Inhuman structures have changed the face of town

I have to wonder about some of our planners and councillors (nothing new in that, do I hear you say).

They have spent years approving the kinds of hideous, inhuman buildings and developments which have caused an elderly lady I overheard the other day to say ‘Ashford’s gone. It just isn’t Ashford anymore.’

They have approved the savaging of many of the green areas which once gave Kent the appellation the Garden of England. They have approved the construction of threatening, towering buildings which bear no relation to the human scale.

They have approved housing estates with rabbit-hutch dwellings crammed together in a way not dissimilar to the cramped streets of the

Northern industrial revolution towns.

But they object to the external appearance of a proposed primary school in the disgraceful Chilmington Green development.

In a forest of identical, boring houses designed to cramp the souls of the unfortunates who are destined to inhabit them, a large building displaying some sense of individual design is castigated by the very people who gave the go-ahead to the 5,750 toytown houses surrounding it. Foremost among the nay-sayers reported in last week’s KE was councillor Jessamy Blanford who has a whimsical approach to design.

She seems to suggest that the exterior of the building should have a Disney-like appearance. ‘Let’s ask KCC to wake up and ask their inner child to come out to play’, she said.

‘Threatening, towering buildings bear no relation to the human scale’

Thomas Cook; what can a chap say? The failure to resuscitate what is probably the biggest travel company in Britain will hit on many levels. Hundred of thousands of holidaymakers stranded in foreign lands and having to be flown home at the government’s (our) expense. Then there are the thousands of employees thrown out of work.

Next come the hundreds of soonto-be-empty shops driving another nail in our failing high streets. And then there are those who, like my step-daughter, have booked ahead for holidays next year.

We can only hope things will improve in time...