Parish councillors hope to derail Tesco Express

Village councillors have vowed to fight plans to build a Tesco in Herne "every step of the way". They were unanimously defiant this week against speculation of the supermarket giant taking over the empty Upper Red Lion pub.

Tesco is believed to be in talks with brewery Punch Taverns to turn it into an Express store, but the idea was given short shrift at a parish council meeting on Thursday. Cllr John Nicholson said:

"I would fight it every step of the way. I feel very annoyed at the prospect of a supermarket there as there are already plenty in Herne Bay. This is a village and we want to keep it a village."

Cllr Jennifer Taylor fumed:

"It's an historic village and that site is right in the centre, next door to an historic church. I'd be the first one down there with my placard if it happened."

Cllr Ian Sargeant added:

"My grandad had that as a pub and it should remain a pub or a restaurant."

Tesco has so far remained tight-lipped about the possibility of coming to Herne, but a number of sources claim there has been interest. Cllr John Moore said:

"Somebody who works for one of the utilities says they've worked on plans for the possibility of a supermarket on that site. I thought no, this can't be serious. Obviously there's loads of speculation, but nobody's admitting anything."

It's thought traffic issues surrounding the site will be a stumbling block to any possible move for Tesco. Cllr Andrew Brealy said:

"The highways issue will knock any application like this on the head immediately."

The Gazette revealed earlier this month that St Martin's Church vicar Rev Elaine Richardson had looked at the possibility of turning the pub into a vicarage but rejected it. Cllr Robert Jones said:

"It would have been great if it was used as a vicarage, keeping parking for the village. Let's put pressure on her [Rev Richardson] boss to reconsider it. It would be the perfect answer."

HB Gazette 20th Oct 2011 joewalker@thekmqroup.co.uk

---

---

The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.

Council refuses to back village green status bid

A campaign group will not have the backing of the council in its efforts to have The Downs in Herne Bay certified as a village green.

The Save Our Downs group has been urging the council to support the application, which if successful would mean that the area would be open to the public for free forever and that any development which takes place would have to be in the interests of the public.

A public inquiry is due to take place at the end of November to determine whether the 72-acre seafront area will be designated a village green. Kent County Council is the registration authority which will decide The Downs' fate, but Canterbury City Council owns the land and will not be backing village green status.

Members of the council's ruling executive met last Thursday and rejected the idea of turning The Downs into a village green. A report before them stated:

"If the land becomes a town/ village green then, whilst the inhabitants of Herne Bay may have special rights over it, the rights of the council and public in general are diminished. Herne Bay is a seaside resort. The council manages this land not only for the benefit of residents but also for the visitors the town seeks to attract. The interests of the two groups may often coincide, but sometimes they will not."

Peter Lee, the council's member for finance and the councillor for West Bay, spoke against village green status for The Downs. He said:

"It's important that this land is retained for the whole community. It's up to us to make sure that this area is available to the general public in perpetuity."

And council leader John Gilbey added:

"This application is wrong and should never have been put in the first place."

The week-long public inquiry into the village green application starts at St Andrew's Church Hall, Hampton Pier Avenue, on at 10am on Monday, November 28. It will continue at St Andrew's on Tuesday before moving to Christ Church in William Street for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week.

---

Phil Rose is the applicant for village green status and a founder member of Save Our Downs. He believes the reason for the Council's rejection of the application is largely financial.

Part-quoting the Council's report during his speech to the Executive on 13th October, he said:

"If the Downs get village green status the Council will be unable to 'lease the land, offer a concession, charge for use, and build on it'. Herne Bay residents have long suspected that this kind of asset-stripping was the real reason for the Council's objection."

Mr Rose added:

"Village green status has not and will not stop you doing coast defence work. It will not stop visitors from enjoying The Downs. Village green status is what residents and tax payers want."

HB Gazette 20th Oct 2011 aclaridge@thekmgroup.co.uk

Save Hillborough

The Save Hillborough campaign is fighting Kitewood's proposed development of 1,300 houses on farmland at Hillborough. Click the logo to visit their new mini-website and find out more.

Artists' Open Houses Trail in Herne Bay

Now in its 12th year, the popular Artists' Open Houses Trails, features 53 houses with over 182 artists, offering a rare opportunity to experience a diverse array of high quality work in a relaxed setting. With so many venues to choose from there should be something for everyone, so plan your trip and prepare to be inspired and surprised.

For further information on each individual trail, please contact:

• HERNE BAY Mandy Troughton 07890 065046

• CANTERBURY Tessa Mangiavacchi 07729 156953
• FAVERSHAM Anne MacLaren 01795 591555
• WHITSTABLE Paul Elliot 01227 282462

DOWNLOAD THE OPEN HOUSE TRAIL LEAFLET

Select the link above to download the full trail leaflet with details about each house included in the event along with maps of each trail. All houses are open weekends during the Festival 15th/16th, 22nd/23rd, 29th/30th October 2011 11am - 5pm (unless stated).

