Blue Bell Hill (village)

infobox UK place
static_

static_image_caption = The village is located on top of the hill, above High Speed 1's North Downs Tunnel pictured
country = England
official_name = Blue Bell Hill
latitude = 51.3304
longitude = 0.504
population =
shire_district= Tonbridge and Malling
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster = Chatham and Aylesford
post_town = CHATAHM
postcode_district = ME
postcode_area = ME5
dial_code = 01634
os_grid_reference=TQ7462

Blue Bell Hill is a village halfway between Chatham and Maidstone in Kent, England, which lies on top of Blue Bell Hill. The community significantly expanded with the developments of the Walderslade area in the post war years, creating several housing estates around the village.

Amenities

The village features a recently built (2007) Dental Surgery, large commuter car park (for coach commuting to London), a church (in the parish of Aylesford), a BT telephone exchange. There used to be a pub (the Upper Bell) and shop in the village but both have closed, the Robin Hood pub lies outside the village along Common Road, and the Lower Bell pub is nearby. Medway crematorium lies to the east (along Robin Hood Lane Upper), alongside the M2. Buckmore Park scout centre used to lie to the northwest, but after significant redevelopment in light of the construction of High Speed 1 and M2 widening, led to financial problems resulting in its closure. However Buckmore Park Kart Circuit continues to operate as a separate centre.

Transport

The village is located to the south of the intersection (junction 3) of the M2 and A229 and is bypassed by the A229. The A229 traces the route of a Roman road between Chatham and Maidstone, and its old route up the hill still exists (Warren Road).

There are extensive regular bus services between the Medway Towns and Maidstone by Arriva, historically Maidstone & District (the 101 and 151 routes) as well as local Buses into Medway (141 ?). There are also numerous commuter coaches travelling into London.

Local government

Due to a quirk of parish boundaries, due to the village's church, Blue Bell Hill and parts of southern Walderslade are located in Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, unlike the nearby estates and suburbs of Chatham that are in Medway Unitary Authority.

ee also

*Buckmore Park Kart Circuit
*Walderslade