Campaigners rail against ‘plundering’ of ancient Kent woodland to make way for quarry expansion

Forty hectares of Oaken Wood could be razed after it was identified as potential site of expansion by Reform-run council It was at the confluence of seven forest paths that Allison Sweetman came to a stop. Trees rose on all sides, save for a recently coppiced section to the north-east. The noon heat had silenced most birds, but the quiet was peaceful. “This is what they call Seven Wents,” she said. For centuries, the people of Kent had travelled this way, from East Malling to Barming, from Di...

By Damien Gayle Environment correspondent