Sevenoaks Chronicle
Reform criticised for selling KCC art works
A SALE of more than 360 art works owned by a Kent council shows “utter contempt” for local history, claims the Green Party. Green county councillor Stuart Jeffery said the collection of paintings, drawings, lithographs and prints by Reform UK-run Kent...
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Visitor centre gets £2.1m refurb
THE visitor centre at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve has re-opened following a £2.1 million refurbishment. The Harrison Visitor Centre, which hosts events, school visits and family activities, has been transformed, said Kent Wildlife Trust. The money has...
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Beauty spot ‘blighted by antisocial behaviour’
ONE of Kent’s most idyllic riverside villages with a centuries old humpbacked bridge and a dreamy church spire is being blighted by antisocial behaviour. The village gem of Eynsford looks ripe for a jigsaw puzzle, with ducks bobbing on the river and...
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Kent EV points to be funded in £12m plan
A MAJOR new £12 million Government-funded initiative to install 10,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points in Kent was unveiled earlier this month. Kent County Council (KCC) has awarded a 20-year contract to charge point operator, Urban Fox, to...
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Joined-up thinking for shopping centre
ESTAMA has been appointed both asset manager and property manager for Bligh’s Meadow Shopping Centre, in Sevenoaks, marking a significant step in the evolution of one of the South East’s strongest-performing retail locations. The 77,183 square foot...
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Solar farm plans rejected
OPPONENTS of a massive solar farm proposal took an important step forward in blocking it at the council planning stage last Thursday evening. But residents in communities near Sevenoaks will have to wait for expert analysis on significant aspects of...
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Councillor uses AI to keep his voice
A COUNCILLOR who struggles to speak after developing motor neurone disease (MND) is using pioneering AI technology to communicate using his own recorded voice. Nick Varley, 58, who represents Kippington on Sevenoaks district and town councils as a...
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Low level of pothole damage payouts in Kent
PAYOUTS for cars damaged by potholes in Kent fall far short of the national average, new analysis has found. Potholes can cause burst tyres, damaged shock absorbers, and wheel distortion that can prove costly at the garage, and many drivers try to...
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House prices predicted to rise in 2026
PROPERTY website Rightmove predicted that stronger housing market activity could lead to a 2% increase in average asking prices in 2026, despite a quieter market at the end of 2025. Rightmove said prices usually fall in December, but last month’s...
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KCC’s £60M budget gap
REFORM UK’s flagship local authority’s debt will increase by tens of millions of pounds, even if it puts up council tax by the maximum possible amount, according to a leaked forecast of next year’s finances. Kent County Council (KCC) was won by Reform...
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‘They’re making a mess of KCC’
CONSERVATIVE Party leader Kemi Badenoch has taken a swipe at the new Reform UK administration at Kent County Council (KCC) claiming it is “making a mess” of it. Mrs Badenoch said Reform at KCC are not united and claiming credit for savings that the...
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Next step in leisure masterplan
THE project to transform an historic Kent estate into a leading destination for sport, wellness and landscape-based leisure has taken its next step. Hollaway Studio has been appointed to lead the design of the major new leisure masterplan at London...
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Height of proposed buildings at station concerns council
SEVENOAKS Town Council has raised serious concerns as to the potential building heights that have been explored in the district council’s proposed mixeduse housing allocation for Sevenoaks Railway Station and car park. The railway station and car park...
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