Oakview Stud Farm and Lombard Street Parking

The Parish Council have made the relevant departments at Sevenoaks District Council and Kent County Council aware of Horton Kirby residents' concerns regarding the recent appearance of a dog training facility and various planning enforcements at Oakview Stud Farm, plus, the increase in numbers of cars parked along the length of Lombard Street.

A multi-agency visit took place on the 14th September and Planning enforcement, Environmental health and Welfare departments are following up their investigations.

With regards to the above and the parking issues, Roger Gough, Leader of KCC has replied:

'We understand that Sevenoaks District Councils planning department are in contact with the owners of the land and that discussions have taken place regarding the provision of some parking on the site. We hope that this will provide a long-term solution to the current parking problem. We also understand that another party has applied for planning permission to construct a parking area off Lombard Street and this could also help the long-term parking problem, should it be successful.

In the short-term Kent County Council and the Parish Council have discussed various ways of providing some improvements to improve the traffic flows and protect the largest area of highway verge.

These measures involve the installation of black and white marker posts around in the verge, 450mm back from the edge of the road from Reynolds Place Cottages for a distance of 70m to prevent verge parking. The measures also include the provision of several sections of double yellow lines on the eastern side of the road, alongside the footway from Opposite Reynolds Farm Cottages to the junction with Rays Hill. These sections of double yellow lines would only be short and would be located so that they can be used to allow vehicles to pass each other.

The works to install the marker posts are likely to take place within the next few months. Any new lining scheme requires full public consultation and requires us to prepare traffic regulation order’s and these have to be advertised and it can take anywhere between 6-9 months for them to be installed.

Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention and I hope that the proposed works provide some improvement to the parking in Lombard Street.'