Here are the details for the Herne Bay Trail. Click the pictures to enlarge them...

EKOH

£25.6m later, a New Marlowe

The tourists drifting past in boats on the river Stour didn't realise it, but the music they could just hear in the distance was the very first performance in Canterbury's brand new £25.6m Marlowe theatre. Appropriately (for a building in which the first year's programming finds space for Peppa Pig, the 84-strong Philharmonia Orchestra, Peter Pan on Ice and Glyndebourne touring opera), mezzo soprano Rosie Aldridge sang arias from Bizet, Saint Saëns and Gilbert and Sullivan.

The archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has been in for an approving look – the uncompromisingly modern theatre, surrounded by medieval listed buildings, is clearly visible from the tower of the cathedral, and the view of the cathedral spectacularly fills an entire window in the theatre – but very few of the townspeople have had a chance to see what their taxes were spent on.

At a time when every local authority in the country is slashing culture and other budgets to the bone, the council raised most of the money for the new theatre, and will also own and operate it – and predicts firmly that it will generate more money spent in the area in the first year than they have invested, along with hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.

"We did intend to have a fortnight of just inviting people in for a look, but we ran out of time," Janice McGuinness, head of culture at Canterbury council, said – shouting to make herself heard over the din of drilling and hammering. The stage lighting was still being rigged, and it was impossible to get Aldridge's grand piano into the auditorium, and so the foyer became an impromptu recital space.

The theatre will be opened by Prince Edward (once famously a theatre-company tea boy) on 4 October 2011, and has just announced the first year's programme. Theatre director Mark Everett is bursting with pride over the Philharmonia residency – the first in Kent by a major symphony orchestra; their first concerts are already sold out – and Glyndebourne adding Canterbury to its tour in 2012, but also promises that Cinderella, the first pantomime, will be properly spectacular: "I'm allowed to have a lot to do with that, it's my treat of the year," he said.

There will also be a new show from the Canadian aerial circus company Éloize, Northern Ballet's Nutcracker and the Rambert dance company, Henry V and The Winter's Tale from Propeller, Edward Hall's acclaimed Shakespeare company, big touring musicals including Grease, and the premiere of a new production of Top Hat.

The new theatre, designed by Keith Williams, is actually smaller in volume than the old Marlowe, a 1930s converted Odeon, but has 1,200 bright orange leather-covered seats, 250 more than the old building, and a big enough orchestra pit, backstage space and fly tower to take in major touring musicals, opera and ballet. There is also a 150-seat studio space, where the choreographer Richard Alston will be working with the cathedral choir to create a new piece, A Ceremony of Carols.

For Everett, the moment of highest drama was the night in 2009 when the council finally voted to go for it, not only to flatten the old building but buy the car showroom next door so the site could spill on to the river bank. Everett first came to the Marlowe in 1994. The new theatre takes its eclectic programming from the tatty but much-loved old building, but in the barn-like space the cheapest seats were so far from the stage they might as well have been in the next county.

"Nothing that has happened since has been as scary as that moment," Everett recalled. "The old building was falling to pieces around us, and up to the last minute it was by no means certain which way the vote would go. We'd have made the old building work somehow – the one thing all theatres have is unlimited supplies of gaffer tape and black emulsion. But this is a dream come true."

Guardian 28th Sep 2011

Kitewood Hillborough Extension: expert opinions

Those nice people at Protect Kent have given us the benefit of their wisdom...

---

Stand against the new homes

In a time of climate change and food security issues one has to wonder what kind of organisation would submit a proposal to build 700 houses on grade 2 agricultural land. Yet this is exactly what a developer is planning to do on a 77-hectare site at Hillborough, just outside Reculver (“Developer's anger over MP's criticism" Times, September 15).

The developer has had the site included in Canterbury Clty Council's Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments and is now attempting to push it quietly into the district's Local Plan.

Once included in the Local Plan, the chances are heavily in favour of planning permission being granted. There are many reasons to fight this development. As mentioned it will take place on agricultural land which will be a valuable resource in the future.

Equally as important is the lack of current infrastructure and the fact that detailed plans on how services such as schools, hospitals and the police will expand has yet to be addressed. The inadequate sewage infrastructure is likely to be costly and difficult to upgrade and the transport infrastructure would need to be radically altered to deal with the increase in traffic that 700 new homes would create.

It is incredibly worrying that in times of rising food prices and a growing UK population we would even consider building on grade 2 agricultural land. If we are to develop Kent in a truly sustainable way then these proposals must immediately be ruled out.

We held an excellent and well-attended public meeting on September 26 to discuss the issue with residents who were unanimous in their opposition to the development and showed real passion for the protection of their beautiful countryside.

