House owner wants plaque to commemorate his mother


THE owner ofWierton House inWierton Road, Boughton Monchelsea, wants to erect a plaque on the property to com- memorate the life of his mother, Lydia Jane Stone. Paul Stone, who purchased


the property from the execu- tors and wishes to restore the house, greenhouses and grounds, wants to put up the round stone plaque measuring 450mm in diameter (left).


harm’ countryside DALE Courtnell has applied to site two caravans for a gypsy family on land at Chartview, Chart Hill Road, Chart Sutton. The supporting statement


said: “The development is clearly capable of being satis- factorily assimilated into its rural surroundings, and would not cause unaccept- able harm to the character and appearance of the coun- tryside.” Maidstone Council will decide on the planning application.


Caravans allowed


– but no more GYPSIES have been allowed to site a total of four caravans on land to the rear ofOrchard Farm Nursery, Chartway Street, Kingswood. Maidstone Council granted permission for Edward and Natasha Beeney to live with their two teenage children, aged 19 and 17, and Natasha’s parents John and Susan Saigeman, on condi- tion that no more than four caravans are sited there at any one time.


According to the planning statement, the plaque would be dedicated by Frank Stone, Paul’s brother, who died in 2005. It added: “He has left the proceeds of the sale ofWierton Place and other properties for the building or improvement of a hospital or hospice for children. “A significant sum of money


has already been given to Demelza House, the children’s


hospice, which will enable them to make substantial changes.” Maidstone Council will decide on the proposal. An application was submitted in April to replace a nightclub and apartments in the grounds of Wierton House with 24 homes. A 200-name petition in protest, which also called for better protection of the Green- sand Ridge, was presented to full council by Jonathan Gershon.


Gypsies ‘would not High-speed trains to stay


THE high-speed train (HST) service from Maid- stoneWest is to continue into 2012. After an initial trial this year, the service has


been retained in the new December timetable that runs until next May. But there will be no increase in the number


of 47-minute, midweek trains to London St Pan- cras and back – currently three in the early morn- ing and three in the evening. Maidstone’s train champion, Cllr Malcolm Robertson, said HST usage was rising steadily. He believes it will increase even more as people


HUNTON Parish Council has applied to install solar PV pan- els at the village hall in West Street. It is proposed to position 21 panels forming a 4kW scheme on the south-facing roof slope at the eastern end of the building, which was erected as an exten- sion to the original hall in 1991. Village hall committee chair-


man Alan Bishop wrote in sup- porting documents: “The panels will be visible at some angles from the public footpath and the road but the benefits far outweigh any visual impact that will be experienced. “There is little doubt that roofs with panels providing re-


start to build their lives around the new service. Cllr Robertson is also impressed at how Net-


work Rail has “tooled up” to deal with any severe weather. Arecent rail forum heard that heated conductor


rails had been installed at an extra 120 locations on the Kent network. Previously, there were only 40.


Cllr Robertson said theywere mainly at stations


and near signals, from where trains have to draw enormous amounts of current from a standstill position.


Solar ‘to be a common sight’


newable energy will become a much more common sight and that the perceived impact of these will lessen as a result.” He added that electricity costs


“use up a significant proportion of the income generated” by the village hall. Maidstone Council will rule on the planning appli- cation.


Church panels plan THE trustees of Staplehurst Free Church have submit- ted a planning application to install solar PV panels to the southern roofslope of the church building in Sta- tion Road.


Gold is an ‘l’ of a good apple!


A FRUIT business in Staplehurst has teamed up with cheerleaders to help promote its new apple variety. The Cheerfull Gold – spelled with an extra ‘l’


– was launched at the National Fuit Show last month.Afew days later it was the healthy-eating option at a regional cheerleading competition in Eastbourne. Originally raised in 1979 by local fruit tree wholesaler John Breach, it is a Cox’sOrange Pip- pin crossed with Golden Delicious. There are now 2,300 Cheerfull Gold trees planted across the country, including some at his brother’s Chittenden Farm in Lovehurst Lane. Mr Breach said the apple has a very good flavour, stores well and is not susceptible to pests and diseases. He added proudly it is the latest of the “new”


apple varieties that is “English through and through”. Although other types are grown in Kent, they were bred in countries such as New Zealand, Italy or Belgium. Among those being licensed to grow the vari-


ety locally is Keepers Nursery at East Farleigh. Meanwhile, more boxes of Cheerfull Gold, this


time grown at Loddington Farm, Linton, will be sent to the Northern Classic Cheerleading and Dance Competition in Blackpool next weekend.


12 South


John Breach admires the Cheerfull Gold ap- ples growing at Chittenden Farm, Staplehurst


‘Green’ concept for


recreational area A PROPOSAL has been lodged to convert agricultural land into a recreational area, containing a tennis court, enclosure and hut, for the use of Thornden Farm- house, Lenham Road, Head- corn.


Planning agent Simon Bur-


rows wrote in a submission to Maidstone Council: “Every- thing possible has been under- taken to give the proposed area a green concept. The hard sur- face is green, the enclosure is green and the hut is constructed in timber. The council will decide on the planning application.


Energy proposal for


farm building roof MIKE Lutener has applied to erect a steel frame agricultural building with a solar panel roof at Blackmoor Farm, Sheephurst Lane,Marden. It is proposed the energy generated by the roof would provide electricity for the running of the farm and build- ings.


Tennis court plan ST Helens Montessori School in Lower Road, East Farleigh, has applied to construct a gar- den with tennis court on agri- cultural land. The planning application, to be determined by Maidstone Council, also in- cludes the relocation of en- trance gates.


Polytunnels consent KARL Brown has been given permission to erect three poly- tunnels at Love Lane, Head- corn. They will aid his horticultural business, Just So Nurseries. In August he with- drew a similar scheme.


Have you got news for us? Phone our News Desk on 01622 734735


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40