Community centre plans unveiled


PLANS for the long-awaited community centre in Tovil have been submitted to Maidstone Borough Council. Following lengthy public consultation, housing association GoldingHomes, in con- junction with Maistone YMCA, has un- veiled its preliminary proposal to residents around the Coombe Farm estate. They include indoor and outdoor sports facilities, meeting rooms and exterior hard courts, replacing the existing timber-built Second World War children’s hut, off Courtenay Road, Tovil. Golding Homes is two-thirds of the way through a major regeneration of Coombe Farm, demolishing the estate’s 119 homes, and replacing them with 152 new ones. The new community centre would pro- vide a much-needed amenity for the resi-


Planning issues


PERMISSION was granted to convert empty offices at 76-78 College Road, Maid- stone, into residential use. Maidstone Council gave


the go-ahead on condition that border planting shown to the north-west of the front boundary wall “shall be a privet hedge stretching the widthofthe frontboundary wall and shall be carried out in the first planting and seed- ing seasons”. Applicant Ron Haq cited a


lack of demand for office space as the reason for the conversion.


A SCHEME to replace a garage with a new home at 8 Howard Drive, Allington, was refused. Maidstone Council rated


the proposal as “cramped and out of keeping with the pattern, scale and rhythm of Howard Drive”.


GUY Harrison has applied to convert the first and sec- ond floor of 36 High Street, Maidstone, into three flats.


JASON Muller has applied to retrospectively convert 16 Mote Road, Maidstone, into a house of multiple occupa- tion.


A MAN who drank three bot- tles of cider and argued with his partner died after setting fire to the boat on which he was living, a Maidstone inquest heard.


Stephen Harrison (49), had a history of violence and was known to the police. He and his partner Rochelle Danesh had a volatile relation- ship, fuelled by his addiction to alcohol, the inquest was told. On the night he died, he had


been drinking heavily and fought with a group of youthswhocame near the boat, Rude Boy, moored on the River Medway off St Pe- ters Street.He thenwandered off, leaving his partner on the boat. She awoke in the early hours


to find him standing over her, completely calm, and saying: “The boat is on fire.” The retired soldier then


8 Town


Barry Dock, head of proj- ect/mechanical engineering at GP Acoustics, with marketing assistant Katy Smith and Phil Burgess, regional vice-presi- dent of award sponsor Infor


pushed her to safety through a hatch in the cabin roof. Despite her best efforts, she could not pull him through and he col- lapsed back into the cabin. “I was pulling and pulling


and screaming for help, but I couldn’t get him out,” Miss Danesh told the inquest. “He wasn’t helping me and he ap- peared to pass out.” Passers-by Jessica Owen and


Ben Gravenell dragged Miss Danesh to safety and called the emergency services but para- medics were unable to revive Mr Harrison and he was pro- nounced dead at the scene. A postmortem found he had 192mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood – more than twice the legal limit for driving – and gave the cause of death on July 9 as in-


community centre. Residents’ views from a public exhibition


of the plans have been incorporated into de- finitive plans, which have now been sub- mitted to the council for planning permission and a further formal consulta- tion. A spokesman for Golding Homes said:


Artist’s impression of Tovil’s proposed community centre


dents, offering community training in cook- ery, arts and crafts and IT. It is also expected to house KCC’s youth services and other agencies that support the estate. The YMCA owns the site but Golding Homeswill part-finance construction of the


“The public consultation event was held ahead of seeking planning permission. “Internally the building includes space


for community activities as well as training rooms for the MaidstoneYMCAto carry out workshops and training sessions for local people.


“Discussions have been ongoing for a number of years sowe are delighted to have finally reached this stage. Initial response to the proposals has been very positive.”


Kickboxing academy wants Park Wood stay TKO has applied to relocate its kickboxing academy to Unit 6, Cux- ton Road Industries in Cuxton Road, ParkWood. The company had operated from the Powerhub Centre, St Peters Street, Maidstone, but had been ordered to relocate before Christ- mas, so moved into the new premises prior to receiving planning permission. TKO says the building would be open 7am to 9pm weekdays,


7am to 8pm on Saturdays and 10am to 6pm Sundays. These are the same hours as the nearby Ironworks Gymnasium, claims the com- pany.Maidstone Council will decide on the planning application.


Girls jump to it to reach national finals THREE pupils from Invicta Grammar School have bounced their way into the National Trampoline Finals. Year 9 pupils Jess Marshall and Sian Delaney, together with


Emily, a Year 7 pupil, have worked tirelessly to perfect their rou- tines and recently won the Kent competition. This allowed them to compete in the south east regional competition, which they again won, putting them through to the national finals in Bristol on Sun- day, March 11.


Let’s make a mess! PRIMARY pupils and their par- ents are being invited to a fun “messy church” session at the Salvation Army in Union Street. Doors open at 3.30pm, and


the fun gets underway at 4pm on Thursday, March 8, ending at 6pm. There will be fun painting


and play activities for the chil- dren, as well as a time of wor- ship and a meal. Tickets cost £3 per family, available on 01622 681808.


Flat roof panels


APROPOSAL has been submit- ted to install solar panels on a flat roof at 146 Tonbridge Road, Maidstone.


Company is a ‘winner of winners’ TOVIL-based GP AcousticsUK, manufacturers of the British audio brandKEF Audio, has been named the bestmanufacturing business in the country in an award ceremony in London. The company, based in Eccleston Road, not only won the Inno-


vative Operating Practices Award at the national final of the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards 2011, but was also named “winner of winners” – an accolade that puts it right at the top of manufac- turing performance. The annual awards are hosted by EEF, the manufacturers’ or- ganisation, and recognise excellence in enterprise, innovation, en- vironmental performance and skills development among UK manufacturers. GP Acoustics won the Innovative Operating PracticesAward for developing and implementing new technology and manufacturing processes to break into a high-end market sector.


Alcoholic set fire to boat


halation of flames, compounded by alcohol intoxication. Mr Harrison’s former partner


of nine years, Gaynor Taylor, told the inquest that Mr Harri- son had been put into care as a child after setting fire to a local shop. More recently, she had known him to walk out in front of cars, set fire to his trousers and cut his wrists. “It could have been a cry for


help,” she said. Nicola Quigley, a friend of


the couple, said she had often heard Mr Harrison say: “I don’t want to live.” On the night before he died


he had visited people he had previously beaten up and apol- ogised. He also told Miss Quigley and her boyfriend: “Thank you for everything you


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


have done for us”. “That’s not something he would normally say,” she said. “It was as if he had something on his mind.” Det Insp Susie Harper from


Kent Police said she had ruled out any third party intervention or retribution on the part of Miss Danesh, but could not rule out the possibility that Mr Har- rison had set fire to the boat. She said: “He was a volatile character, living a somewhat chaotic lifestyle and had many disputes with other people.” Mid-Kent deputy coroner


Gail Elliman said she believed Mr Harrison had set fire to the boat while under the influence of drink, ensuring that his part- ner got to safety, but not him- self. She recorded a verdict that Mr Harrison had taken his own life while intoxicated.


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