Loose Amenities Association

Full listings of all our events for the coming year can be found by clicking here

Save Our Culvert!

The open ragstone culvert, which can be found outside Brook House on Old Loose Hill (near the Chequers), is in a very bad state of disrepair. Cars regularly park too close, causing a great deal of damage, and large sections of the ragstone retainers on the pavement side have become dislodged.

The culvert is all that remains of the original lane into the valley, but it seems only a matter of time before this unique feature, now quite rare in southern England, has deteriorated to such an extent that it will be declared a hazard and filled in.

To forestall this possibility we have applied to English Heritage to have the culvert listed as an historical asset on the National Heritage List for England. We have also applied for the haul stones on Old Loose Hill and the mounting blocks on Loose Green and in Church Street to be listed.
The process takes about six months and if successful these important landmarks in the village will be protected and conserved for future generations.

Welcome to the website of Loose Amenities Association. The area lies to the south of Maidstone, Kent. At its heart is the picturesque Loose village, pictured above.

The Association is run by volunteers to preserve and care for the beautiful and unique environment of the Loose Village and Loose Valley Conservation Area, and to fund this work we organise events throughout the year. See our events programme for 2011 by clicking here.

To become a member of Loose Amenities Association CLICK HERE

Brooks Field and Millpond Wildlife Project

In 2011 Loose Parish Council was awarded a £10,000 Community Wildlife Lottery Grant. A large proportion of this money is to be used to de-silt the millpond adjacent to Brooks Field (you can see from the old picture below how much of the millpond has been lost). The work was started at the beginning of January.

The build-up of silt has allowed reeds and grasses to colonise what was once a much wider and deeper waterway. Today, this growth provides a valuable habitat for water fowl and small mammals and a large proportion of it will be retained, but the de-silting work is essential if the millpond is not to be lost altogether.

Brooks Field and millpond are important features of the village and LAA has agreed to support the project financially by underwriting the removal from Brooks Field of approximately 350 cubic metres of silt which will be dredged from the pond.
It is estimated that the cost will be in the region of £3,000. The silt will be removed in the spring, when it has dried out. We are grateful for the pledge of £500 from Loose Swiss Scouts towards this cost.

There is more information on this project on the Loose Parish Council website, .