New BWT car park takes shape

Bearsted Woodland Trust’s new car park is taking shape following the granting of planning permission.

Volunteers have been on site to lay a plastic surface at the site, which is located  next to BWT’s existing entrance off the A20 (Ashford Road). 

The car park, the first to be created at the popular green space, features a CellPave surface which requires no digging. The linked sections of recycled plastic mesh have been rolled in to the existing grass surface, which was mown beforehand.

The entrance to the car park off the Ashford Road will be widened and the drive gate providing access to Gore Cottage moved back by around 10 metres as part of the scheme. 

Hedges, trees and bushes of native species will be planted to screen the car park, and this will incorporate the area to be known as Jubilee Wood. BWT aims to begin this before the end of the current winter planting season.

The planning authority, Maidstone Borough Council, has specified that a gate to the car park is installed which must be closed at night. There will also be an electric vehicle charging point.