West Malling's environment and quality of life

Worksheet EN3: The environment and quality of life
=== Sub-section: Environmental sustainability ===
Q1 What opportunities are there for people to understand and become active in reducing or managing waste? Include sustainable waste management such as collection points, facilities and support offered, and considers local schemes to: 
Recycle - re-use
:Twice weekly doorstep collection of paper, cans and cardboard. 
:Doorstep collection also of garden waste, but scheme excludes Churchfields and some other properties.* 
:Kitchen waste to be included in Green Bin.* 
:Plastic recycling imminent via facility in High Street car park. 
:High Street car park and station car park contain further banks for glass bottles and clothing. 
:Local optician recycles spectacles to developing countries. 
:Local charity shops enable recycling. 
:Tonbridge YMCA runs a furniture recycling facility. 
:KCC Amenity site at Tovil has facility for recycling wood, and batteries
Produce bio-gas energy
Compost organic waste
:Kitchen waste to be included in Green Bin.* 
:Green waste is to be recycled into compost at a fully contained processing facility at Blaise Farm quarry. The compost will be sold via gardening chain stores. Once this facility opens, it will be possible for kitchen waste to be included in the green bin. 
:KCC recently concluded Climate Change Select Committee report recommended the development of biomass fuels, particularly based on chestnut coppicing which exists at Leybourne Woods and Mereworth Woods. 
:The Governors of St James the Great Primary School East Malling have requested a biomass boiler be included in their new school building. 
:Composting bins are available at discounted rates from TMBC and sometimes from KCC. 
:TMBC runs a variety of schemes; including general ones such as opportunities to report fly tipping, abandoned vehicles, bonfires and overflowing recycling bins. (More information from TMBC might be useful here) 
Q2 How are energy conservation methods and local renewable energy sources used within the town and the surrounding countryside?
:Mereworth Woods produce charcoal and variety of wood products from the coppiced chestnut.
 
Q3 Low carbon initiatives:
What initiatives are in operation for the town to become a low carbon area?
There are no known low carbon initiatives in the town. 
How are these initiatives contributing to improved air quality, health and creation of employment opportunities?
MAP Environmental Group has discussed the possibility of a Low Carbon Town initiative along the lines of Chew Magna (Somerset) and Ashton Hayes, Going Carbon Neutral (Cheshire). Parish Council to be asked to set up Carbon offset account to pay for solar panels on Village Hall. 
Q4 What use is being made of sustainable building materials for new buildings within the town? 
None specifically at present.
Q5 Where goods and products from the local countryside are produced, how many of them carry a local Environmental Quality Mark (EQM)? 
None found
=== Sub-Section: Quality Of Life Through Leisure and Recreation ===
Q6 Do community open spaces, sites and facilities currently available for informal recreation and amenity meet the needs of the local people? 
*Manor Park
*Cricket meadow
*Macey's Meadow
*Village Hall playing fields and children's play equipment
*Leybourne Woods (just beyond the parish boundary)
*Allotments
*Ball park at Norman Rd Primary School
Within the wider hinterland 
*Trosley Country Park
*Leybourne Lakes
*Holly Hill
might be considered of more than purely local significance
Whether these areas meet the needs of local people is best answered by some sort of local survey.
West Malling Parish Council purchased Macey’s Meadow after very supportive response to door to door survey, and 2 public meetings. Kissing gates have been included throughout to enable access on buggies and wheelchairs, after consultation with local residents who have mobility problems 
Q7 What recreation routes for walking and cycling are available to local people? 
# Town / Heritage Walk produced by the Malling Society
# 3 circular walks from Manor Park (some aspects outdated for example if affected by the bypass)
# informal paths round Macey's Meadow, Manor Park, Leybourne Woods
# 14 paths identified to and from the town's hinterland 
Further afield 
#walks within and linking open spaces (listed in previous section) neighbouring settlements, etc.
#North Downs Way / Pilgrims Way crosses north of hinterland
#Wealdway crosses west of hinterland
Cycle paths available from Offham Road along Teston Road into Offham village, along the south side of A20 intermittently into Maidstone, and along West Malling bypass to Kings Hill.
Kings Hill new community has many cycle paths planned with the development.