Welcome to the website for Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parish Council

Objection to Lenacre Hall Farm planning application (18/00413/AS)

Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parish Council met last week and unanimously agreed their objection to the latest application for the Lenacre Hall Farm site. You can read the Council’s objection here. 

Objection to planning application for 625 dwellings off East Mountain Lane, Kennington  (18/00236/AS)

The Parish Council’s objection to the proposed development (on land near to the Old Mill Public House) can be viewed here. 

New Parish Councillor

The Parish Council would like to welcome Adrian Coles to the Council following his co-option in March. We look forward to working with him and benefiting from his local and professional knowledge.

New Parish Clerk appointed

We are delighted to announce that Rachel Girt joined us as Parish Clerk for Boughton Aluph and Eastwell in January. Rachel lives locally so is familiar with our parish. She can be contacted at boughtoneastwellclerk@gmail.com or 07419 740559. Please note that the Parish Clerk is a part time role. 

Jason Matthews steps down as Parish Councillor

After more than ten year’s service to the community, Jason Matthews has stepped down as a Parish Councillor in Boughton Aluph and Eastwell. On behalf of residents, we would like to thank Jason for all of his hard work as both a Parish Councillor and as Chairman of the Parish Council for 4 years and wish him and his family all the very best for the future.

Kent Police introduce online reporting of minor crimes and road collisions

Members of the public can now report crimes and incidents as well as non-injury road traffic collisions online via the Kent Police website, www.kent.police.uk. Once a report is made, the user will receive a unique reference number and a return email confirming receipt.

The aim is to provide another choice for how the public can report crime or incidents as well as to try to reduce the number of people calling 101 on non-urgent issues. This is a test/pilot scheme. At the end of each form is the opportunity to give feedback.

Local protest group formed to campaign against housing development

Residents have set up the Lenacre Action Group to protest against the planning application to build 89 houses at Lenacre Hall Farm, Sandyhurst Lane.  You may have seen their banners or received one of their leaflets or taken part in their wildlife survey. The Group were featured in the Kentish Express on 16 November. Read the article. Find out more about their campaign here. Or search for Lenacre Action Group on Facebook. 
 

Major new housing developments in our parish

Two planning applications have been submitted to Ashford Borough Council for major new housing developments off Sandyhurst Lane:
 
  • a hybrid application for 89 dwellings at Lenacre Hall Farm (no. 17/01613/AS); and
  • an outline planning application for 18 dwellings at the former sandpit site (no. 17/01636/AS). 
The Parish Council is not a planning authority but we are consulted by Ashford Borough Council. Both planning applications were reviewed at our meeting on Monday 13 November. After discussion it was agreed that the Parish Council will lodge an objection to the development at Lenacre Hall Farm. We understand that, after canvassing their members, both local Residents’ Associations have submitted objections. While we have strong reservations about safe access to the sandpit site from Sandyhurst Lane, our decision was not to object to the development of this brownfield site. Read more in the latest Neighbourhood Plan newsletter.
 
We understand that both planning applications have been referred to Ashford Borough Council’s Planning Committee for decision. If you have a view on either application, either in support or against, we encourage you to post your comments on the the Council’s website. Search for the application number. It only takes a few minutes and your views really do count. 

Kempes Corner development approved by Planning Committee

A planning application for 3 detached houses fronting onto Wye Road at Kempes Corner was referred to Ashford Borough Council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday 15 November. The Parish Council lodged an objection to the application which can be viewed here. The recommendation of Council officers was that the development should be permitted. The Committee granted planning permission. 

Grants and charitable donations

  • A grant of £4,200 towards a new parish War Memorial to mark this year’s centenary of the end of the First World War.
  • A grant of £1,050 to Goat Lees Primary School to purchase benches and a story chair for their new outdoor reading area.
  • A £100 donation on behalf of our parish to the British Red Cross to support the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.
  • A pump-priming grant of £2,000 towards the construction of a detached toilet building in the grounds of the Grade I All Saints Church, Boughton Aluph.

£100 grants available to local groups

The Parish Council launched a new community grants scheme for 2017-18. We will make available 5 grants of £100 to community groups based in or with a connection to our parish for projects which will benefit our parish or its residents. To find out more, download an application pack and application form.

Improved broadband service for Boughton Lees faces further delay

As part of Kent County Council’s Making Kent Quicker programme, in April BT installed a new broadband cabinet on the village green at Boughton Lees.  Since then BT Openreach engineers have hit a series of problems in trying to run fibre to the village along the A251 Faversham Road. Kent County Council and BT Openreach are now exploring an alternative route. If this proves feasible, the best estimate is that the work will be completed by the end of June 2018.

