Parish centre
sold at auction TOVIL’S Parish Centre has sold at auction for £250,000. Following a fierce bidding
war, the former Archbishop Courtenay Primary School in Church Road reached £70,000 more than the lower range of the guide price. Auctioneer Kevin Gilbert, of
Clive Emson, said: “Bidders were out in force, with guide prices smashed as investors look to bricks and mortar to generate better returns than what is available in this era of ultra-low interest rates. “Bidders slugged it out in a
fierce battle to buy the free- hold.” Mr Gilbert said the attractive, predominantly ragstone school had the potential for a variety of commercial uses, could be con- verted into residential cottages or redeveloped. However, he stressed that any change of use, conversion or redevelopment would be subject to the neces- sary permission being obtained. The auction took place at the
Kent County Showground, Detling, but peoplewere able to bid via phone and online. Tovil Parish Council, one of
the groups that had been using the parish centre as a base, de- cided a few days before the auc- tion that it could not afford to bid.
Bridge Nursery campaign boost
CAMPAIGNERS have been given a boost in preventing a development of 165 homes in Allington. The site of the former Bridge Nursery, at Allington, had been earmarked for new housing under Maidstone Council’s emerging Core Strategy. But the borough’s cabinet has
now agreed there is sufficient evidence of a large number of animals and plants – some of which are rare and protected – to have surveys completed, which will give a scientific ap- praisal of the situation. LibDem county councillors
Dan Daley and Rob Bird, who had collected more than 1,100 signatures opposing the devel-
opment, have described the de- cision as “a victory for common sense” – but have vowed the fight is not finished. Cllr Daley said: “We were amazed at the reaction of local people. I am glad that the Maid- stone cabinet has listened and has now accepted that there is much more work to be done be- fore a final decision can be taken. “The tremendous support
from the community has high- lighted the need for this land to receive special protection from development until detailed eco- logical surveys have been car- ried out to show the scale of the wildlife there.” Detailed surveys will be car- ried out later in the spring and
PARISHIONERS at St Andrew’s Church, Barming, are saying a reluctant farewell to vicar Rev Brian Reed. Mr Reed retired on his 70th birthday, after nearly
30 years of service at the church. He took up his post in June 1983, having previouslyworked in Croydon. Churchwarden James Lakeland said: “Someparish-
ioners feel it’s too soon for Brian to retire. His friendly face broughtmany people and families to our church, where they found he had a rare mixture of compas- sion andworldly experience.” He said: “Brian's humorous views on ‘life, the uni-
verse and everything’ will be missed.” Church of England rules say retirement is compul-
sory at the age of 70, but the popular vicar, a father- of-one and granddad-of-one, will be missed.
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summer to satisfy Natural Eng- land, Kent Wildlife Trust, KCC and other ecological bodies. Cllr Daley added: “If these surveys do prove what local knowledge has alleged, then there will be real grounds for re- moving the threat of develop- ment altogether. “Reptiles, amphibians, birds,
bats, beetles and a whole variety of trees, shrubs and wild flow- ers are in abundance – some of them protected and rare. To re- move these safely and to as good a home would be ex- tremely difficult and costly.” If the site was to be saved, the long-term aim would be toman- age it for wildlife and public en- joyment.
Congregation’s sad goodbye to vicar Mr Reed is planning to buy
a home in Allington with the help of the church, where he hopes topursue his interest in model railways. Although church popula-
tions are in decline, Mr Reed, pictured, has seen the num- ber of worshippers at St An- drew’s grow, with many newcomers being staff work- ing atMaidstone Hospital. The role of vicar is to be split between St Andrew’s
and StNicholas’s Church,
Allington.Anewappointee is to be recruited to fill the position.
01622 737801
www.thepottedgarden.co.uk Ashford Road (A20), Bearsted,Maidstone, ME14 4NH
You can e-mail the Downs Mail —
info@downsmail.co.uk
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