By Brian Pain
WAR MEMORIAL GARDENS
Faversham Eye sends its condolences to ex councillor Michael Cosgrove and his
chimeric War Memorial Garden Committee following their latest set back in trying
to get planning permission to move the listed War Memorial Cross from its original position on the corner of what was the Cottage Hospital’s Garden on Stone Street into the centre of their Soviet inspired 2019 remodelling of the previous green space. (See Eye 17).
Except for many residents of Priory Road (home to a Mr A Osborne, trustee of The Bensted Charities) who have written in support of the move with eerily similar arguments, despite otherwise overwhelming local opposition, Mr Cosgrove appealed to the national Planning Inspectorate over non determination of his 2023 application.
The inspector Mr N Thomas robustly rejected all of Mr Cosgrove reasons of why the planners at Swale were wrong to have refused permission to move the WW1 stone cross. In particular, he cited Paragraph 207 of the National Planning Policy Framework regarding historic monuments which briefly states:
“where a proposed development will lead to substantial harm to (or total loss of significance) a designated heritage asset, local planning authorities should refuse consent.”
Mr Cosgrove and his publicity shy War Memorial Committee should surely now stop wasting public and charity money and accept defeat.
An intriguing question remains as to what to do with remaining funds contributed to this ill-conceived folly.
In 2022 The Bensted Charities (trustee Mr M Cosgrove) who were holding £35,385 on behalf of the War Memorial Fund, transferred this money directly to the seemingly non- existent War Memorial Garden Committee. It would seem reasonable if these funds were now redirected to something much more beneficial such as the Cottage Hospital itself.
HELEN WHATELY
Will former Trump groupie and democracy lover Helen Whately retrace her steps to Washington for convicted felon Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States?
Also, congratulations to Helen for her latest appointment as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. It is often the case that politicians appointed to ministerial, or shadow ministerial positions know little about the area they are assuming responsibility for, but in this case, Helen’s personal experience in extracting near maximum housing allowances for herself (see Eye 11) should help her understand how government benefit payments work.
CLEVE HILL
We have just learnt that the entire electricity output from the massive Cleve Hill Solar Park will be shared between Tesco and Shell oil through a private purchase agreement with both companies. They claim that it is part of the strategy to reduce their carbon footprint and of course hope that it will improve their green credentials with the public.
This obviously leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of residents who not only are now living next to a giant eyesore but also have the small, but real, threat of a future potentially disastrous thermal runaway event in the huge lithium-ion storage batteries.
The whole Cleve Hill project was sold on the basis that the electricity generated would be sufficient to power around 100,000 homes not just to keep the peas frozen in a supermarket. Obviously, it is laudable that Tesco and Shell should seek to go green, but surely only if they fund their own additional low carbon energy generation?
ORDNANCE WHARF
Coincidently, just as the referendum for the adoption of the Faversham Neighbourhood Plan takes place, one of the sites designated for development at Ordnance Wharf (see pages 2&3), has come up for sale.
The asking price is a mere £375,000 which many appropriately qualified people may regard as excessive for a site requiring expensive remedial works and with a long history of planning difficulties. Previous planning applications refused or withdrawn in 2003, 2012, 2020 and 2023.
PAIN IN THE REAR
In future editions of Faversham Eye, it is proposed to initiate discussion about various issues that divide opinion in the Town.
The first topic for discussion is the Faversham Carnival. Is the annual late autumn evening parading of shivering girls dressed in ballgowns with sashes announcing Miss Margate or one of numerous local towns still appropriate
in 2024?
Please send any opinions to wish to share to favershameye@outlook.com.
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