Residents’ fury at plan for flats


RETIRED and elderly residents in a town centre courtyard complex are opposing plans to develop a disused car park next to Maidstone Barracks station. Residents in St Annes Court will be just


a stone’s throw away from the proposed development, and argue their privacy and peace and quiet will be invaded if the ap- plication is granted in its present form. They have drawn up a 44-name petition voicing their objections to the scheme, and have written to MP Helen Grant and Cllrs David Pickett and James Ross. But they havewarnedmore concerted ac-


tionwill follow if the council does not take heed of their pleas. Terance Butler Holdings Ltd want to


build 64 one and two-bedroom flats on the car park, in Buckland Hill, in two separate blocks. Block A at the northern end of the car


park would be five storeys high and pro- vide 36 flats for private ownership. Block B, halfway down the length of the site, would be four storeys high, with 28 flats, with 12 intended for shared ownership and 16 for affordable rent. However, residents fear the southern end


of Block B is both too high and too close to their own properties, making amockery of the concept that their homes were de- signed as “quiet and safe” retirement homes.


Cancer ‘likely to have started


Gill Lawrence (75), whose one-bed- room flat would be just yards away from the proposed development, claims her view has already been spoiled by the felling of several trees – and more are due to follow. Gill, who is pictured with Robin Crocker, said: “Many of us are in the last years of our lives.We came here for peace and quiet – we don’t want to end up with this on the doorstep.”


Spokesman Robin Crocker said: “Incom-


ing residents would be able to see into the kitchens, bathrooms and balconies of many of the existing flats, and the communal gar- den of St Annes Court Block A would be in full and direct view. “Some of our residents, being of limited mobility, rely greatly on this nearby open space and their private balconies to escape the confines of their apartments. Some of them are already suffering from anxiety and stress about what might be about to happen.” St Annes Court offers the only retirement homes south of the river until Barming, and Mr Crocker would like to see some of the new flats proposed – those closest to the ex- isting flats – given over to retirement flats. Mr Crocker believes a compromise could be reached and has written to the council


on behalf of the residents, suggesting that the parking spaces could be relocated to the southern end of the new development, pushing the buildings further away from St Annes Court. They would also like to see the height of


the southern end of Block B reduced by one floor, retaining further privacy. Finally, they would like to see a bound-


ary fence or wall erected between the two developments – both during the construc- tion stage and thereafter – which will pre- vent new residents using St Annes Court as a shortcut through to St Peter Street. Terance Butler Holdings Ltd, which has


a registered address at Court Lodge, in West Farleigh, is the parent company of Baltic Wharf (Maidstone) Ltd, which also wants to redevelop the nearby Powerhub building.


Dogs’ day out at threatened woods


in working life’ A MAIDSTONE pensioner died from an industrial disease after spending his working life as a warehouseman. An inquest heard that 84-year


old Norman Thorndycroft died from mesothelioma – a condi- tion generally associated with contact with asbestos. Mr Thorndycroft, who had


been cared for in the Pilgrim’s Way Nursing Home, Bower Mount Road, died in December last year. The inquest heard he had worked as a warehouse opera- tive from 1951 to 1989, in Stone Street and in ParkWood. Whilst working at ParkWood,


a roofmade of asbestos sheeting collapsed and he was involved in clearing it up. Deputy assistant coroner for


Mid Kent and Maidstone Rachel Redman said it was im- possible to tell precisely when Mr Thorndycroft had con- tracted the disease but said, on the balance of probability, it had been during his working life.


She offered her condolences


to his widow Ella and to his two sons, who both attended the inquest.


Duck death on CCTV PCSO Matt Williams said po- lice had obtained CCTV images of people believed to have killed a duck with a catapult in Tovil.


Officers were working to identify those responsible.


32 Town


BARMING and Allington residents and their four- footed friends piled intoWestminster Square to cele- brate summer and their ongoing campaign to help save BluebellWood. An informal doggie talent show and agility course


were held as part of the fun day picnic, which saw dozens of families flock into the area, just a stone’s throwaway from where developer Croudace hopes to build up to 700 homes. Sack races were organised by residents’ group


NAAGS – the New Allington Action Group - while the dog showwas judgedby Jasper Gerard, parliamentary campaigner for the LibDems,wholed the 2,000-name “Save BluebellWood” petition with James Willis and Heathward councillor Bryan Vizzard. Competitors as young as four attempted trialswith


their trusty pets for obedience, agility and speed, and therewere comic scenes as dogs sent obstacles clat- tering and owners struggled to control the more spir- ited entrants. Developer Croudace had not submitted a formal planning application for the site as the Downs Mail went to press, but Mr Gerard said: “Whenwe packed


Jasper Gerard judges the dog competition at Westminster Square, BluebellWood


into the townhall recently and presented our petition, even the Conservative leader of Maidstone Borough Council admitted he had never seen such a demon- stration of people power. “The council will have to be exceptionally brave – bordering on the foolhardy – to ignore the strong will of so many determined people.”


Poplars ‘too big for garden’ AMANDA Wermerling has asked Maidstone Council to allow her to fell two “over-sized” poplar trees at 17 Abbots Field, Fant. She claims the protected trees “are far too close to the house


and would be a danger in a storm” and added “the circumfer- ence of the trunk must be near a metre, roots have definitely shown damage as all decking around trees has lifted and there are cracks on internal walls. “The size of the trees is no longer safe for a residential prop-


erty. The trees can only be 10ft away from back door. My four- year-old son does not have a safe environment to play. Please, please, please can you look at this at your earliest convenience.” Maidstone Council will determine the planning application.


Planned flats above store ‘too noisy’ GJ PROPERTIES’ planning application to establish two one-bed apartments on the two floors above the Harts retail store at 11-17 Upper Stone Street, Maidstone, has been refused. Maidstone Council said: “The development would have an ad-


verse impact on the amenities of future occupants of each residen- tial unit in terms of noise, disturbance and ventilation.”


Home refused MAIDSTONE Council has blocked a proposal to attach a new house to an existing garage in Somerfield Road, Maidstone. The borough’s refusal notice


for Pine Lodge said: “The pro- posed dwelling would fail to re- spond positively to the existing character or development and would result in a prominent feature significantly harming the openness, appearance and character of the streetscene.” Cllr Brian Moss, previously a borough member for Heath ward, had said the garage –with its entrance door, windows, patio doors, Velux skylights, chimney, plumbing and porch – might actually be a dwelling.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48