Fremlin Walk improvements plan


APLAN to improve the FremlinWalk shop- ping area in Maidstone has been unveiled. Legal & General, who acquired the site in December 2010, wants to establish two roofed areas; install a multimedia screen; erect better signage and lighting; provide lift improvements and works to the car park lobby; and create stencilled patterns to walls on the junction ofWeek Street. Aroofed area hosting seasonally changing events and activities would help attract greater footfall to the west end of Fremlin Walk, near House of Fraser, with an LED screen to show centre events, this year’s Olympics, information and advertising. The proposals have been submitted to Maidstone Council. The supporting state- ment said: “In the short term we have worked to improve the tenant mix through


CALLS are being made for empty shop units in Maidstone to resurface ashousing, doctors’ surgeries or day centres. Empty shop numbers con-


tinue to rise, with news that Hawkins Bazaar (The Mall) and Evans (King Street) have folded and The Oyster Box (Royal Star Arcade) is to shortly follow suit. But Town Centre manager


Bill Moss believes residents and retailers should be prepared to consider new opportunities for repositioning the county town in line with the changing face of retail trends. He told the Maidstone Busi-


ness Forum that, far from being alldoomand gloom, Maidstone still had a bright future full of


expected. We need to increase footfall and dwell time to improve the performance of the centre which, in turn, will attract higher end retailers and improved rents. “Although the department store is trading


The proposed


entrance to Fremlin Walk fromWeek Street


the scheme and have achieved 100% occu- pancy for the first time. “However, in the medium term we believe


the estatewill need to be revitalised to keep its appeal fresh, both to retailers and shop- pers.


“Commercial rents are not what could be Vacant shops are town centre’s new challenge


opportunities. But he warned: “Out of town shopping centres and the inter- nethave undoubtedly impacted on shopping patterns.We have to accept that as a country we are now over-shopped. In good times, the economy can support those shops but when the chips are down, we simply do not need so many retail outlets. “We need to consider other options, rather than have shops sitting empty. Should there be a change of use to housing, more job centres, day centres or doc- tor’s surgeries?” He said Town Centre Man- agement was talking to Maid- stone Council about extending a free parking scheme that


MUSIC, dancing and a whole host of entertain- ment could be on the cards for the new Town Square, due for completion in the spring. MBC’s John Foster says that the new square –


being created in front of the Town Hall – needed to be used as much as possible. Discussions were already taking place about licensing, with a view to simplifying the amount of red tape required for urban entertainment projects. Town Centre Management member Ivan White,


who also represents the Federation of Small Busi- nesses, said he hoped the council was successful in its aim, which was in line with theMary Por- tas survey into the future of Britain’s high streets. He said: “Shopping is only part of today’s town centre experience. At a time when we need to compete with the likes of Bluewater, we need to offer something extra to make our town centre a vibrant place that people want to be a part of.”


Work in progress on the Town Square Gypsy site ‘fits in’ with open countryside


A GYPSY site containing eight caravans near Boughton Monchelsea was given plan- ning permission after it was praised for fit- ting in with its rural location. Speaking in support of the retrospective scheme for four mobile homes, four touring caravans and four brick-built amenity blocks at The Orchards, off Snowey Track, Park Lane,Maidstone Council planning commit- tee chairman Cllr Richard Lusty said: “We have had many sites coming to this com- mittee over the last few years that have clearly been a blight on the landscape. “This site is one that I believe fits in with


the landscape. I know it is difficult for com- munities to accept but we have a duty to have these gypsy sites in our community.” Councillors were impressed with the screening arrangements, meaning the site is


18 South


invisible from short and long distance. However, some neighbours suspected that residents were not actually gypsies. Objec- tor Mr Prebble said: “There is no evidence that any checks or independent testing of the gypsy status has been undertaken by of- ficers. We believe there is evidence that some residents have other places to live.” The council officer report recommending planning permission argued otherwise: “The four plots would be occupied by Mitchell and Nadine Love; Shane and Laura Love; James Peckham; and Mark and Joanne Butler. It would seem that the families have travelled extensively, including travel to the various horse fairs throughout the country.” Seven members of the committee voted in favour to grant planning permission. There were six abstentions.


would allow people to park without charge between the hours of 3pm and 6.30pm – something he felt would be par- ticularly attractive to parents after school. But he admitted empty shop


units were unattractive and were to be discouraged. Mr Moss suggested landlords should pay the full business rate on empty properties for the first year,with a case for adding a 50% weighting to properties still vacant after that time, as an incentive for landlords to find new tenants. At present, the majority of empty town centre shops attract rate relief for three months but thereafter must pay the full amount.


New project proves that town’s not square


well and the car park is well used, the foot- fall is particularly weak in the area in front of the department store where units are more difficult to let. “Footfall drops off significantly along the


retail street the further you progress away from Week Street. Therefore, there is a key requirement to increase the flow of cus- tomers from the car park and department store, up and out into the retail street, and to draw customers fromWeek Street along the whole length of the retail street.” Maidstone Council will decide on the planning application.


The gas man cometh.. Continued from page one


will be via Brunswick Street and Pri- ory Road.


Knightrider Street will be made two-way for access-only traffic. KCC’s new highways management


centre will control traffic flows into the town at the Wheatsheaf and South Park Drive to try to minimise congestion, but delays are inevitable according to Maidstone transport champion Cllr Malcolm Robertson. Cllr Robertson fears it is the second


phase of work – which will involve 100m sections of one lane in Upper Stone Street being closed – that will see most disruption and road rage. It is then that the busy exodus of town centre traffic will be funnelled into a bottleneck as it leaves the town to the south. He said: “We anticipate the first couple of weeks to be chaos, but motorists will gradually steer away from the centre and go in search of alternative routes. The constriction of Upper Stone


Street will be the worst and last for up to another year. “Traffic will be ricocheting around the town trying to get out.” The town has already endured


one spell of gas main replacement and survived but Town Centre manager Bill Moss has warned: “This one is going to be unbeliev- able and a real blow to drivers. Queues have been predicted as far back as the M2.”


Caravan park seeks more


storage space ROB Schroeder has applied to store 10 caravans at The Finches Touring Cara- van and Camping Park in Chartway Street, Kingswood. He is allowed under current planning permission to site 20 caravan and 20 tent pitches year round. His planning state- ment said: “Many vehicle journeys could be saved if their caravans were stored in a secure area on site and would then be available for short weekend breaks or longer holidays. “The location of the designated cara-


van storage area benefits from the exist- ing landscaping and is not visible from Chartway Street.” Maidstone Council will decide on the proposal.


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


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