In addition to bringing “superfast” broadband of 25Mbps+ to the village, the cabinet will help ease pressure on cabinet 14 located at Eastwell Towers which is currently oversubscribed. 

The new cabinet will improve the speeds of fibre connections but not ADSL. To benefit from the improved service, once the cabinet is connected, residents may need to review their broadband package with their internet service provider. 

Parish litter picks – help clean up our community

After a successful first parish litter pick in Sandyhurst Lane at Easter last year, litter picks are now taking place monthly in and around Boughton Aluph.  A big thank you to volunteer Ann who leads the litter picks and everyone who has taken part. If you would like to join a future litter pick or organise one in your area, please email the Parish Clerk.

UPDATE: Litter picks take place in Boughton Aluph every second Saturday of the month between 11.00am and noon. Everyone is welcome. Equipment and protective clothing will be provided. Meet outside The Flying Horse. 

New Parish Council Chairman elected

At the Parish Council meeting on 14 August, Spencer Phillips was unanimously elected as the new Chairman of Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Parish Council. Nigel Bunker was elected Vice Chair. See the full list of Parish Councillors here.

Ashford Local Plan 2030 submitted for examination

Ashford Borough Council held a second public consultation on the main changes to their draft Local Plan 2030 between 7 July and 31 August 2017. The revised Local Plan has no new development sites in our parish. However, the planned residential development at Eureka Park has been increased from 300 new homes to “in the region of 375 dwellings”. Read the Parish Council’s response to the consultation.

All Saints’ Church launches website

All Saints’ Church in Boughton Aluph has launched a website. Take a look at www.allsaintsba.org.uk. 

New ward to be created at Goat Lees 

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has published its recommendations on the new electoral warding arrangements for Ashford Borough. There will be four more electoral wards and four more councillors in the Borough than there are now. This includes a new ward of Goat Lees around Trinity Road. From May 2019, our parish of Boughton Aluph and Eastwell will span two wards – Goat Lees and Downs West – and will be represented by two ward (or borough) councillors.

You can view the new ward boundaries at www.lgbce.org.uk. 

Attempted burglaries, Freathy Lane

We’re hearing reports of a spate of attempted burglaries at houses on Freathy Lane, Goat Lees. Please be vigilant. If you see anything suspicious, please contact the Police.

Parish War Memorial listed by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

At the suggestion of residents, the Parish Council made an application to list our parish War Memorial which is on the village green at Boughton Lees. We have received notification that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has added Boughton Aluph and Eastwell War Memorial to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. The Memorial is now listed Grade II. Read more here.

CCTV installed to protect Boughton Lees Village Green and Cricket Pitch

After two more instances of vehicles causing damage to the village green and cricket pitch at Boughton Lees on 31 January and 3 February 2017, the Parish Council has been looking into measures to protect the Green. CCTV has been installed on a temporary free loan thanks to the generosity of the local businessman. Please remain vigilant. If you see or hear anything or have any information, please contact the Police.

Commemorative benches on Boughton Lees Village Green

The Parish Council has agreed a policy regarding the placement of memorial or commemorative benches on the village green at Boughton Lees. Read our policy here.

Traffic and road safety in Boughton Aluph

In response to concerns in the Neighbourhood Plan Survey, the Parish Council is looking at solutions to traffic and road safety problems in our parish so we can petition Kent County Council Highways with a traffic management plan based on the preferred option(s) of residents.

Thank you to everyone that took part in our consultation event held at the Iron Room on 5 November. You can find a copy of the presentation and questionnaire here together with a summary of the responses.

The Traffic Survey commissioned by the Parish Council in 2013/14 is available to view here.

Close to half of households take part in Neighbourhood Plan Survey

Parish Council is developing a Neighbourhood Plan for our parish. This is an exciting opportunity for residents to have a say in how our parish changes and grows. Visit our Neighbourhood Plan website at www.parishplan.uk and sign up for our newsletter. 

The official notice from Ashford Borough Council approving the designated area for the Neighbourhood Plan can be found here. 

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Survey. We received 482 completed survey forms. Representing close to half of the households in our parish, this is well above the average response rate for surveys of this type. Your responses have been independently analysed and can be viewed here. 

Financial Reports and Audits

The Parish Council’s Annual Return for the financial year ending 31st March 2016 has been signed off by independent auditors PKF Littlejohn LLP. A copy is available here. 

Financial information for the Parish Council including audit reports can be found under the Parish Council menu item at the top of this page.

Response to Ashford Borough Council’s consultation on sites for Local Plan 2030

Read the Parish Council’s response to Ashford Borough Council’s consultation on site submissions for their Local Plan 2030 here.

If you have suggestions for items you would like to see on this website, please contact the Parish Clerk or your local Parish Councillor.

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