New £2.3m waste tip on the cards


THE borough could soon have a large new household waste recy- cling facility after KCC pledged to fund the scheme. The county council’s project advisory group has earmarked £2.3m


for the capital programme budget to create a new facility in the Maidstone and Mallings area. A feasibility study into a favoured new site is to be undertaken from next month, with the aim of hav- ing a final recommendation by the end of the next financial year. KCC CllrMalcolm Robertson, who coversMaidstone Central, says


one of the leading candidates is to site it within Maidstone borough, next to the Allington Quarry Waste Management Facility – known as the Allington incinerator – on the 20/20 Industrial Estate offM20J5. But he believes the best option would be to site it in Tonbridge &


Parking increases blocked


COUNCILLORS have frowned on pro- posals to raise the one-hour car parking charge across two town centre car parks. The suggestion, which would have gen-


erated an additional £10,000, could deter shoppers from visiting the town just when they should be encouraged, the town’s cabinet meeting heard. Although members agreed that charges


for King Street and Medway Street car parks should be aligned with Maid- stone’s other main car parks, they vetoed the suggested hourly increase from from 70p to 90p. Council leader Chris Garland pointed


out that car parking charges had not in- creased for several years and said that the proposed increases were modest. However, the cabinet agreed with Cllr Marion Ring that the proposed increase to the hourly rate – equivalent to 28.5% – should be rejected. The only other signif- icant change proposed will increase the long stay car park charges for five hours or more by 50p. The full council will de- cide at the end of February.


Loose housing revealed


GOLDING Homes has unveiled a rebuild and refurbishment scheme in Holmesdale Close, Loose. It wants to erect 14 homes on the site of the demolished George Marsham House, which was formerly a 24-bedsit sheltered housing development. Golding also wants to refur- bish nearby Amies House, a two-storey block of six one-bed flats, to provide new cladding and a new front porch. Each of the new homes will have its own private garden. According to the planning statement: “A tenure mix of bothmarket sale and affordable rent is proposed, in keeping with the needs of the local community. “A mix of family houses is accompanied


by new bungalows, whichwould fit well the group of predominantly elderly residents in the adjoining housing. This responds appro- priately to the local housing need data. “The new proposed housing of George Marsham House has been catalytic to the up- grade of the existing Amies House block, which together will help uplift this part of


A REQUEST to provide better planning protection for the Greensand Ridge has been re- ferred to Maistone Council’s ruling cabinet. A 1,200-name petition calls


for the open countryside around Wierton Place, in Boughton Monchelsea, cur- rently subject to a planning ap- plication to replace a nightclub and apartments with a total of 24 homes, to be protected. The Greensand Ridge – a strip


16 South


Malling – the only borough in Kent not to have such a facility – at the former SCA Recycling site at the bottom of New Hythe Lane near Aylesford Newsprint. He said: “If the main aim is to resolve the problem in Tonbridge & Malling, it makes most sense to put it there.” AnotheroptionistositeitinTonbridge&Malling alongside


Blaise Farm Quarry in Kings Hill, but that has the disadvantage of being further away fromMaidstone, which is currently served only by the congested tip in Tovil.


In 2008, KCC announced it had a £2 million budget to fund a fa- cility in Maidstone. It undertook a feasibility study but concluded there was no suitable site.


Rural residents get ready for Brighter Futures


BRIGHTER Futures, part of Vol- untary Action Maidstone (VAM) has received confirmation of funding to develop its successful postural stability exercise classes for the more rural areas ofMaid- stone, including Lenham, Staple- hurst and Coxheath. The service, available for peo-


ple in their 70s, had been based at Maidstone Community Sup- port Centre in Marsham Street since 2005, but was last summer due to cease as KCC had with- drawn its funding. But grants from the National Lottery, Maidstone Borough Council and NHS West Kent meant that it could not only continue, but also expand to rural areas and cater for the wider age bracket of over 65s. Brighter Futures is managed by Danny Hewis, who said “With our experience, we can have a real positive impact on local communities. “There are some classes in these areas,


Gentle exercise classes are coming to rural areas to help give older people better postural stabiliity


but they can often struggle to maintain in- terest and develop.With our funding we can make this happen” The classes will be aimed at those who


have had a fall, or have a fear of falling or have low bone density. As the classes are funded, the cost is heavily subsidised. Brighter Futures plans to offer trans-


port to those who need it. Anyone inter- ested in these classes, as a participant or volunteer, should call 01622 762403 or email danny.hewis@vam-online.org.uk.


Dean Street home refusal A PROPOSAL to demolish a bungalow and replace it with a larger two-storey home in Dean Street, East Farleigh, was blocked by Maidstone Council. The parish council urged for Hazel-


Artist’s impress of the proposed scheme


the village, both visually and socially. “The architectural vocabulary is quite con- temporary, but very sensitive to its context, in terms of materials, form and massing, which reflect aspects of the local Kent ver- nacular. “The external materials of the elevations


and landscaping are both attractive and ro- bust, to provide an attractive, welcome ad- dition to the community that is built to last.” Maidstone Council will decide on the planning application.


Bid to protect unspoilt beauty spot from development


of land south of Maidstone that extends across Boughton Mal- herbe, Ulcombe, Sutton Va- lence, Linton and Yalding – is under pressure from developers because, unlike the Kent Downs, it is not categorised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Gaining AONB status is an as- piration for Cllr Tony Harwood, who called for the petition to be discussed by cabinet. He said: “I am particularly concerned


dene to be redeveloped as it is a small building on a large plot that is out-of- keeping with the local area. “We have the opportunity to build a well-de- signed house in the area that will fit in with its surroundings and enhance the street scene,” said parish chairman Cllr Glyn Charlton. But the planning committee decided


that the new national govern- ment framework proposes the end of countryside protection outside national parks, AONBs and metropolitan green belt. “In many ways, the Green-


sand Ridge is far less spoilt than the Kent Downs AONB, which has been very industrially farmed. Because of the paucity of its soils, the Greensand Ridge is unspoilt and some of the views, which go down as far as Romney Marsh, are superb.”


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


that the 115% increase in volume would have caused a more visually in- trusive development, affecting the char- acter of the countryside. Officers, under delegated powers, had refused a simi- lar scheme in August last year. Cllr Tony Harwood said: “The policy protection is about retaining housing mix. We have lots of small bungalows in the countryside. If they were all de- veloped to fill the plot we would end up with a pastiche OnlyWay is Essex type of area. “There is potential to build a


larger dwelling but it will have to prove an exemplar scheme. This needs to be a refusal but the applicant needs to talk seri- ously to officers about what is acceptable.” The application was refused by


nine votes to four. One of those who supported the application was Cllr Richard Ash, who said: “At present it is a hideous build- ing and I agree with the parish council’s comments.”


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