Developer in hot water over hedgerow damage
Neighbours are up in arms after a developer ripped out a prominent hedgerow without permission.
Bellway Homes dug up the natural boundary in Gore Court Road, Maidstone, on the outskirts of its new 285-home estate at Imperial Park off Sutton Road.
Borough councillor for Downswood and Otham ward, Gordon Newton, has been inundated with complaints about the works.
He told the Kent Messenger: “I have had loads of emails and telephone calls about it, and it has angered a lot of people.
“The hedgerows provide a wildlife corridor, used by animals such as dormice and hedgehogs and now it has been destroyed.
“I am extremely concerned about this, especially as the same firm are planning to develop near ancient woodland at Bicknor Wood.
“They don’t seem to have any regard for the natural world.
“It is of great concern and I will be seeking for pressure to be put on them to plant a row of mature trees in its place.”
He said it was not the first time he had received reports of hedgerows being removed without permission.
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) confirmed a breach of the original planning conditions had taken place.
A spokesperson said: “We have instructed our planning enforcement team issue a Breach of Conditions Notice and instructions for a replacement hedge to be planted as soon as possible.”
Bellway Homes has been approached for comment but had not responded at the time of going to press.
It’s not the first time the developer, which has just been granted outline permission for up to 250 homes north of Bicknor Wood, has been in hot water over Imperial Park.
In 2014 neighbours reportedly spent up to nine hours clearing up after clay washed off the building site in heavy rain and straight into nearby homes.
Kent County Council told Bellway Homes to install better drainage and boundaries following that incident.