Otford Society Annual General Meeting – Tuesday 29th April
All Otford Society Members are invited to our Annual General Meeting at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th April (doors open at 7pm) in the Otford Village Memorial Hall. The meeting will include refreshments and a talk by Rod Shelton entitled “In the Beginning”. This talk traces the earliest origins of our Darent Valley. How did it come into being? What where the animals and peoples it once supported. The history of the river and the industries that once thrived along its banks – the origin of paper-making in England – the birth place of so many inventions and industry. Amazing! Yet today the Darent is little more than a stream and its water is running dry. Why? It’s a fascinating story so come along and find out more.
l garden of Castle House. This is one of the highlights of our summer calendar, and we are immensely grateful to the owners for making their garden available to us. It’s sure to be another hugely successful occasion. 
The Otford Society caught up with Cllr Irene Roy following the Press Release about the Chalk Pit closure. Cllr Roy explained that she had arranged a site meeting at the chalk Pit with SDC Officers and Scout Group Leaders to provide an opportunity for Officers to set out the plan of action to ensure the safety of the Scout Land and answer questions. We were pleased to hear that ground penetration surveys of the scout land will take place next week to ensure there are no safety risks to the area given the proximity of this land and the safety issues identified by the surveys of the Chalk Pit. Cllr Roy has also re-iterated that the District Council has no plans to dispose of the chalk pit for development which is excellent news for the community. Whilst the broader site will remain closed pending more detailed surveys, we understand that Sevenoaks District Council remain committed to restoring this Open Space for the benefit of the community and SDC understand the urgency required given the site’s importance to the community.
The Otford Society is aware that Sevenoaks District Council has issued a press release announcing that the Chalk Pit between Tudor Drive and Station Road will be closed to the public. Full access to the Chalk Pit has already been restricted for an extended period and whilst it is important that the area is safe for those using it, the Otford Society share the deep concern of members of the local community at the prospect of such a cherished space within the village being lost.