House cannot be funeral parlour


FUNERAL director Paul Rowland has lost his bid to move his business to a house in London Road, Allington. A Government inspector said it would re-


sult in a “significant risk to highway safety and the free flow of traffic” at a busy junc- tion. Mr Rowland, whose business is based in


the nearby Mid Kent Shopping Centre, had appealed against Maidstone Council’s re- fusal of planning permission. He told plan-


TALENTED pupils from Maid- stone Grammar School for Girls are celebrating their suc- cess in this year’s Bridge War- dens’ Art Prize. The competition, run by the Rochester Bridge Trust, saw girls from the school take the top two prizes for their entries on the theme of Crossing the Medway. The top award went to Is-


abelle Lush (17), from Penen- den Heath, for her portrayal of Maidstone Bridge at night, which was described as ‘very forceful’ and ‘full of passion’. Sophie Hunt (17), from Ec-


cles, won second prize with her collage of Rochester Bridge using a range of materials. Two other pupils, Bethany Morse-Wolfe (16), from Lark- field, and Lydia Porter, (13), from Trottiscliffe, were com- plimented for their entries.


ners it was no longer viable to run the busi- ness from those premises. He had wanted to extend the double


garage at 335 London Road to provide a small embalming room and chapel of rest. Also on the ground floor would have been an office, an arranging room and a kitchen, while a newaccess next to the front door would have led to a first-floor two-bed- room flat. Mr Rowland would have paved the front


Pupils are a picture of success


garden to provide two parking spaces and a turning area. But the inspector pinpointed the “poten-


tial for conflict” between drivers emerging from the appeal site and other vehicles on the main road, plus those emerging from the BP garage or Castle Road. Mr Rowland told the Downs Mail: “I am a


bit upset about it but these things happen. We will continue in the Mid Kent centre but I am still looking for somewhere else.”


TWO Shepway men have been charged in connection with five arson attacks to the south and east of Maidstone. MarcWilliam Hitchcock (19),


From left: Bethany Morse- Wolfe, Sophie Hunt, Lydia Porter and Isabelle Lush.


Sue Threader, Bridge Clerk


of the Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “Isabelle’s winning entry will now become part of the permanent Rochester Bridge art collection, and will be dis- played alongside works by John Hopper and JMW Turner. “As the Trust founded Maid-


stone Girls Grammar School in 1887, we are particularly de- lighted that pupils from the school have entered the com- petition and done so well.”


of Oxford Road, and Neil Patrick Clark (34), of Surrey Road, were remanded in cus- tody. A further 22-year-old man arrested for conspiracy to com- mit arson was bailed pending further inquiries.


Two charged over series of arson attacks The alleged arson attacks took


place at Lenham Ironmongers, High Street, Lenham (Oct 28); Murco Petrol Station, Heath Road, Boughton Monchelsea (Dec 29); Bathroom and Kitchen Limited, Warmlake Business Estate, Sutton Valence (Jan 28); Oldfield’s Newsagent, High Street, Headcorn (Jan 30) and Wents Service, Ulcombe Hill, Ulcombe (Jan 30).


Gold star for hospital’s care and service


PATIENTS attending the Somerfield Hospital in London Road, Maidstone, have awarded it an overall satisfaction score of 99% for delivering excellent medical care and customer service. In an independent survey from January 1 to December 31, 2010,


the hospital received 785 completed questionnaires from patients. Of those, 98.9% rated their overall quality of care as good, very good or excellent.


School canopy plan


AWALL-MOUNTED canopy is planned to provide all-weather usage of the play area at Brunswick House Primary School, Leafy Lane, Maidstone.


Pair of homes


AN outline planning applica- tion has been lodged to erect a pair of three-bed semi-detached houses to the rear of 72a Lon- don Road Maidstone.


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