Green Spaces ImprovementsAlthough Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is determined to force local authorities in the south-east of England to concrete-over their green land, and even we in Medway have to make some concession to this or face losing planning control (upon which we'd lose just about all of it!), we have been successful in protecting the majority of the green spaces we still have.
Here in Rochester South and Horsted ward, we have been particularly successful during the Blair years at keeping our green land green, including Rochester Airfield and the Horsted Farm area and beyond.
Now we are about to embark on a programme of enhancement of this open land, clearing footpaths of scrub—indeed, this work has already started at nearby Daisy Banks and Coney Banks. The idea is to leave patches of scrub that will enable grassland to regenerate. Grazing paddocks for cattle will be created in due course, so that this can be extended to daisy Banks in particular. The now-famous Horsted Cattle have become that successful!
There will be plenty of opportunity for volunteers to become part of what is being planned for our open areas, and already a Friends of Horsted Farm group is being envisaged for our part of the overall scheme.
Your Conservative ward councillors have of course been quietly working towards all of this for some time, and intend to become fully involved in these future plans.
Further details of the scheme can be obtained from the Capstone Farm Country Park team (who have responsibility for all of this) on (01634) 812 196.