Community action/Malling
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The gift of climate and ecological emergency is that we all get to work together. Ordinary citizens and community groups naturally share what they learn, and what they know of what helps. Everyone can help, everyone has something to offer, everyone is welcome. We all need to design, make and grow a better future for ourselves, our communities and our world. Together we CAN. Yes we CAN.
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Malling. It's an introduction to local networks, groups, and events.
- Malling community resources, Malling community climate and environment action and Neighbourhood Plan for West Malling are separate pages.
CDC video
[edit | edit source]Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/Manchester, Community action/Essex, Community action/West Sussex / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
| Map | |
|---|---|
| Location | West Malling, Kent, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51° 17' 43.45" N, 0° 24' 34.06" E |
News
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Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover- 'Not enough water supply' for planned housing, BBC News (Mar 12, 2026) — There is "insufficient" water supply for the number of houses planned in a Kent borough, South East Water has claimed.
- Hedgerows the 'unsung heroes of the countryside', BBC News (Feb 16, 2026) — A group of Kent volunteers is aiming to provide vital habitat for wildlife by planting about 3,800 yards (3,500m) of hedgerows in the countryside this year.
- ‘It’s irreplaceable’: Fury over Reform plans to expand quarry in ancient Kent woodland, theguardian.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover
- Hedgerows the 'unsung heroes of the countryside', BBC News (Feb 16, 2026) — A group of Kent volunteers is aiming to provide vital habitat for wildlife by planting about 3,800 yards (3,500m) of hedgerows in the countryside this year.
- Why Andy Burnham is right to want for‑profit firms out of social care, theconversation.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- ‘It’s irreplaceable’: Fury over Reform plans to expand quarry in ancient Kent woodland, theguardian.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- More than half of England in drought, Environment Agency declares, BBC News (Jul 29, 2026)
- How Australia combines modern tech and Indigenous knowledge to fight wildfires, BBC News (Aug 01, 2026)
- May and June heatwaves killed about 2,700 people in England and Wales, data suggests, theguardian.com (Jul 13, 2026) — Extreme heat led to 440 deaths a day during June peak, say scientists, with climate crisis ramping up temperatures
- Europe's heatwave linked to 1,300 deaths, WHO says, as Germany hits record 41.7C, BBC News (Jun 28, 2026)
- European Central Bank official warns climate crisis poses growing threat to ‘core financial stability’, theguardian.com (Aug 01, 2026)
- How Australia combines modern tech and Indigenous knowledge to fight wildfires, BBC News (Aug 01, 2026)
- Did a tourist tax save Magaluf?, positive.news (Jul 30, 2026)
Networks, sustainability initiatives and community support
[edit | edit source]- Kings Hill and West Malling Eco Community, private group on facebook.com, link checked 08:43, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
- Friends of the Earth Kings Hill, private group on facebook.com, link checked 08:36, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
- Tonbridge and Malling Friends of the Earth on facebook, link checked 08:41, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
- West Malling Parish Council
Events
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Aug 15, 2026 (Sat) — Malling and District Repair Café, East Malling Village Hall, mallingrepaircafe.co.uk- Aug 23, 2026 (Sun) — West Malling Farmers Market, westmallingfarmersmarket.co.uk
- Sep 19, 2026 (Sat) — Malling and District Repair Café, East Malling Village Hall, mallingrepaircafe.co.uk
- Sep 27, 2026 (Sun) — West Malling Farmers Market, westmallingfarmersmarket.co.uk
Regular events
- Malling and District Repair Café, usually 3rd Saturday of the month, mallingrepaircafe.co.uk
- West Malling Farmers Market, usually on the 4th Sunday of each month, but may be different in December
- Aylesford Farmers Market, usually 3rd Sunday each month. Aylesford Farmers Market on facebook.com
UK events
- Aug 10 - 16, 2026 (Mon - Sun) — National Allotments Week, 2026 theme is “Grow to Learn.”, thenas.org.uk
Global or international events
- Aug 09, 2026 (Sun) — International Day of the World's Indigenous People, observed on 9 August each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population, un.org
- Aug 12, 2026 (Wed) — International Youth Day, awareness day designated by the United Nations taking place on Aug 12 each year, un.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Communities online
[edit | edit source]- eastmalling.net, independent project providing information and news for residents and visitors of East Malling
Local concerns
[edit | edit source]Overdevelopment
In common with many areas across the the South East, the constant threat of overdevelopment or inappropriate development, for example locking us into yet more car dependency, pollution and carbon emissions, loss of green space, lack of genuinely affordable housing and imbalances against community interests in the current top down planning system is a concern for many people locally.
14% of Tonbridge and Malling is 'Built on', compared to 6% nationally, Nov 9, 2017...bbc.co.uk. Because of recent and planned new housing the disparity is likely to be growing, with even more of a disparity for some parts of the Borough. It wold be interesting to know what the figure is for Malling and how this has increased over recent years...
