Plea to Save Another Open Space

Graham Rickett has been campaigning for the last two years to save a valuable open space in Westgate. Please read his article below. If you remember WASPS successfully registered the Westbrook Undercliffe as a Town Green protecting it from development. Open space is shrinking in Thanet due to development and registration as a village green will give this space legal protection. So if you can help please contact Graham.

A Village Green in Westgate-on-Sea?

 

We would like to safeguard all further use of this field at the rear of Ursuline Drive  and to the east of King Ethelbert School (black rectangle) for the community of Westgate-on-Sea and our neighbours by registering it as a village green. This area has been used for over 30 years for different recreational uses over the years. “The Linksfield Estate” community are selfishly trying to preserve this area for a community use of this small field at the south west end of Westgate-on-Sea. This can preserve an area of open space, which is rare in Thanet, for our future generations of children to use. We are asking for evidential support from anyone who is interested in adding their voices to the protection of this area for the local use that it has always enjoyed so far. This is also an area with populations of wildlife which are unusual such as the green woodpecker, lesser and greater spotted woodpecker and butterflies – small skipper, marbled white and small heath (recorded in Kent as unusual) amongst others. It would be a shame to see the loss of their habitat if this area was to be developed upon.  People have enjoyed the use of this field for many years – walking, playing with children/grandchildren, dog walking, blackberry picking, picnicking, kite and model plane flying, etc.

Our application to have the field adjacent to Ursuline Drive registered as a village green has entered the public consultation phase and we need your support to make our campaign a success and to safeguard access to this field behind Ursuline Drive for our and for future generations. The hearing after 2 long years was held on the 26^th February of this year (our evidence questionnaires (71) were sent to KCC on the 28^th November 2011),  the panel of 5 KCC members could not decide to grant us this area on legal grounds and so the case has been referred to public inquiry (November 18^th – 22^nd). We now need your support more than ever. So if you have ever used this area of land, please get in touch. The important thing for us now is

1)      We need you at the public inquiry – 18^th to 22^nd November during the day and evenings at the Swan in Westgate-On-Sea

2)      supply email or phone details for contact, if you want more details – email better

3)      Any offer of support – or suggestions for us to get the most from our inquiry

If you are happy to do any of these – please let Vince or myself know ASAP by emailing grahamrickett1@gmail.com or phone 07870563918

v.macey@btinternet.com or phone 07795987553

We are counting on you for support of this area thanks for your
support. This is for you and future generations