local planning authority, Maidstone Borough Council, and a public inquiry was held into Axa's appeal of this decision between 13 October 2009 and 23 December 2009. Following the public inquiry and review of the resulting Inspector's report, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, rejected the appeal and refused planning permission for the development on 5 August 2010. Notable people Jenny Agutter O.B.E. , actress, briefly lived in the village in her teens when her family moved back to Britain from Cyprus; wrote an open letter in 2009 supporting the "Stop KIG" (Kent International Gateway) protest group to help protect the character of the village Paul Ashbee (1918–2009), a leading British archaeologist born in Bearsted Robert Clifford (1752–1811), cricketer, lived in Bearsted William Clifford (chr. 1811 – 1841), cricketer, was christened in Bearsted church Nigel Donn (b. 1962), football player, resides in Bearsted Geoffrey Dummer (1909–2002), electronics engineer, resided in Bearsted at the time of his death Robert Fludd (1574–1637), philosopher, was born and is buried in Bearsted Sir Thomas Fludd (1545–1607), of Milgate House, treasurer for Queen Elizabeth I's forces in the Netherlands, for which he was knighted Alfred Percy ("Tich") Freeman (1888–1965), Kent leg spin bowler; the only man to take 300 wickets in an English season; lived at a house called Dunbowlin Richard Hearne (1908–1979), actor and comedian, resided in Bearsted John Litchfield O.B.E. (1903–1993), naval captain and politician, lived at Snowfield from the 40s till the time of his death Thomas Mun (c. 1645 – 1692), politician, is buried in Bearsted churchyard References External links Notes on Bearsted Bearsted and Thurnham Society Villages in Kent Civil parishes in Kent