Parking misery for drivers
MORE misery could be just around the corner for motorists in Maidstone, with news that parking fees are to escalate. The town’s draft integrated transport strategy proposes pushing up the cost of short- stay parking by 20% and long- stay parking by a bumper 50%. That means the cost of park-
Bigger offices
for Age UK BIGGER and better facilities will be available to the over 50s in Maidstone, following the re- location and rebranding of Age Concern. Age Concern – now known as
Age UK Maidstone – has moved just a few doors from its home in Mill Street, but the new offices provide more meet- ing rooms, with the chance to launch a benefits advice and advocacy service. Deputymayor Cllr Clive Eng-
lish opened the centre along with Cllr Graham Gibbons, KCC’s cabinet member for adult services and Diane Aslett, from Age UK London. He paid tribute to the ongoing success of Age UK in the Maid- stone area and thanked them for their contribution to the community. Ms Aslett said: “Maidstone is
a real beacon for Age UK. It of- fers so many services.” Chairman Pat Thomas out-
lined the services offered by Age UK, from day centres and run- ning bus fleets to free computer classes, footcare clinics, wheel- chair and disability aid hire and independent living support. The new offices had been
aided by a legacy of £209,000 which allowed Age UK Maid- stone to purchase its own prop- erty for the first time. The Maidstone centre has 50 staff and 80 volunteers.
SOCIAL housing landlord Orbit Housing Group has applied to build 24 affordable homes in Tovil Green. The development would con-
sist of four blocks of two and three-storey terraced houses comprising 12 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom houses, with private amenity space and car parking. In February 2007, permission
was granted for the clearance of land on the site and land to the east for a detached three-storey block of 40 extra care apart- ments for the elderly and a two- storey block of seven supported apartments for people with learning difficulties. This development was com- pleted in 2009 and Tovil Green Court is now occupied. The part of the site to which the applica-
28 Town Volunteers pack the lorry with aid for people affected by Chernobyl
Lions send off aid to Belarus MAIDSTONE Lions club, along with other Lions from throughout Kent, have packed a lorrywith aid for people in Belarus. The consignment of 1,000 boxes will arrive in Gomel, Belarus, later
this month, wherepeople continue to suffer from theafter-effects of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Malcolm Luxton, president of Maidstone Lions club, said: “Life ex-
pectancy in Belarus is very low, with many people suffering from termi- nal illnesses and general poor health. The soil is still contaminated, preventing safe crop growth and production.” The Lions club in the town of Gomel will divide the donated aid be- tween orphanages, schools and individuals within the locality.
ing for three to four hours would rise from £2.70 to £3.25, while a stay of more than four hours would cost £7.50 as op- posed to the current £5. Maidstone Council argues its tactics are to encourage private motorists to use public transport or the park and ride scheme. However, it concedes: “It is recognised that short-stay town centre car parking plays a vital role in supporting businesses in the town centre.”
The council argues the fee in- creases are reasonable, as the new parking tariff levels will still remain competitive within the private town centre car parking market. The council also wants to in-
crease use of the park-and-ride service to help reduce the over- all demand for parking in the town and reorganise it to en- courage car sharing. Maidstone wants to look at
ways of shifting the fare struc- ture for park-and-ride from “pay-to-ride” to “pay-to-park” in 2013. The council claims the cur-
rent fare structure does not en- courage car sharing as each passenger is expected to pay for the bus, which conflicts with the objective of reducing the number of cars on the road, and
has led to the service being sub- sidised. “This is clearly not sustain-
able in the current financial cli- mate and puts the future of the service at risk,” says the report. The 50% rise in the cost of long-stay parking is designed to encourage car commuters to consider walking, cycling or using public transport. The report says: “This will
have the effect of better manag- ing traffic congestion and re- lated problems in the town centre during peak periods.” KCC has already committed to introduce a new bus pass for 16- 19 year olds, to make travel more affordable for sixth form- ers, college students and ap- prentices. It will cost £10 per week and provide unlimited bus travel seven days a week.
Office complex
finds tenant ONE of two new business de- velopments being built by Gal- lagher Properties at Hermitage Court, Hermitage Lane, Barm- ing, has been snapped up by long-established town centre company Havas Shared Serv- ices Ltd. Havas, a global communica-
tions group, had been based in Concorde House, London Road, for the past 48 years and em- ploys 35 people. It has signed a 10-year lease
for UnitH, a GradeA5,300 sq ft office building, due for comple- tion at the end of this year.
Canoe storage plan STEVE Martin has applied to construct a partially-under- ground garden store to house canoes along the banks of the Medway to the rear of Berkeley House, College Avenue, Maid- stone.
Developer reveals plans for affordable homes in Tovil Parish council
tion relates remained undevel- oped as part of the approved planning permission. A supporting statement said: “Blocks 1, 2 and 3 are to be two storeys in height. These match two storey houses in Pine Close and Tovil Green to the north and north-west of the site. “Block 4, which is closest to
the southern boundary of the site, has been designed to be split level to respond to the change in levels. From the front, the block will appear three storeys in height and from the rear, two storeys. “This block will match the height of Tovil Green Court to the east of the site.” The development, if permit-
ted by Maidstone Council, would include 30 parking spaces but be designed in ac-
cordance with “homezone” principles, where people have priority over vehicles. “The access roads have been designed to accommodate a range of travel modes including pedestrians, cycles and vehicles in a shared surface format,” added the statement. “A raised pedestrian table formed in grey granite setts is proposed to the entrance of the homezone from Tovil Green Lane to send a clear message to drivers that other road users have priority. “The homezone area itself
will be identified through the use of alternative hard land- scaping materials.” The proposal is a departure
from Maidstone Council’s devel- opment plan, which earmarks the land for employment use.
urges refusal TOVIL Parish Council called for the application to be refused over highway is- sues.
However, members added
that the creation of a new footpath towards the Tesco supermarket and better landscaping would be satis- factory, should Maidstone Council decide to grant planning permission. Cllr Barry Beardwell said:
“The tenancy agreements are quite strong. “We will not get people moving into these homes who have cases against them at their present accom- modation.”
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