Threats To The White Horse Stone
In 2004 the telecommunications company Orange sought planning permission to build a radio tower within just a few metres of the stone. Local residents contacted a religious group, The Odinic Rite, asking for their help as they had previously campaigned to have High Speed 1 diverted away from the stone. This group began a campaign and sent out messages to contacts around the world asking for people to write to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council asking for planning permission to be denied. At the council planning meeting representations were made by The Odinic Rite, another group called Woden's Folk and local residents. The councillors unanimously rejected the application.
In May 2006 Orange sought planning permission from Maidstone Borough Council to install a telecommunications mast just across the border between the Maidstone and Tonbridge & Malling borough councils. This new proposal was still within 100 metres of the White Horse Stone and so a new campaign was launched by the Odinic Rite. If approved, this plan would have seen an 8-metre high mast built in an area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
This application was refused on 28 July and the following reasons were given:
The proposed mast would be sited in a particular location that would intrude upon views across the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the North Downs Special Landscape Area. In this respect this proposal would be harmful to the natural beauty and scenic quality of the landscape. Furthermore it would also be clearly visible from the North Downs Way and would affect the wider setting of the Ancient Monument for the White Horse Stone. The proposal would therefore be contrary to policies of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and policies of the Kent and Medway Structure Plan 2006.
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