Hawkenbury has had a hard time of it recently.
The village on the edge of Tunbridge Wells has seen hygiene inspectors take over its One Stop and a plan to expand its primary school has been downscaled.
That’s not to mention that the road through its centre is one of the most blighted by potholes locally.
Now residents have complained a developer’s pedestrian crossing leads to nowhere.
Berkeley Group has come under fire from Hawkenbury Village Association this week as their zebra crossing remains unfinished, months after work began.
The developer has said the crossing is part of their 245-home Hawkenbury Farm plan.
Village Association Chairman Dean Kenward is calling on Berkeley to finish what they started, with the crossing currently leading straight into a bank on Hawkenbury Road next to the park.
He said: ‘Once we saw the pedestrian crossing it was quite clear that it was not going to be much use to anyone.
‘There was no ramp to allow mobility scooters or disabled users to access the park, there were no steps up into the park and the pedestrian crossing leads straight into the bank.
‘It is a crossing to nowhere.’
Much of the crossing has been completed and lights either side are now flashing. But work appears to have ground to a halt, with one side of it now fenced off.
Mr Kenward submitted a blogpost on the association’s website which states Berkeley Group proposed the crossing last July as part of a detailed planning application request.
The document states the plan is ‘awaiting a decision’ from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, although Berkeley has said the works are ‘coordinated’ with the authority.
Mr Kenward continued: ‘The area is not gated, so small children and dogs would have free rein to run into road. This would be after they climbed down, of course.
‘With the rain we had at the start of the year, drainage also became an issue and the pedestrian crossing was soon covered with water, making it impassable.’
He added that he had been in touch with local councillors about the issue.
It has not been stated how much the footpath cost to build.
Peter Smith, Managing Director of Berkeley, said that the works were all part of the plan.
He said: ‘Berkeley is undertaking various works to improve the public spaces around the Hawkenbury site, including creating a new pedestrian crossing which will provide a safe passage between the recreational facilities and the intended new St Peter’s School.
‘The works are being coordinated with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, and while the first stage of these are now complete, the crossing forms part of the wider project and will open to the public once the full works are complete.’
