Water & Sewage

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"Known areas at risk of flooding include Blean, Chestfield, the Gorrel Stream, Swalecliffe Brook, Westbrook, Plenty Brook, Stour, Little Stour and Nailbourne river." [Draft Local Plan 7.32]

The Council accepts that we have some known flood areas.

"The infrastructure along the coastal lowlands with respect to foul and surface water drainage is nearing saturation despite improvement works." [Draft Local Plan 7.33]

We have a known sewage management problem and yet the Council is proposing lots of new housing. The Plan says that this problem will need to be dealt with (new treatment works etc.) but it does not say how, nor does it say how it will be paid for.

"On sites that have not been previously developed within the Environment Agency's Zones 2 & 3, no development will be permitted unless an exceptional justification can be demonstrated." [Draft Local Plan 7.41]

We think that both the Greenhill site and the Golf Course site might include areas which are at significant risk of flooding as defined by the Environment Agency. It is very difficult to be sure of this as the Plan only includes cartoon maps rather than proper plans that are to scale, but it does look as if residential housing is being planned for some flood risk areas. In addition, if this is a natural floodplain that is going to be built on, there will be an increased risk of flooding further down the line in central HB if all this housing is built.

The district is already water-stressed in terms of public water supply. There is no proposal to deal with the added demand on water that another 14,000 to 18,000 people will make. [Draft Local Plan 7.59]

Open Spaces

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To implement the Council's vision for the area, there will need to be a significant increase above the historic level of development in the area, both housing and employment space. There will also need to be a significant additional provision of open space of various types, proportionate to the level of other new development. [Draft Local Plan 1.51]

The housing estates proposed for Herne Bay eat up open space, they do not produce it.

There is not enough amenity green space provision now in Reculver, Heron and West Bay wards. A much bigger Herne Bay population will make this worse. The Council recognises that we don't have enough playing fields or allotments now. [Draft Local Plan 11.30]

"Everyone should have access to a space where children can play within 300 metres of their home (this includes amenity open space)." [Draft Local Plan 11.32]

This is not being achieved everywhere in Herne Bay now.

"Historically, some development has occurred outside the urban areas, that has led to the gradual erosion of the open countryside and coalescence between built up areas. The City Council is concerned that this gradual coalescence between existing built up areas not only harms the character of the open countryside, but is having an adverse impact on the setting and special character of villages." [Draft Local Plan 11.53]

The four biggest housing development sites of the five being proposed join Herne Bay to Herne village. In the east, Herne Bay will go south from the sea, through Hillborough, Broomfield and Hunters Forstal to Herne. In the west the town will stretch south from Hampton, through Greenhill to Herne.

Local Plan - Herne Bay, Greenhill

This is the site just south of Briary School.  There isn't (yet) a detailed map, only the dotted pink outline on a larger map. This is shown below, where you can see the Greenhill site in relation to the Golf Club and Strode Farm sites.

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Greenhill residents pull together after vandals target cars

Residents of two roads in Greenhill, Herne Bay, have shown their community spirit after vandals went on a paint-spraying rampage. Between 10 and 12 cars parked in Chestnut Drive and Poplar Drive were sprayed with obscenities some time between 10.30pm on Thursday 29 December and 12.30am on Friday 30 December 2011. One car had its nearside front window smashed.

PC Justin Walton said:

'A white spray paint was used to cover windows and write various expletives over the cars. Fortunately it was non-permanent paint and, with a lot of elbow grease and specialist cleaning fluids, the paint is coming off.'

'Tremendous community spirit'

PC Walton said that although residents had been shocked and angry at the random acts of vandalism, they had pulled together:

'They showed tremendous community spirit and have been out helping each other clean their cars. One resident is away and three of his neighbours have been cleaning off the paint on his car for him so it’s back to normal for his return.'

Police have carried out house to house enquiries and crime scene investigators have been in Greenhill carrying out a forensic examination. Officers are also appealing for people who were in the area on Thursday night and saw anyone acting suspiciously to contact them.

PC Walton said:

'We would particularly like to hear from anyone who finds a discarded white spray paint can in the Greenhill area, as it could help us with our enquiries.'

Do you have any information?

Anyone with information is asked to phone Kent Police on 101 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Kent Police 4th Jan 2012

A tragically lonely death

A woman who died alone except for her pet parrot was left undiscovered for FIVE months. The woman, named locally as Laura Keevil, 47, of Rowland Drive in Greenhill, was last seen alive before Christmas. But it wasn't until May 12 that worried neighbours finally called police after spotting thousands of flies gathering at her upstairs window. This week, the Herne Bay Times learned that alarm bells should have rung weeks before, as neighbours told how they reported her missing to the Hyde Housing Association. One shocked neighbour, who asked not to be named, said:

"Mrs Keevil always went on holiday at Christmas. But this year we didn't see her go or come back. When no windows had been opened for more than a month I called Hyde Housing Association, which manages the property. They sent a woman round who knocked on the door but there was no answer so she left. She said she didn't have a key. I called the housing association again a few weeks later because something felt badly wrong. I could see a dead parrot in its cage through the window.

The housing association sent someone round again but nothing further happened so I tried to forget it. Then I noticed swarms of flies at the upstairs window. It felt so wrong so I called the police. Two young policewomen came round. They tried the back door and it turned out that it hadn't even been locked. They went upstairs and found the body. It was taken away in a white sheet. Someone opened the upstairs window to let out the flies but the house still hasn't been fumigated."

Police spokeswoman Jane Walker confirmed officers had discovered a woman's body in the house, adding:

"She appeared to have been dead for some time and was in an advanced state of decomposition."

A spokesman for East Kent coroner Rebecca Cobb said an inquest had not yet been opened so could not confirm the dead woman was Mrs Keevil. Another neighbour said:

"The house is back on the city council's lettings list again. It was meant to be available from Monday but still hasn't been cleared. It's in a right state."

The property is advertised on the Kent Home Choice website for £89.72 a week, including a service charge of 59p. When the Times visited the property, we found the upstairs window still open and the dead parrot still visible at the bottom of its cage in the kitchen. Neighbour Roger Hinton said:

"Mrs Keevil used to live with her daughter but the daughter moved away. It is quite sad for something like this to be allowed to happen in this day and age."

A spokesman for Hyde Housing Association said:

"At this difficult time, we offer our support and condolences to Mrs Keevil's family."

HB Times 10th Jun 2011