FARMING, HOUSING, GARDEN VILLAGE ??????????

Dear Residents,

You may recall earlier this year Shepway District Council purchased the land formerly belonging to Mr. John Champney for 5.2 million pounds. For some unknown reason to us, time was of the essence and was purchased under urgency powers as stated by SDC. You may also recall that a statement was made by SDC that a regular income stream would be realised by renting the land to local farmers thereby generating that said income.

Less than a week ago we contacted Jenny Hollingsbee, our local SDC Councillor and Deputy leader and asked if it was true that SDC had a plan to build 450 homes on the newly acquired land. After two days we received an email stating that to her knowledge, tenancy agreements were in place but SDC, in terms of providing homes, or words to that effect, will be looking towards future generations.

We emailed again asking to provide a more definitive reply.

Here it is: 

"Our top priority is to provide more high quality homes and jobs for the people of Shepway.

As part of its Spring Budget of 2016 the Government published a prospectus inviting local authorities to come forward with plans for garden settlements.

In response, the Cabinet of Shepway District Council has authorised officers to carry out detailed work to establish whether we should make an expression of interest for Government support for a Garden Village.  

We will be in a position to provide further information on May 6^th."

 Alistair Stewart. Chief Executive. SDC.

Bearing in mind that Taylor Wimpey have recently been given the go ahead to build 250 new homes in Sellindge, at what point, in terms of population does Sellindge earn the grand title of 'Garden Village'. And what exactly is a 'Garden Village'. As far as we can see probably one that just might be sitting alongside a stinking waste site, anaerobic digester, wind turbines, Dungeness size wood burning power station or the biggest truck park in the world with the local countryside and verges strewn with fetid and human waste. Ah, and not forgetting the never ending list of pollutants. 

So once again, there we have it. Our local council telling great porkies at the outset in the hope that we would swallow it. But for those that did truly believe that cattle would be roaming the Champney land don't be too disappointed, there's probably more old bullocks to come.

S&DRA.