News July - August 2025
15 July 2025 - Kent victims lose £515k to courier fraud by scammers posing as police officers or bank staff
In past year 63 reported incidents in Kent of people falling victim to fake officials. Further cases of attempted scams which failed include case from Longfield.
Kent Messenger
31 July 2025 - Longfield Crime Report: July
Attempted Break in - 1 (Station Road)
E-Watch
31 July 2025 - Hartley Crime Report: July
Criminal Damage - 4 (Gorse Way, Porchester Close, Billings Hill Shaw, Quakers Close)
E-Watch
31 July 2025 - How Kent's councils could look after 'devolution revolution'
The government wishes to replace the two tier system of 16 councils in Kent with 3 or 4 unitary councils. Kent County Council published their proposals for 3 unitaries. Longfield would be in a North (Dartford - Swale) group while Hartley and New Ash Green would fall into a west group of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells. Final proposals have to be before the government by November with the new authorities going live in April 2028.
Gravesend & Dartford Messenger
01 August 2025 - Evolution Power removes BESS from solar farm scheme for land between Ridley and New Ash Green
The plans have been modified by removing the proposed Battery Energy Storage System [Additional information - a BESS would allow them to store power on site and then release it to the Grid at times of peak demand]. Local opposition group dismissed this as a "rebranding exercise".
Dartford Messenger
07 August 2025 - Government allows 245 acre solar farm
The Planning Inspectorate has upheld the appeal from RES to build 100,000 panels on land at Speedgate Farm, between Mussenden Lane and the M20 at Fawkham after Sevenoaks Council had reclassified the area as Grey Belt [additional note: presumably this would be following new planning guidance issued by the Department for Communities Housing and Local Governemnt in Feburary 2025]. The application says it will generate 49.9 MW of electricity, enough to power 22,500 homes. [Additional note: RES's website says the 22,500 figure is based on UK average annual consumption of 3,239 KWh, however Data from the Department for Energy and Net Zero for 2023 says that average annual consumption for the 7,093 metered properties in the DA3 area was much higher at 4,213 KWh]
Gravesend & Dartford Messenger
07 August 2025 - Second Nursery in same chain shuts
Abacus Nursery in New Barn closes on 23 July, following critical Ofsted report.
Gravesend & Dartford Messenger
29 August 2025 - Cafe Lounge opens at former Fleur de The site in Rochester High Street, bringing an international flavour to the town
Second branch for Café Lounge, original in Camer Parade, Meopham. Bar manager "already has ample experience in the catering trade, having worked at the family’s Turkish restaurant, Efsane, in Longfield"
Medway Messenger
31 August 2025 - Longfield Crime Report: August
Theft from Vehicle - 1 (Whitehill Road); Criminal Damage - 1 (Main Road); Doorstep Theft - 1 (Bradbrook Drive)
E-Watch
31 August 2025 - Hartley Crime Report: August
Theft - 1 (Stack Lane)
E-Watch