Housing news
- England risks building new ‘death traps’ as experts warn of overheating crisis, theguardian.com (Jul 14, 2026) — Vulnerable people more at risk as research finds only half of local authority plans require cooling strategies
- Homes need more renewable energy tech – here’s how to make sure retrofits avoid creating e‑waste, theconversation.com (Jul 08, 2026)
- A Land Use Framework for England: will it help join up land use decisions?, cpre.org.uk (Apr 01, 2026)
- Quarter of England at risk of water shortages (Mar 28, 2026) — less water in the system than planners are currently preparing for will have a knock-on effect on new housing developments
- 'Not enough water supply' for planned housing, BBC News (Mar 12, 2026) — There is "insufficient" water supply for the number of houses planned in a Kent borough, South East Water has claimed.
- The most beautiful act of resistance I’ve seen: Madrid tenants fighting landlords with art [The Guardian], Daily Alternative (Jul 16, 2026)
- We Don’t Have a Housing Crisis. We Have Something Worse, digbyhall.substack.com (Jun 28, 2026) — The way we’re solving the housing crisis will become our future cities crisis, Digby Hall
- Europe needs affordable, low‑carbon homes – here’s how Barcelona is reimagining its housing system, theconversation.com (Apr 08, 2026)
- New York Cooks Up a Plan to Boost Energy Efficiency in Public Housing, insideclimatenews.org (Mar 16, 2026)
- Community land trusts: Building a different kind of wealth, thenews.coop (Feb 03, 2026) — How the model is protecting US neighbourhoods from property speculation and gentrification
New
- Grey belt tracker, from the Community Planning Alliance: docs.google.com (form only, map not found?)
- Via this Land Cover Explorer map, you can see changes in land use / land cover, for example the built up area, 2017-2023: livingatlas.arcgis.com, added 14:41, 8 September 2024 (UTC)
Campaigns
- Friends of Offham Road, "Committed to supporting sustainable development and protecting green spaces around West Malling". Friends of Offham Road on facebook.comadded 17:46, 7 December 2025 (UTC)
- Kent quarry extension is one of the biggest threats of the 21st century. Hermitage Quarry expansion plans: If approved, the loss could even surpass ancient woodland losses from the Lower Thames Crossing and HS2 schemes combined, woodlandtrust.org.uk, added 14:04, 9 August 2023 (UTC)
- Broadwater Action Group, based in East and West Malling,...Press release, broadwateractiongroup.co.uk, added 12:35, 27 August 2021 (UTC)
- Protect West Malling, public group on facebook
- Ryarsh Protection Group, an action group working alongside Ryarsh Parish Council. "Our priority currently (2018) is to object to the proposed 'West Malling Sandpit' which is a large sand quarry located in Ryarsh."
see also: Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England
About Malling
[edit | edit source]West Malling is an historic mediaeval market town based in West Kent. Malling, West Malling and hinterland consists of the parishes of Addington; Birling; East Malling; Kings Hill; Larkfield; Leybourne; Mereworth; Offham; Ryarsh; and Trottiscliffe.
The area is unusual in that East Malling, Larkfield and Kings Hill are substantial communities with their own shops and facilities – however they provide the main commercial and industrial estates, leaving West Malling as a traditional market town offering retail shops, services and hospitality to the surrounding area. There are more than 500 businesses in the Malling area.
The parishes are within the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (offices at Kings Hill). The town is actually closer to Maidstone, County Town of Kent, than to Tonbridge; however both are substantial centres accessible to West Malling car drivers, but Tonbridge much less so for car-free households...MAP Action plan 2009-2011, Introduction (link no longer available).
West Malling archive
[edit | edit source]Past events
- Nov 5 - 27, 2021, Kings Hill and West Malling Eco Hub's Pledge tree. Every small change we make has a ripple effect influencing and inspiring our friends, families, colleagues and shops and businesses.
- Our Eco Hub is creating a pledge tree in West Malling Library. We hope to get lots of schools, businesses and groups involved to make a pledge to take one step greener and be part of a bigger community movement.
- Make your leaf or leaves from some waste paper or card (preferably in autumn colours!) Write your pledge on it and post the leaf into the library during November.
- We will add the pledges to the tree and share how the tree is growing on our Facebook page @KingsHillandWestMallingEcoHub. Kings Hill and West Malling Eco Hub on facebook.com
See also
[edit | edit source]- Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England, Housing UK news
- Housing, Housing news
Near you
[edit | edit source]News
- ‘It’s irreplaceable’: Fury over Reform plans to expand quarry in ancient Kent woodland, theguardian.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover
- Council accused of 'ecocide' over quarry plan, BBC News (Jul 01, 2026)
- Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover
- 'Not enough water supply' for planned housing, BBC News (Mar 12, 2026) — There is "insufficient" water supply for the number of houses planned in a Kent borough, South East Water has claimed.
- Ambitious plans to redevelop town centre unveiled, BBC News (Jul 06, 2025)
- White storks: why introducing non‑native species in rewilding projects can be a good idea, theconversation.com (Jun 05, 2026)
- Record-breaking heat and dry spring leave parts of England without water, reuters.com (May 29, 2026)
- Quarter of England at risk of water shortages (Mar 28, 2026) — less water in the system than planners are currently preparing for will have a knock-on effect on new housing developments
Gravesham - Maidstone - Medway - Sevenoaks - Tonbridge - Kent
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2014–2026). "Community action/Malling". Appropedia. Retrieved August 4, 2026. |