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New photos show devastation of Boxley Wood by farmer Langley Beck

By: John Nurden jnurden@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 06:00, 11 February 2021

A council has released more pictures of the carnage a farmer is alleged to have wreaked within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Langley Beck of Bell Lane, Boxley, Maidstone, has been told by the High Court to stop all work in the designated ancient woodland.

A skip full of rubbish alongside tractor tyres in the middle of Boxley Wood on land owned by Langley Beck in 2016. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
A white van stands rusting in the middle of Boxley Wood on land owned by Langley Beck in 2016. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
Wooden pallets pushing back the tree line at Boxley Wood on land owned by Langley Beck in 2016. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council

Maidstone Borough Council says he has been using the land as a dump to store and burn rubbish, cars, caravans and tractors.

Last night (Wednesday) it released six new photographs to show the damage Mr Beck is alleged to be doing.

The pictures show a Transit-style van left to rust, a skip full of rubbish with a pile of old tractor tyres nearby, wooden sheets and pallets pushing back the tree line, hardcore believed to be from roadworks and what appears to be scorched and felled trees.

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The photographs were taken in September 2016. The council has been trying to stop Mr Beck since then but says he has ignored all its enforcement orders despite many visits.

Frustrated officers finally went to the High Court last month and were awarded an interim injunction to serve on Mr Beck ordering him to stop anyone living in any caravan or mobile home on the land, which is also covered by a tree preservation order.

A felled tree, old doors and portable offices in the middle of Boxley Wood on land owned by Langley Beck in 2016. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
Hardcore and a flat-bed lorry in the middle of Boxley Wood on land owned by Langley Beck in 2016. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council
Wooden sheets and what looks like a scorched tree in the middle of Boxley Wood on land owned by Langley Beck in 2016. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council

Mr Beck must also stop using the land which is next to the M2 motorway to store caravans, mobile homes, cars, storage containers, hardcore, rubble, timber, green waste, scrap metal or any other waste.

The order also stops him from processing waste, enlarging the area, burning any materials and chopping down trees.

Boxley Wood between Bell Lane and the M2 at Maidstone where farmer Langley Beck is alleged to be processing waste in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Picture: Google Earth

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone

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