Lower Halstow Parish Council - Planning Application for 55 Homes at Funton Brickworks Site

Residents will wish to note that an appeal has been lodged by Nightingale Homes (Upchurch) Ltd against the Borough Council’s refusal for outline Planning Permission for 55 houses at the Funton Brickworks Site. Details of the application can be found at:

http://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=NMR23NTY0XN00

or by calling into Swale House and asking to see the application.

One of the reasons given for the appeal is the low number of objections received from residents of Lower Halstow. The Council objected to the proposal and would urge residents to make their views known to the Planning Inspectorate.

Set out below are points you might like to raise to object to the proposal, based on the National Planning Framework (NPF). Using the NPF policies give valid reasons for the Inspector to turn down the appeal.

The development is in an inappropriate location as it is an isolated site. This goes against Swale Borough council’s recommendations which state that the problems that the proposals create are not outweighed by any gain. The location means it will have a very negative impact on:

Visual impact – over intensification of the site, plus light and noise pollution, (NPPF 55) Site falls within an Area of High Landscape Value (AHVL)

Visual impact on the open coastal, marsh environs

Unsustainable – cannot meet the everyday requirements of the residents (NPPF 70, 32) everything that residents will need for day–to–day living must come from offsite, resulting in increased traffic movements.

Traffic movements – concerns were raised by Kent Highways, the impact will far outweigh any nuisance/noise Halstow residents experienced when the brickworks were open as the factory operated a deliberate policy of not allowing traffic to pass through the village. A residential site will operate 365 days a year, the roads are unclassified, therefore national speed limit of 60mph applies, traffic does pass at speed; walkers, cyclists and horse riders use the road. No footpath and no street lighting. Children will not be able to safely walk to school.

Detrimental impact of significance on the protected RAMSAR/SSSI site nearby, increased use of nearby Special Protection Areas leading to an overall negative impact on the wildlife, especially bird watching (NPPF 109, 113,118,119)

Spirit of Sittingbourne Regeneration and Perry Court, Faversham have both been granted permission for housing since this application was first refused, weakening the argument for need.

Any comments should be sent to the Planning Inspectorate by Email to: robert.cook@pins.gsi.gov.uk or in writing to Room 3/0,Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol, BS1 6PN, quoting reference APP/V2255/W/16/3146393.

DEADLINE FOR REPLIES IS TUESDAY 24TH MAY 2016

Lower Halstow Parish Council

Email: clerk.lhpc@gmail.com

space

A Picnic with Paddington™ at The BarnYard

Paula Ray - Action Medical Research

Community Fundraising Manager - London and South East

space

Latest POLICE.UK Crime Data for the Area - March 2016

Here is a brief summary of the crime information for the past 2 months:

	February 2016	March 2016
All crime	34	47
Anti-social behaviour	5	16
Bicycle theft	0	0
Burglary	4	13
Criminal damage and arson	4	8
Drugs	0	0
Other crime	1	0
Other theft	3	2
Possession of weapons	0	0
Public order	1	0
Robbery	0	0
Shoplifting	4	1
Theft from the person	0	0
Vehicle crime	5	1
Violence and sexual offences	7	6

Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.

Upchurch Matters

space

Open Farm Sunday at The BarnYard

The BarnYard
space

80s Disco & Charity Race Nights at The Three Tuns

The Three Tuns
space

Produce & Craft Fair at The Three Tuns

The Three Tuns
space

Upchurch Parish Council - Vacancy for Parish Clerk / Responsible Financial Officer

Upchurch Parish Council is seeking to appoint a Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer to undertake the administration of the Parish Council's work. The ideal candidate should have good administration, financial, IT and communication skills. The job requires you to be well organised and to work from home.

Working as Parish Clerk for Upchurch Parish Council will involve: preparing budgets, monitoring and balancing the Council's accounts and preparing records for audit purposes, ensuring that statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Council are observed. Preparing agendas for our council meetings and taking and writing up minutes as well as reports for local publications. Additional tasks will involve responding to general correspondence and liaising with local residents, governing bodies, Swale Borough Council and Kent County Council. The successful candidate will also be required to oversee contractors carrying out Council work.

Impartiality to matters and acting under instruction of the Council is imperative to this role.

Upchurch Parish Council are responsible for a Burial Ground. The successful candidate would be required to liaise with families, undertakers and the Church in order to administer funerals and interments. You will also be required to oversee the administration and running of this area.

The Parish Council are responsible for allotments and the Clerk is responsible for the administration and rent collection of these.

Knowledge of Local Government procedures would be an advantage. Consideration will be given to candidates with the right skills and a willingness to learn a new role to support the Parish Council. (Full training will be given).

The job is 12 hours per week which includes at least 2 evening meetings per month. Salary scale is set nationally starting at spinal column point 15 £8.61 p/h and rising to spinal column 21 dependent on experience.

Please apply by sending a CV and brief supporting letter explaining how you meet the requirements to the Chairman, either by Emailing chairupc@outlook.com or via post to 1 Jubilee Fields, Upchurch Kent ME9 7AQ before the closing date of 13th June 2016.

If you would like to discuss this prior to application contact details can be found on the Parish Council website.

Sara Tucker

Chairman Upchurch Parish Council

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk