Local Plan: criticised for being developer-led

Residents' groups have united in opposition to the garden city vision for Canterbury, which they claim is "seriously flawed".

They formed a non-political alliance at a joint meeting last week, where every individual group raised concerns about the process, scale and speed of proposed house-building, which includes 4,000 new homes in south Canterbury.

Speakers questioned the motivation for the plan, its excessive targets, its lack of infrastructure provision and the timing of both its publication and the consultation period. Chairman Clive Church said:

Clive Church

"We share a common belief that this plan is seriously flawed. It is so obviously developer-led and it ignores the genuine long-term economic and social needs of the district as a whole. We also have serious concerns about the democratic process here in Canterbury since it allows a small number of councillors, 90% of who live well outside the city, to foist a series of completely unacceptable proposals on the city without allowing sufficient time for proper consultation.

We have no doubt that every part of the city will be badly-affected by these plans. The full scale of the extra housing proposed for Canterbury has yet to be revealed. We also have very grave concerns about the extent of the major infrastructure construction that will be needed notably the provision of water and sewerage services. We are concerned as well about the extra traffic congestion and air pollution which would ensue.

Equally we doubt the availability of the jobs needed to support the increase in population. Hopes that these can be provided by a 'silicon valley' style complex are, in our view, quite unrealistic for an area that does not have science-led universities.

Over the next few weeks individual residents groups will be examining the proposals in greater detail and will convene meetings of their members, at which council officials will be invited to speak. The new alliance will meet again in mid-June to discuss the views from these sessions and plan the next steps in its campaign of vigorous opposition."

HB Gazette 23rd May 2013

Local Plan: debate delayed by Council blunder

A special meeting about the controversial draft Local Plan had to be cancelled this week because of an administrative blunder by the city council.

The executive committee had been due to decide on Monday 20th May whether to put out to public consultation the document, which earmarks almost 16,000 new homes across the district. But an eagle-eyed resident spotted the council had failed to give 28 days' notice of the meeting, with embarrassed bosses forced to put back the debate.

The authority admitted it had incorrectly labelled the decision as "key" on papers sent out before the meeting, making it mandatory to advertise it four weeks in advance. But bosses have now taken advantage of powers they hold to give just five days' notice in cases of urgent business, meaning the meeting will be held next Thursday 30th May.

The error was raised with the council's democratic services department by Jon Linnane, of Old Dover Road, Canterbury, who is a member of the Langton and Nackington Road Residents Association. He said:

"The law is quite clear that a key decision needs 28 days notice and I raised it with them on the basis the decision was of high cost and covered more than one ward. They were aware of this on Tuesday, so why did it take until Friday to pull the draft Local Plan from the agenda?

It is laughable that a council which can't follow simple procedural rules has a chance of over-seeing this huge strategic development. We had leafleted 450 of our residents urging them to go to the meeting to express their anger and frustration at this uncosted, environmentally unfriendly and heritage-damaging plan."

City council leader John Gilbey claims there was no need to publicise the upcoming meeting. He said:

"I don't think this is a key decision because it's consultation - it's not that we're deciding to do this. We're putting it out there for the public to look at and have their say. As there is doubt, we will take the safe route and wait a week. I'm not happy about losing the time but I'm not prepared to take any chances."

HB Gazette 23rd Mar 2013

Herne Bay needs Duchampions!

The organisers of the Marcel Duchamp Centenary in Herne Bay are holding a public meeting on Thursday 23 May at 6pm at Beach Creative, Beach Street, Herne Bay (the building on the corner of Kings Road and Beach Street). 

With only 2 months to go before our first exhibitions open, we are inviting everyone in the district to come and hear more about our exciting plans and find out how they can be a festival Duchampion.

The list of events and activities grows by the week and it will be the biggest celebration of the town in years. It is inclusive and fun and there will be something for everyone, whatever your age or taste in art.

Apart from the International Symposium, about 40 recognised artists are contributing original works inspired by Duchamp’s moment in Herne Bay. As are a host of local artists.  There will be chess and music and philosophy in pubs and art bike trails and films and workshops and pop-ups and ready-mades and exhibitions about Herne Bay, both then and now. 

So we need people to Duchampion Herne Bay.  Lots of people. Perhaps you want to Duchampion the music at the bandstand or the cut-outs on the beach.  Maybe you want to Duchampion visitors around town, or pedal the bike cinema for a couple of hours, or put up cartoons in pub lavatories or Duchampion an exhibition or a workshop.  We need Duchampions at the station, Duchampions on the phone and Duchampions to organise other Duchampions. 

So if you’ve got any free time from now until August come and help celebrate Herne Bay’s unique contribution to the fun of Art and the Art of Fun.

If you can't come to the meeting next week, here are details of how you can contact us to find out more:

• Have a look at the Duchamp website: www.iamnotdead.co.uk​
• Contact Sue Austen at: sue@bayguide.co.uk​

The Brand New Heavies head for Herne Bay

The next big name confirmed to play the King’s Hall in Herne Bay is chart-topping acid jazz pioneers The Brand New Heavies.

The band come to Herne Bay on Friday 5 July as part of their tour to promote their first new studio album in seven years, ‘Forward’, featuring original vocal collaborator N’Dea Davenport and new vocalist Dawn Joseph.

Over the years, The Brand New Heavies have been responsible for some of the UK’s biggest soul and R&B tracks among their 16 top 40 singles, including ‘Dream on Dreamer’, ‘Midnight at the Oasis’ and ‘You’ve Got a Friend’, and have sold more than two million albums.

Support comes from Bassment Project, a collective of some of the UK’s hottest musicians who have toured and recorded with artists such as Wretch 32, Jessie J, Rizzle Kicks, Dionne Bromfield and Incognito, to name a few.

Early booking is recommended as tickets are expected to sell fast. For more details or to book, go to the Canterbury Ticket Shop website or call 01227 787787.

CCC 17th May 2013

Pebble, pebble, pebble. That's treble pebble!

Hut 136 West Beach Herne Bay CT6 8RN

23rd-28th May 11-4pm daily

​Resident marvel Karen Simpson is at it again! Simple, creative fun for anyone and everyone - read on...

Please come along and Decorate a 'Pebble' for Karen's Community Art Installation "The People's Beach" which will be going on display at Reculver Visitor Centre in August.

​People will be invited to paint or draw on a Plaster of Paris "Pebble" on the theme "what the coast means to me".

All the Pebbles will form an Art Installation at Reculver Visitor Centre (Reculver Lane Herne Bay CT6 6SS) in August 2013 and Beach Creative (Beach Street Herne Bay CT6 5PT) in October 2013.

To find out more about Karen and marvellous works, visit: www.shoreisaloadofrubbish.com

Dakota flypast

As part of the Dambusters 70th Anniversary, Herne Bay was treated to this flypast. The plane is older than most of the people who watched, and in better nick.

Local Plan - Herne Bay, Bullockstone Road

It's unclear where exactly this development is proposed for. 

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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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Click it to big it

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Local Plan - SNAFU

Canterbury City Council gaffe delays decision on draft Local Plan

A decision on whether a document earmarking almost 16,000 new homes in the Canterbury district can be put out to consultation has been delayed – because of an administrative error. The document proposes 15,600 new homes on sites in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable before 2031.

Canterbury City Council was today forced to admit it did not advertise the fact its executive committee would be deciding on Monday whether to approve the draft Local Plan for public consultation. When making key decisions, councils are required to give a minimum five days’ public notice – something CCC overlooked in this case.

It means the decision will now not be heard until the end of the month, sparking criticism of the council’s handling of the process. Opposition leader Alex Perkins (Lib Dem) said:

“Let's just hope there is no one waiting in a brewery hoping to enjoy a party in the next few days.” 

City council leader John Gilbey (Con) admits the delay is frustrating, but claims there was no need to publicise the upcoming decision. He said:

“I don’t think this is a key decision because it’s consultation – it’s not that we’re deciding to do this. We’re putting it out there for the public to look at and have their say. If there’s any doubt then we will take the safe route and wait a week. I’m not happy about losing the time but I’m not prepared to take any chances.”

kentonline 17th May 2013

Local Plan: Whitstable councillor says - Get Involved

Campaign groups and residents are being urged to have their say on a document that will set out plans for the town's future development. At the first public discussion of the draft local plan on Monday, Whitstable Conservative Ashley Clark said it was vital that people got involved.

The town has been earmarked for 400 new homes alongside Duncan Down, between St Luke's Close and the Thanet Way, with a new junction off the Thanet Way. There is also a proposal for a green burial site on part of Duncan Down as well as more pedestrian access.

Cllr Ashley Clark

Mr Clark – who is barred from commenting on the Down plans because of his role as secretary of the Friends of the Downs – said:

"I don't agree with everything in this local plan. But this is not the end, this is merely the beginning. We are going to have a consultation but to do that we need something to put out to consultation, otherwise it would be like herding cats. Canterbury has got off lightly in the past. Whitstable has taken a lot of pain."

Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people's preferred choice for more developments was Herne Bay, then larger villages, then Whitstable, and last Canterbury. [click here to see why this is untrue]

But 70% of people did not support building on greenfield sites.

thisiskent 17th May 2013

Local Plan: extra NHS funds needed for population boom

A top doctor says extra NHS funding will be needed for local health services to cope with an influx of more than 15,000 new homes in the district.

Dr Mark Jones, the clinical chairman for NHS Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group, says it would need extra government cash to deal with an estimated population increase of 40,000.

Dr Mark Jones

He was speaking after the release of the city council's draft Local Plan, which has earmarked land in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable for 15,600 new homes before 2031. He said:

"We are aware of the development of the Canterbury Local Plan and will work closely with the council to address the opportunities and challenges the proposals present to the health needs of the population. The new health and social care structure enables the CCG to work closely with the council, and other partners, through the local Health and Wellbeing Board. NHS budgets are based on population size so we anticipate an increasing population will be supported by increased levels of NHS funding."

Dr Jones' comments came before a first public debate about the controversial draft plan. East Kent Hospital Trust spokesman Gemma Shillito said:

"The trust has had some early dialogue with Canterbury City Council. We recognise the need to provide additional facilities and housing in the city and now that the plans have been published, we will be looking in more detail to see what impact the plans may have on clinical services delivered at Kent and Canterbury Hospital."

A dozen speakers voiced their fears at a council meeting on Monday, complaining about a lack of consultation and the scale and location of the future developments. The Guildhall was packed for the meeting of the city council's overview committee, where residents spoke against numerous elements of the plan. The document recommends homes are built at a rate of 780 a year, including 4,000 in a "garden city" in south Canterbury.

But a proposal to send the plan back to the council working group to get more input from the community and a reduced rate of house building was rejected. The motion was put forward by Liberal Democrat opposition leader Cllr Alex Perkins, who branded the draft document a "developer-led plan" which local people had not been consulted on. He said building a vast housing estate in south Canterbury was only being proposed to pay for new roads. He said:

"The working group should work with local residents and associations for their vision of what they want in the district."

Cllr Nick Eden-Green, who was a member of the working committee, said he believed the huge scale of housing planned in south Canterbury was "undeliverable". He argued far fewer houses - about 550 a year - was appropriate and they should be built where there was most economic need, like Herne Bay and Hersden.

The city council's head of regeneration, Ian Brown, insisted the council wanted to create communities, not housing estates. He believed the sites in Herne Bay would launch regeneration in the town and fund relief roads at Herne and the Sturry crossing by-pass.

HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Local Plan: concerns need to be addressed

THE Rev Paul Wilson, of Whitstable Baptist Church, appealed to the council to "pause to get things right." He said:

Rev Paul Wilson

"Above all, the Local Plan needs to be community-led, community-devised and community-tested. We need a plan we can be sure is the community's preferred option - not telling people, but involving people. Community concerns need to be recognised and addressed, including the possible over-reliance on consultants’ reports and testing. The draft Local Plan represents an incredible balancing act but it needs more community assessment. I suggest a forum of community representatives from civic societies. community groups and chambers of commerce to test it first."

Christina Astin

Christina Astin, who is head of science at the King's School, was concerned about the size of the proposed development in south Canterbury and its effect on the setting of the city.

Janet Larkinson

Chairman of Harbledown and Rough Common Parish Council Janet Larkinson feared the plan could mean the resurrection of the Park and Ride site in Faulkner's Lane and urged the council to expand Wincheap first.

Dick Eburne, from Herne Bay, said new homes would generate more traffic and much more needed to be invested in public transport. He also ruled out Bullockstone Road as a relief road and said Herne needed a bypass whether the plan was approved or not.

HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Plans for reservoir at Broad Oak. Again.

Plans for a huge reservoir at Broad Oak have resurfaced in a new scheme by South East Water to flood hundreds of acres of farmland and countryside.

A previous proposal for a mile-and-a-half-long lake through the valley met with huge opposition. But now the company's new Water Management Plan proposes building one half the size. Bosses claim the reservoir will be needed in the longer term because a "critical stage" has been reached when it comes to keeping the district's taps flowing in the future.

The previous plan had been for a reservoir at Broad Oak with a capacity of 27 million litres of water a day, but the latest scheme is for 13.5 million litres. Much of the land and property in the valley which would be affected has already been reserved or compulsory purchased by the company.

The firm, which supplies about 73,000 homes in the Canterbury district, also wants to build a desalination plant at Reculver - to turn sea water into drinking water - but the exact location has not been revealed. SEW assett director Paul Seeley said:

"We're operating in the driest region of the country, and yet will see more people and more homes over the next 25 years. Our plan shows we will need up to an extra 145 million litres a day of water by 2040 to meet that demand.

We're proposing a range of options that make what water we already have go further - such as reducing leakage, but on their own, they will not be enough to meet the shortfall. So we are also proposing to share water with other water companies through longer, larger, pipelines; recycle treated wastewater for later use as drinking water, and build a new reservoir in Kent. Combined, they would deliver an extra 167 million litres of water a day just enough to meet that predicted shortfall, and give us a little bit of flexibility."

A public inquiry into the company's water management plan in 2010, which investigated the need and proposed options, was approved by an inspector. But the reservoir would require a separate planning application, which has not yet been submitted, and would probably go to a public inquiry. Even if approved in the future, it would not be built until 2030.

Hackington Parish Council chairman Ray Evison said:

"A reservoir in Broad Oak was first actually pro posed as far back as 1948 and in the 1970's the company said there was still a dire need for it, but we have managed without it so far. The company gave a recent presentation to the parish council and it appears the reduced scale means it would hardly affect our parish. But we would consider a formal response if a planning application was ever forthcoming."

HAVE YOUR SAY

The proposals are outlined in the company's newly-published Water Resources Management Plan, which can be viewed at www.southeastwater.co.uk/yourwateryoursay and the company will also be holding drop-in information sessions in the communities affected early next month to give residents further chance to comment on the plan.

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Prposed location of South East Water's reservoir at Broad Oak

Local Plan: Letters

Spend money from new homes on town

I think the construction of new properties in Herne Bay is a good thing (Housing Boom, Herne Bay Gazette, May 9). They seem to be building a relief road, extra schools and a new GP surgery to cater for the extra people.

This means local shops and businesses in the area will benefit hugely. This is welcomed by people such as myself who do have some big plans to promote the town in the future by use of event promotion.

What needs to be ensured is that the tax revenue from the families in these homes needs to be spent back on the town and not in other places like Canterbury and Whitstable. Herne Bay needs regenerating, let's hope Canterbury City Council are not just doing this out of pure greed.

Ben Fisher, Mill Lane, Herne

---

Local Plan as good as could be expected

Of all the functions which local government is required to carry out, planning is inevitably one of the most contentious and challenging (Urban Brawl, Kentish Gazette, May 9).

Whether seeking to identify where different forms of development might go and to dratt the related policies in a Local Plan or deciding if planning permission should be granted for anything from a small porch to the largest housing estate, it is bound to upset someone.

The grander the scale, the more the council is likely to offend if it gives the green light.

People these days are far more environmentally aware and have easier access to information. Society as a whole places increasingly greater values on matters like wildlife and countryside conservation, looking after our built heritage and avoiding problems like flooding and pollution. Anything involving more traffic is bound to be controversial.

It is inevitable, therefore, that if it is to identify land for new housing of the scale envisaged, the Local Plan will give rise to concern.

If this scale of housing is needed, there are sound reasons for placing it on the edge of Canterbury to meet sustainability principles relating to travel to services such as schools and shops.

No doubt the council has wrestled with other options and considered them objectively. It should come as no surprise that land south east of the city has been chosen. It has been eyed for development, albeit of a lesser scale, for many years and potentially gives direct access to the A2.

That said, I regret that the city council is forced to find land for this quantity of new homes.

I am also sorry that this land is now under renewed threat of development, particularly as I grew up in the area and fondly recall the mix of hop gardens complete with hop-pickers and their huts, cherry, apple and pear orchards and lettuce fields, complete with tall hawthorn windbreaks which once occupied the land off Nackington Road.

I anticipate and fully understand the likely concerns and fears of local people at the scale of development and its implications and the loss of valued countryside.

Your front page headline screams "Urban Brawl". No doubt, whoever produced that is congratulating him or herself. I thought when I first saw it that you were back to the subject of the city's night-time economy. But the subject of Canterbury's future is far too serious for such cheapness.

The city council will already have expended considerable money and time on what is a highly complex matter - a glance at its website will give a clear idea of what is involved.

There will be disagreements, arguments and serious discussion, of course, and the opposition expressed from Alex Perkins and Fred Whitemore is to be expected. However, it is fairly put and your report includes reference to nothing which constitutes a "brawl" comparable to what might occur outside a pub.

John Gilbey is absolutely right: the city council has no option other than to find land for the number of homes dictated to it by others. If it does not, it faces the very real prospect of people throughout the district facing uncertainty and ad hoc planning permissions being given at appeal to unscrupulous developers, probably at very great cost financially to local taxpayers.

Tim Fisher, Hatch Lane, Chartham

---

The main problem with the proposed Canterbury development plan is not what is included, but what is left out.

A further 15,000 new homes will generate a considerable amount of extra trafiic, yet no new roads are planned to cope with this traffic apart from a possible bypasses at Herne and the level crossings at Sturry and Broad Oak, plus a few new junctions on to existing roads.

The ill-thought-out plan to prevent traffic passing through the Westgate Towers caused major congestion problems, showing just how critical the traffic situation is already around Canterbury.

When Ashford was made the main growth town for east Kent, the roads were put in first before the houses were built, resulting in improved traffic flow. The city council should notify the government that it can only plan for the extra 15,000 new homes when it is told where the new roads needed to support such a massive development shall be built.

After all, it is the government's responsibility not only to provide new homes but also the infrastructure needed to support these new homes.

With the government talking about stimulating the economy with more infrastructure projects, this would seem to be the ideal time for the city council to ask for the bypasses around Canterbury that are so long overdue.

Mike Armstrong, Broadview, Primrose Hill, Chartham Hatch

---

I cannot help but agree with the comment from Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins about the Local Plan: "I am afraid there is so much wrong with this Local Plan draft it is hard to know where to start."

First, we were told that the publication was delayed to allow a traffic report to be included, but the only traffic report is dated December 2012 and simply confirms the obvious, that all the options increase traffic in already-congested areas.

Secondly, a substantial increase in housing is proposed with little improvement to the road infrastructure, certainly no improvement to the known bottlenecks. For a start, any expansion south of Canterbury must be conditional on a south Canterbury to Sturry link road.

Thirdly, we are all being encourage to use public transport. Two nearby villages have a rail link to Canterbury, Selling and Bekesboume. How many houses are proposed in these locations? None.

But the final laugh must be for the proposed high-speed bus service from the Boys' Langton to the city centre. Why bother? It is quicker to walk.

Harry Macdonald, Churchill Road. Canterbury

---

One would have thought that Canterbury City Council would have learned from its Westgate Towers traffic scheme fiasco, but clearly not.

I would like to remind them that they are not all-powerful and cannot do whatever they please.

They are not empowered to alter major roads, cannot relocate secondary schools, and as for shutting down level crossings - they should learn the meaning of the term "ultra vires".

Ray Sanders, Old Dover Road, Canterbury

 HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Local Plan: That's too many new houses to be built

Councillor Paula Vickers and I have sat on the Local Plan steering group for the past several years as Lib Dem nominees. We fundamentally disagree to the proposal to increase the rate of house-building to 780 per annum from the recent level of around 550.

Consequently some of the site allocations are unnecessary, in particular the 4,000 houses in south Canterbury. We have insisted our objections be minuted during meetings at which both Conservative and Labour representatives agreed the higher figures.

This plan has been flawed from the start. It should have taken its cue from the public responses to the earlier and abandoned Local Development Framework. This gave us our best indication of what local people wanted.

We should have first openly consulted with local people about the dilemma between the need to build on greenfield land (we have almost no brownfield left) and the need to build new homes for our changing population. We should have considered the "garden city" option advocated by the government's new planning framework. And we should have done this years ago.

However, we do agree with Cllr Gilbey on one thing. The Local Plan is indeed the most important document ever about the district's future. The population of Canterbury district has grown almost 50% faster than the South East average according to the 2001-2011 census figures. The published draft local plan calls for 15,600 new houses to be built between 2011 and 2031 or 780 a year. For the last few years we've been building around 550 houses a year. This means building 42% more homes a year when we have already grown faster than the south east average. This is unsustainable and a figure of 500 houses a year, or 10,000 over the plan period, is right.

The figures are complex and are explained in the plan. Because we have some sites allocated, because we are ahead of target, and because some new ‘windfall' sites will be found, a 15,600 target will mean 9,916 houses on new, mainly greenfield, sites. On the other hand our 10,000 target will require only 4,316 new houses.

We agree that many of the sites put forward in the draft plan should be considered but that the south Canterbury site for 4,000 houses will risk the historic setting of the city, our main attraction and economic generator. It will cause intolerable levels of traffic and use largely Grade 1 farmland which forms a key green buffer between Canterbury and Bridge. If this site is removed from the plan there is still plenty of choice between the sites left which should indeed be publicly debated.

There is also a major brownfield site in Hersden that was taken out of the plan at the last minute on Cllr Gilbey's insistence. This must be reconsidered together with the Howe Barracks site giving much more choice over where we should build. These two brownfield sites alone could mean 1,000-1,500 fewer houses on farmland.

This plan was promised in November. It was then delayed to January, then February. Latterly we were told by Cllr Gilbey it had to be delayed until May for new traffic modelling data to be included.

This new data has not been given so the reason to delay it for publication late on the day of the local elections does seem extraordinary. It was not a date ever discussed or agreed by any of us on the working party. and clearly a decision he alone made.

Cllr Nick Eden-Green (Lib Dem. Wlncheap Ward)

HB Times letter 16th May 2013

Local Plan: money to flow out of Herne Bay

Hundreds of homes at Herne Bay are needed to pay for improvements to roads across the district, councillors have revealed.

As the area's draft local plan was discussed in public for the first time on Monday, officials said the developments at Altira Park, Strode Farm and the former golf club, as well as near Briary School, in Greenhill would bring in vital cash to pay for a new crossing at Sturry.

Relief route

Developers would also be asked to fund a "relief route" for Herne - but opponents said it did not go far enough and a bypass was needed. Canterbury City Council's head of regeneration Ian Brown said:

"We are trying to build communities, not just individual housing estates. The Herne Bay sites will provide a new regenerative beginning for the town, a new focus and will contribute to new transport infrastructure. In part that will help to fund routes through and the Sturry bypass."

The plan includes proposals for 1,000 houses at the Altira park, together with a new doctor's surgery and community facilities.

The developers would have to pay for new links to the Thanet Way, work to discourage motorists from using Heart-In-Hand Road and make a contribution to a relief route at Herne and the Sturry crossing.

The golf club scheme - of 400 homes, business units, convenience stores and a sports hub, plus care home and doctor's surgery - would also bring in money for the Herne relief route and Sturry crossing, as well as a new footpath to the Strode Farm development. That site will have 800 homes, business units, shops, a new parish hall and cash for the crossing and relief road.

The final contribution is from 600 homes near Briary School, in Greenhill, along with allotments, and community facilities.

But town stalwart Dick Eburne said the plan to improve Bullockstone Road as the relief route did not go far enough. He raised concerns about transport, and said the public transport system would need significant investment in order to meet the target of more people choosing to travel sustainably within three years. He said Herne needed a bypass and Bullockstone Road was not suitable, and that through traffic on the A28 should be diverted.

Members of the council's overview committee supported more development at Herne Bay rather than Canterbury, where plans for 4,000 homes south of the city, near Nackington Road, were criticised. Lib Dem councillor Nick Eden-Green said:

"Put houses where we need economic development, Herne Bay and Hersden, not south Canterbury."

Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people preferred more developments at Herne Bay then larger villages, then Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list. [This is a lie - click here to see the truth.]  But 70% of people did not support building on green-field sites.

Planned development at Hersden and Broad Oak would also bring in funding for the road network. Lib Dem leader councillor Alex Perkins said:

"Whether we need this local plan is another matter. I would like to refer it back to the local plan steering group."

His proposal was not supported by the committee, nor was one by Labour's Alan Baldock for an extended consultation period.

Consultation is expected to start in June for eight weeks and the plan is due to be revised by councillors in December, with a public inquiry due to take place next summer before the document is finalised.

HB Times 16th May 2013

Local Plan: John says...

Critics of the ideas outlined in the new Local Plan should put up or shut up, says council leader John Gilbey.

Last week's publication of draft proposals for the district up to 2031 attracted objections over plans for new homes and radical plans for new roads to ease traffic congestion. Cllr Gilbey said:

"We are trying to improve the district, to make things better, and I don't have any problem with people criticizing what is proposed, but they have got to be able to suggest alternatives.  It's no good just engaging in childish name-calling.  That is not going to get their voices heard; it's not going to influence anything."

HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Local Plan: Griff says - voice your opinion

TV personality and campaigner Griff Rhys Jones has fired a broadside at the new draft Local Plan, which he fears is encouraging "free-for-all development" to help solve economic problems.

He was in the city yesterday (15th May) speaking as president of the campaign group Civic Voice and to launch the Canterbury Society's alternative publication, "The Future of Our City - A Residents' Vision for Canterbury".

The society's alternative vision has been produced with the help of 15 other local residents' groups who feel their views are often ignored by the city council. It also believes building new homes in the district at the rate of 500 to 550 a year - compared to almost 800 proposed in the Local Plan - would be sufficient "to achieve realistic economic aspirations".

Griff Rhys Jones

Griff Rhys Jones wrote the foreword to the 43 page report, which he says is a very important document for Canterbury, written by people who really know their own city. He said:

"There are dark forces at work in the government. Some are seeking to solve some of the general problems in the economy by proposing free-for-all construction in badly-placed or out-of-scale developments. They are promoting profit-led anarchy as policy. They want more development come what may and loosening of the ties they believe prevent it."

Speaking before the launch, he added:

"The results of a Civic Voice survey show that 63% of people say that while they care about where they live, they have no influence when it comes to responding to the major changes that impact on their area. So it's great to see the local community in Canterbury working together to put forward their vision for the future.

The public needs to be aware that the draft Local Plan is soon available for comment. I urge people to respond to it and take the opportunity to voice their opinion."

HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Herne Bay Sewing Bee

Tracey Hunt takes to her sewing machine ahead of the workshop on Saturday

Join Herne Bay's version of the Great British Sewing Bee

Who needs Claudia Winkleman when Karry Johnson and Tracey Hunt are around? While the presenter oversaw a televised competition to find the nation's best needlework in the Great British Sewing Bee, the pair are aiming to prove anyone can create their own clothes.

They will host their own sewing bee at Sew Lovely, in Herne Bay High Street, making the A-line skirt from the first episode of the hit BBC Two show. Owner Karry said:

"There has been a resurgence of sewing over the last few years and the programme definitely helped. We opened in 2011 and it has steadily grown since then. We have been getting more interest, and we are finding people are fed up of buying cheap, poor quality clothes and want to be able to make their own, or customise plainer things they have already got."

If a skirt sounds too challenging, the pair can offer advice and assistance on a range of projects, from changing the buttons on a top to creating bunting or cushion covers. The shop also stocks sewing machines and accessories, as well as plenty of patterns and materials.

The workshop runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and will be repeated the following Saturday. It costs £40 and sewers need to bring a sewing machine, 1.5 metres of fabric and other accessories.

For more information or to book, visit www.karrydot.com or call 01227 368517.

thisiskent 10th May 2013

Tree squashes car in Herne Bay

Herne Bay care worker distraught after 50ft tree falls onto car in high winds

A 50ft lime tree toppled onto a car in Herne Bay this morning. A care worker has been left distraught today after a 50ft tree fell onto her car during high winds. The woman was working a night shift at Parsonage Lodge, in Herne Bay, when the car was crushed by the fallen lime tree.

Staff said they heard a "crash", but thought it was just heavy wind until they looked outside to see the tree lying across the road. The force of the tree has shattered the car's windows and crushed the roof.

Rodney Belfield, head of care at the Parsonage Road home, said staff had to climb the wall when leaving and entering the home this morning. He said:

"It was about 4.30am when the staff heard this crash, but they didn't think anything of it. It was only when she saw her car under the tree that the tears started coming and she is absolutely devastated, bless her."

Mr Belfield said the woman is unavailable for comment as she is resting from her night shift. Tree surgeon Ashley Harlow said he expects to finish the tree's removal this afternoon after receiving a call in the early hours. Fire crews and police also attended the scene.

kentonline 15th May 2013