Jamie Weir (CPRE Protect Kent), Ashford Road, Charing: HB Times 6th Oct 2011

===

Farming land should be safe from development

Plans have been published by builders to cover 77 hectares of Grade two agricultural land at Hillborough with residential development over the next 15 years.

The land has been continuously farmed for very many years. The builders have already persuaded the city council to include the land for potential housing in the draft Local Development Framework. As everyone is aware, the price of our food, the most basic necessity of all, has greatly increased over the last two years, mainly due to over-reliance on imported food, and lack of support for the retention of valuable agricultural land, to provide food security for Kent and the UK now and in the future, when the cost of imported food will rise still higher and our population increases.

PROTECT KENT has been urging local authorities to refuse planning applications for development of agricultural land in order that Kent can produce more local food, both to its own, and to national, advantage.

Kent used to be known as the Garden of England, but this already misleading description will be further diminished if the city council’s suggested use of farmland for development goes ahead. There seems to be a general consensus that we should be consuming as much home-produced food as we can, but at the rate our farmland is being diverted into the pockets of developers, this ambition will not be realised.

We held a recent meeting for the residents of Hillborough and Heme Bay. Not one person who attended was in favour of any development of the land, nor could anyone see a reason to build houses save for speculation.

It will now be many months before the council produces an amended local plan, but hopefully, although the consultation period has passed, it will still be possible for comments to be considered.

We ask that everyone with an interest in retaining our vital farmland should write to the council and ask that the plan should state that there will be a presumption against all proposals for development of agricultural land involving changes of use.

Barrie Gore, chairman Canterbury district, PROTECT KENT (CPRE Kent), Ashford Road, Charing. HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

---

Visit www.SaveHillborough.info for more

Public meeting: Kitewood development at Hillborough

A public meeting next week will discuss plans to redevelop land between Hillborough and the Altira Business Park. Residents and stakeholders living around the site, which has been earmarked for more than 1,300 homes, are being urged to attend to have their say and learn more about the proposals.

Reculver and Beltinge Community Hall, Reculver Road, hosts the meeting from 7pm next Wednesday, the first of its kind since the scheme was first confirmed in August.

Laura Calder will speak on how people can get their views across as the planning process progresses. The 47-year-old IT business consultant, from Sanderling Road said:

"I want to try and help residents articulate their concems. Should something like this get the go ahead, it needs to be done in the right manner with the local community being consulted on what they want to see."

The £240 million scheme has been drawn up by Kitewood Estates and would be delivered in three phases. Facilities would also include a primary school, shopping centre and a long-awaited footbridge across the railway at Blacksole Bridge.

The first phase of the development, costing £60m, would build 375 homes and extend Altira Business Park. Work could begin by the end of 2012. The primary school and shopping centre would be built in phase two alongside another 500 homes, while phase three would see the final 500 homes constructed.

Kitewood director Mike Dolan welcomed news of next week’s meeting after a public exhibition at Reculver Primary School last month - www.hillboroughextension.com. He said:

"We’ve put forward our own ideas but if people have their own views, we’re keen to work together on a package that allays some of their fears and moves the development forward in a positive manner."

HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

Click for more: Kitewood

 

---

Visit www.SaveHillborough.info for more

Holy Trinity pipped by Unholy Monopoly?

Herne turns out to be an unsuspected hive of activity. It transpires that the local vicar thought it would be a neat idea to re-establish the centuries old symbiosis between Booze and Pews by nabbing the defunct Red Lion as a vicarage.

---

A vicar has revealed she asked her church to purchase a rundown pub and turn it into a new vicarage. The Rev Elaine Richardson tried to persuade the Diocese of Canterbury to buy the empty Upper Red Lion in Herne.

The vicar, who preaches at St Martin's Church next door, says it would have been the perfect spot for a vicarage with rooms for public use. But the Diocese considered the move "uneconomical and unsuitable" - paving the way for Tesco to start talks with brewery Punch Taverns.

The Rev Richardson said:

"It would have been ideal. It's right next door and is perfect for access and parking. It was looked at, but wasn't thought to be suitable. I would have loved to have bought it, but it needs a lot of work doing to it. The diocese didn't like the idea of having a Vicarage where half of the rooms were for public use. I may have put up with it, but I think the diocese didn't think they would find another vicar who would. Obviously, expense was an issue as well. The brewery put it up for sale of offers of more than £250,000, but I think they want a lot more than that. By the time you've bought this, done that, done this, it's not feasible."

Tesco is understood to be negotiating a move to buy the pub and turn it into an Express store, but a sale has yet to be confirmed.

---

---

The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.

---

---

Don't want Tesco, do want pub!

Following up to last month's hoo-ha about Tesco bidding for the Red Lion pub in Herne, and one of the ward councillors being the only person who didn't think it was a disastrous idea, we now have some more local feedback...

