Category: Open Spaces

Edenbridge Town Council is among hundreds of open space managers across the country supporting Love Parks Week 2023.

The celebration, run by Keep Britain Tidy, takes place from 28 July to 6 August, bringing together local authorities, green space managers, landowners, residents and community organisations to celebrate and support our fantastic green spaces all across the country.

Edenbridge is fortunate to have a number of parks and open spaces such as the Recreation Ground, Marsh Green, Stangrove Park, Blossoms Park and Millenium Wood. The Council’s busy grounds team look after these sites for everyone’s enjoyment and can regularly be seen mowing, cutting hedges, watering and clearing litter.

Chair of the Council’s Open Spaces Committee, Councillor Angela Baker, said: “The Covid pandemic showed us all just how important our open spaces are; being able to enjoy fresh air, exercise and socialise are things many of us will never take for granted again. Enjoy your local parks this summer and don’t forget to come along to our family fun days at Stangrove Park! Please also take care of them, by putting your rubbish in bins or taking it home with you, including dog poop.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “This week is an opportunity for everyone to recognise the value of our parks and green spaces for communities, health and wellbeing, and to encourage groups within our communities that may not think of parks as a space for them to visit.”

This year’s campaign is made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity that cares for the environment on your doorstep. It works to improve the quality of parks and green spaces, eliminate littering and reduce waste. It runs programmes including Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, its programmes and campaigns visit www.keepbritaintidy.org

Scoop that poop

The Council would like to use the Love Parks campaign to remind dog owners/walkers to please clean up after their dog. As well as dedicated dog-fouling bins, bagged dog poo can be put in all public bins in Edenbridge. So there really is no excuse not to leave it.

Get your FREE doggy poop bags and help keep our open spaces clean – Edenbridge Town Council

#loveparks

At the beginning of May the footbridge over the River Eden near Church Street was removed. Its condition had deteriorated to the point where major works would be required to keep it safe for users.

There is an alternative bridge approximately 100m along the river closer to the High Street, which carries the Public Right of Way footpath SR612 across the River Eden to and from Church Street.

The Council’s Open Spaces Committee considered the options over several meetings, including replacement, repair, and removal. Due to a number of factors, councillors decided to remove the bridge, and there is currently no plan to reinstate it.

The following information provides a summary of the decision process:

• The condition of the bridge, along with the abutments to the dam, had deteriorated to the point where major works were required
• An independent survey had been commissioned to ascertain the extent of wear and tear, and potential options
• Having obtained quotes, which included professional assessments, it was clear that to repair the abutments (which would need to be done before any bridge works) the costs would potentially be in excess of £60,000
• However, as the costs escalated, Members took the decision to make the area safe and commission for the removal of the bridge at the cost of £6,000
• At this current time, there is no plan to reinstate the bridge
• A new bridge would have to be of a design that would meet modern regulations
• The responsibility for the bridge and abutments maintenance sits with the Town Council. But land surrounding the river where the dam is, has different ownerships including Sevenoaks District Council and a private landowner
• There is an alternative bridge with a Public Right of Way footpath close by