Flats proposed A PROPOSAL has been submit- ted to convert the former Aagrah Indian restaurant at 4 Lower Stone Street into five flats. The scheme is for the top two floors, which have been vacant for two years, above the amuse- ment arcade owned by Montag Leisure. Subject toMaidstone Council consent, Juniper Property’s planning applicationwould see the introduction of one two- bedroom flat, three one-bed- room flats and a studio. A supporting statement said
the proposal would retain the original appearance of the Grade II listed building.
Car wash scheme ALI Hoxha has applied to set up a car wash and valeting service at a vacant car sales site at Square Hill Motors, Square Hill, Maidstone. The proposal, which will be determined by Maidstone Council, is for change of use consent for three years.
Light decision DEREK Han Lan’s proposed first floor extension at 9Wood- lands Close, Penenden Heath, has been refused. Maidstone Council felt the scheme would result in a sig- nificant loss of daylight to the occupiers of 8 Woodlands Close.
Council tax set to go up
COUNCIL tax payers in Maid- stone are set to face a 1.9% in- crease from April. For the first time in two years, Maidstone Council has agreed to an 8p a week increase to protect services in the next and future fi- nancial years, putting the council tax cost for a Band D taxpayer up by £4.23 a year. The council also agreed to give £110,631 to the parishes in 2013- 14, to compensate for the loss of income due to council tax benefit changes. The borough has frozen its council tax for each of the last two years, but decided not to ac- cept the Government’s council tax freeze grant because it only
equates to a 1%increase for two years, after which the council would have to make even bigger savings when the grant is with- drawn.
Council leader Chris Garland
told members that projected fu- ture savings of £4.8m in a total budget of £20m would have a “significant” impact over a num- ber of years and said it was nec- essary to increase the council tax to deliver a good quality of serv- ice to residents. Liberal Democrat leader Cllr
Fran Wilson agreed with the budget proposals but said there were large differences of opinion on proposed capital projects. She
said: “We need to see some gen- uine regeneration, not just cos- metic changes” and asked for future capital allocations to be discussed by the full council. She also expressed concern at
the accelerating number of home- less in Maidstone and said: “We need to be careful about whatwe do with those people at risk.” Public consultation on the budget showed good levels of support for proposals to provide more services through voluntary, business and charitable organisa- tions and to provide commercial profit-making services such as a new commercialwaste collection for shops and offices.
Rotary’s life-saving gift MEMBERS of The Rotary Club of Maidstone River- side have raised money for a defibrillator in mem- ory of the club’s former president Mike Baker, who died in December 2004, aged 33. Mr Baker had launched a community project to
provide debrillators throughout the town and sur- rounding villages. The sixth defibrillator was in- stalled at Brookside Nursery and garden centre in East Peckham. The equipment has been met through fund-rais-
ing and a grant from the Community Heartbeat Trust.
ColinNorgate, of the RiversideRotary Club, said:
Mike Springett, of Riverside Rotary Club with Terry Shead, of Brookside Garden Centre
“We know how valuable these portable defibrilla- tors are in helping save lives, so we had no hesita- tion in providing the funds.”
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