Proposals Put by the Playground Working Group
Proposals put by the Playground Working Group
The Playground Working Group has identified the parcel of land outlined in the accompanying map, owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and tenanted by Mr Josh Berry, as suitable for use as a play and community recreation space. Mr Berry has expressed his willingness for the land to be used as such if the Duchy of Cornwall agrees.
To answer queries from the Duchy, and following the advice given by Mr Andrew Spiers after a site meeting with the Playground Working Group, the group proposes that;
1Selling Parish Council commissions a Heritage Report on the site and seeks quotations for a Biodiversity Appraisal, commissioning that without further debate if under £600.
2Selling Parish Council applies for Outline Planning Permisssion for change of use from agricultural to leisure purpose, after taking advice from KCC Highways.
3The Playground Working Group seeks quotes forfencing/hedging, cultivation and preparation of the site prior to installation of play equipment, and investigates sources of any additional funding needed.
4The Playground Working Group commissions the free design and consultation services offered by manufactures and suppliers of play and exercise equipment.
Dependent on the results of the above, the Playground Working Group further proposes that;
5Selling Parish Council makes a formal approach to the Duchy of Cornwall via their agent and Mr Berry, for the use of the land as a play and community recreation space.
PROPOSED PLAYGROUND SITE
From: Andrew Spiers <
Date: 14 July 2017 at 15:49:47 BST
To: 'Glenda Smart' <
Subject:RE: Written report re preplanning meeting - 17/502455/PAMEET - Land adjacent to Neames Forstal
Dear Glenda,
In the interests of both ease and speed, I hope that this email is the best way of responding to your Members’ request for pre-application advice regarding land at Selling, which is potentially to be used as a children’s’ play area. Please forgive my delay in responding to you.
I met on site with a number of your Members on 2nd June, and they were kind enough to give me a comprehensive tour of the site and environs. I would suggest that the site may indeed be acceptable for the siting of a children’s play area (a community facility) but would recommend consideration of a number of points before and when an application may be submitted.
Traffic sight lines from the existing entrance would be a little restricted, as would sight lines from any other possible access point onto the road. I would therefore strongly recommend that you avail yourselves of Kent Highways and Transportation’s thoughts on the matter of access and sight lines before submitting any application, as this may possibly prove an impediment to any proposal. I believe that one of your Members serves on the Swale JTB, and thus has contact with our colleagues at KCC Highways.
1)Any application might require a drainage scheme, as much permeable ground would be lost. You may wish to discuss this with the KCC Sustainable Drainage team; they can be contacted via
2)Any play equipment should perhaps be of the more modern rugged timber style, rather than the old fashioned brightly coloured steel type, to preserve the rural setting of the site.
3)Similarly, boundary treatments should reflect the rural nature of the site, perhaps using traditional post and rail fencing, perhaps with a planting scheme for hedging of native species, such as hawthorn, which will later soften the visual effect of the fencing.
4)Care should be taken to protect the residential amenity of those residents backing onto the site in Neames Forstal, such as maintaining the line of mature tress and shrubs along that boundary. I am further of the opinion that the PC might wish to initiate a consultation exercise with those residents prior to submitting any application.
5)From our site meeting, I understand that a small parking area is envisaged. I would suggest that that parking area is indeed kept small, and of a surface which is less stark than concrete or tarmac (perhaps bonded gravel?). The parking area should also not be too near to the rear of the aforementioned houses in Neames Forstal.
6)Any application should include the following documentation:
- A Design and Access Statement
- A Heritage Statement
- A biodiversity/ecology appraisal
I hope that this helps, but should you require any further guidance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards,
Andrew