---

NO. We do not want Tesco in the village of Herne or Broomfield for that matter. ('Tesco always just muscles in and takes all the trade', Herne Bay Gazette, September 29).

I am on the planning committee of the parish council and would not support any plans that involve the Upper Red Lion for anything but a pub.

I am having the subject put on the agenda of the parish council meeting on Thursday, October 13, starting at 7.30pm, so if you want to hear the debate come along and even have your say.

As for Peter Vickery-Jones, well he does not live in the parish, he lives in Grand Drive so it won't affect him. These are my comments as a parish councillor and resident of the parish and of Herne.

Cllr John Moore, Canterbury Road, Herne.

I gather that no planning application has yet been made by Tesco. In my experience, as vice-chairman of the city planning committee in the early 90s and chairman of Herne and Broomfield Parish Council for many years, if I was still in office I would recommend refusal. I am afraid, however, I would have to declare an interest; I hate Tesco! It is far too big and invasive, with its fingers in every pie.

Just a few months ago I reckoned that the Murdoch empire was in line to take over Great Britain in the next decade or so with Tesco just behind. Thankfully, Murdoch is now a busted flush but we still have Tesco's to contend with.

JC Baylis, Lower Herne Road, Herne, Herne Bay.

HB Gazette 6th Oct 2011

---

Don't forget to visit Tescopoly

War tribute at Bay Art Gallery

Artist pair's 30 years together

Two artists who met more than 30 years ago are celebrating three decades of working together. Clive Soord and Patrick Crouch held their first show together in Canterbury in 1981. They remained firm friends and now have taken over the Bay Art Gallery. The exhibition in William Street, Herne Bay, runs to this Saturday although the pair are hoping to get this extended.

Sculptor Clive, 53, a Canterbury College lecturer, specialises in bronze statues and ceramics. He said:

“Visitors will see there is a bit of both humour and satire here. One of the pieces is an anti-war memorial.”

One exhibit features a column made of skulls with the “Dogs of War” - men in grey suits selling arms - around the bottom.

Both artists will be opening their houses as part of the annual artists’ open house weekends on October 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30. For details of the open house scheme call Mandy Troughton on 07890 065046 or Tessa Mangiavacchi on 07729 156953.

HB Times 6th Oct 2011 ed.targett@KRNmedia.co.uk

"The Seafront"

It’s dusk and the promenade is rain-licked and grey. The flat expanse of concrete curls clean along the lip of the sea, which is punching great cold fists of water against it in a frenzy of February cold.

Down along the seafront at intermittent intervals the concrete dips down to face the sea; a moment for boats departing or waves arriving. There, the fist of the sea claws at the incline like it would smash it to shingle and drag it under.

And there, standing perfectly still, just against the sea, are a couple; ramrod straight. He is arms crossed and bespectacled. She is small and domestic; a biscuit-baking denizen of the middle-class kitchen.

And there, just where the waves claw over the wall and send flumes of foam and saline in an ejaculate of Neptune’s frustration fast towards them, are their children. He is about five and his sister, her hair a tangle of cold salt and seaweed, about eight.

They are facing the waves and every time one catches the declining wall to rear up its frothy head, it drenches them; violent and chill viridian. They are braced against the wall and welcoming each assault of the ocean with glee; elemental, dancing in joy and freezing cold against the grey sky.

Their father turns fractionally towards me and inclines his head very gently, expressionless. His posture is grave, his rationality impeccable and gravity irreproachable. Just the faintest of grins twisting at the corner of his mouth betrays that inside he’s laughing; he’s laughing fit to burst.

---

For more delightful stuff like this - and a lot that's completely different - skip over and have a look at Jamblichus - an intriguing if unlikely mix of beautifully observed daily life, boxing, poetry, internationalism and well-informed commentary on Korean politics.

Historical Records Society: new season

HBHRS Programme 2011/2012

OCT 6	A.G.M. followed by:	Images of Herne Bay from the Air: from the Collection, and refreshments
OCT 20	Frank Turner	Harold Gough Memorial Lecture: The Dambuster Trials at Reculver and Lady Stardust
NOV 3	Bob & Neil Lawrence	Antiques in your Garden Shed
NOV 17	James Brazier	Women At War 1914-1918
DEC 1	Helen Allinson	Life in England 1900-1918
FEB 2	Mike Bundock	80th Anniversary Founder's Lecture: Herne Bay's Public Buildings
FEB 16	John Fishpool	Raiders & Invaders: The Defence of Kent from Iron Age to Cold War
MAR 1	Derek Butler	Sturry & Broad Oak
MAR 15	Peter Meiklejohn	Dickens in Kent
APR 5	David Birch	Lead Kindly Light - The South Foreland Lighthouse
APR 28		HBHRS Wine & Wisdom evening, at Christ Church, entry by ticket. Details TBA.
TBA		Walks Back in Time