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PHOTO: Craig Matthews
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CONCERNS have been raised by newly elected councillors across the political spectrum about Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s proposal to build a new ‘garden town’ on the edge of Tonbridge. The neighbouring authority’s early draft of its Local Plan will be unveiled today [Wednesday]. It identifies Tudeley and Paddock Wood as the locations for around 6,600 new houses by 2036. All of them would be built on Green Belt land adjacent to the border of Tonbridge & Malling borough. The picturesque village of Tudeley, which lies a mile from the edge of Tonbridge, has been allocated 2,600 homes – 600 are already in the pipeline. It is likely to be renamed as a ‘garden town’.
affordable homes that we need to build ourselves.” Cllr Boughton, who is local MP Tom Tugendhat’s assistant, added: “I hope Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will take seriously the pressures on infrastructure in Tonbridge, and consider development in more sustainable locations than rural agricultural land between Tonbridge and Paddock Wood.” Mark Hood, a new Green Party councillor in Judd Ward, says: “Tonbridge & Malling Green Party is concerned to hear that a massive development is planned on the Green Belt at Tudeley. “This will effectively join the settlements together and will put a massive strain on local services including schools and medical facilities. The road network is already under pressure in this area.”
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andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk
Paddock Wood, meanwhile, is set to double in size, meaning there could be one continuous development through Five Oak Green into Tudeley. That has also prompted fears that it would create a conurbation linking Paddock Wood to Tonbridge itself. The borough of Tunbridge Wells cuts a small swathe through Tonbridge at the roundabout on Woodgate Way where it intersects with Tudeley Road. Medway ward runs right up to the border and Matt Boughton, the newly elected Conservative councillor there, told the Times: “Like Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells Borough has a significant need for additional housing, especially to help local people find suitable affordable housing. “However, any development should be close to existing towns and not put additional strains on infrastructure in Tonbridge, where we have a large number of
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By Andy Tong
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Town under threat from plan to build 2,600 houses in Tudeley
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FIELD OF DREAMS The Green Belt plot identified around the village of Tudeley is all owned by one company
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‘Uncharted territory’ as Hadlow is first college to face administration He said he had ‘spent a HADLOW COLLEGE has become the considerable amount of time with first college in the country to apply the previous leadership trying to get to be placed in educational more funding for the group. It’s administration. important to know where this has The move comes as the Hadlow been spent’. Group, which runs the agricultural He added: “The law has been school and West Kent, is being changed recently to ensure the investigated by the Further needs of the students come before Education [FE] Commissioner over any creditors. allegations of financial “I am particularly irregularities. ‘The scale of the reassured that this law The probe was launched following the financial mess is so is now in place. “In January, a new resignation of principal deep and unheard insolvency regime for Paul Hannan and his of nationally Further Education deputy Mark Lumsdonthat special Taylor earlier this year. circumstances have colleges was introduced, so there is Education Secretary to be considered’ an orderly process in Damian Hinds made the application at the MP Tom Tugendhat place for managing financial difficulties request of the college, where a college enters and a court will now administration. decide whether to approve it. “Clearly this isn’t an outcome any Tom Tugendhat, the MP for college wants. But the scale of the Tonbridge & Malling, described the financial mess is so deep and situation as ‘uncharted territory’ unheard of nationally that special and has called for the officials to ensure that ‘students are protected’. circumstances have to be considered.” He has worked closely with the He has written to Anne Milton, the Department for Education and FE Minister of State for Skills and Commissioner Richard Atkins to Apprenticeships, to seek establish the best way out of reassurance. financial difficulty with as little The FE Commissioner’s probe impact on staff and students as follows an inquiry by the Education possible. and Skills Funding Agency [ESFA] Mr Tugendhat said: “I’ve been into money paid to the group for deeply concerned by the accounts I apprenticeship schemes. have been hearing about the way The Hadlow Group’s schools have public money has been used, and around 10,000 students, and the have asked the Skills Minister to ESFA dispute that it was entitled to keep a very careful record as the millions of pounds. Repaying the investigation goes on. money could further damage the “Hadlow College is a really group’s finances. important part of the local community and I am keen to see the rights of students protected.” Continued on page 2