board explaining the importance of the site and the history of the Romans in Newington.

If you are attending the opening, please walk there if you’re able due to the limited parking on the Watling Place estate and in village car parks. Please respect areas of residents’ parking.

For updated information follow the history group on Twitter @NewingtonHG, check the Facebook page or view the website www.newingtonhistory.uk

Richard Thompstone - Newington History Group

Upchurch Poppy Day Appeal - 2021

Remembrance Sunday will be on the 14th of November - details of the service in Upchurch will be announced by the church.

The Royal British Legion is at the heart of a national network that supports our Armed Forces community. It is the country’s largest Armed Forces charity with about 235,000 members and 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities helping it give support wherever and whenever it is needed. Each year it leads the nation in commemorating and honouring those who have served and sacrificed.

This year we celebrate the centenary of the Royal British Legion and special centenary pins will be available from the collectors for a four pound donation when they come round. If you would like your centenary pin earlier please contact me.

In Upchurch, a team of local volunteers will again be making the annual house-to-house collections from Saturday the 30th of October to Saturday the 13th of November.

Volunteer house-to-house collectors are needed for Butchers Green, Eastwood Meadow, Forge Lane, Kent Terrace, Pear Tree Grove, Quilters Yard, The Street and Woods Edge - if you would be willing to give a few hours of your time to collect in one or more of these roads during the appeal please contact me. I will offer full support and assistance so that you only have to do the house-to-house collecting in your allocated street.

Also, I would welcome help with organising which covers the periods leading up to, during and after the appeal. Ideally, I would like someone to come forward and be willing “to learn the ropes” with a view to taking over in 2022.

“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”

Hon. Alderman Gerry Lewin - Poppy Day Appeal Organiser 

Telephone: 01634 366113 - 07946 996789

Email: lewing135@btinternet.com