Press Releases for 2004

QUESTIONING EXPANSION - REPORT OF A WORKSHOP

26th November 2004

Ashford Green Party held a workshop with invited guests to discuss the current state of Ashford's expansion. Participants were asked to suggest improvements to the process of expansion and to share concerns about problems which do not appear to be being addressed. Steve Dawe reports:

"Improvements suggested included:

* A Community Rail Partnership for the Ashford-Hastings line, to include a new rail station at Park Farm (1).
* Increased emphasis on energy conservation and solar power in new properties could generate a significant amount of local employment (2).
* Co-operatives should be encouraged as they allow people with modest resources to collaborate to form new enterprises. Also, existing similar businesses can merge to create cooperatives - to cut the costs of their bulk purchasing and share skills(3).

Concerns about problems were also noted:

* Council willingness to contemplate building on flood plain: the so-called 'Canal District' proposals were criticised. Similarly, the delay to the Oil Depot development at Wye, because of apparently insuperable problems with disposal of waste water under flood conditions, was cited as an example of pushing the boundaries of new settlement too far into floodplain.
* Housing being proposed for South West Ashford, Beechbrook Farm and the possibility of the sale of Golf Club land, west of Bockhanger, were regarded as objectionable, avoidable uses of greenfield sites bound to generate serious traffic congestion.
* Council officers and councillors are noting the absence of new employment and new community facilities as new housing is being created. This includes the perennial problem of shortages of doctors and dentists, insufficient school places where they are needed and unresolved problems with the capacity of the William Harvey Hospital. ENDS c283 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe, 01233 645167 or 07747 036192. Contact address as above. Notes:

1. Alastair Darling, Secretary of State for Transport, announced a new Community Rail Strategy on 22nd November 2004 which included the promise of more Community Rail partnerships to keep socially valuable but economically precarious rail services running.
2. Local residents already benefit from free advice from the Kent Energy Centre, based in Ashford.
3. Canterbury Wholefoods is a good example of a sustainable cooperative enterprise bought by its employees from the original owner.

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27th March 2005