Nature reserve


cash allocated FUNDING for a new nature re- serve near Tovil has been handed over. The one-off payment of £500,000 comes from Taylor Wimpey, which is building 127 homes on 11 acres off Postley Road in the Loose Valley. As part of the planning agree-


ment, the developer agreed to set aside 30 acres of the former Hayle Place Stud Farm for a na- ture reserve, and fund its man- agement. Tovil parish councillor and Maidstone’s mayor Cllr Clive English suggested the reserve form part of any planning agreement. He said: “This was a contro- versial proposal for a large number of homes and we were concerned that this could lead to further development along the Loose Valley. I and Tony Harwood, on the borough coun- cil’s planning committee, sug- gested the reserve would, at least, prevent further develop- ment sprawl in this direction. “I am pleased that we now


have the money to take this project forward and I’m really quite excited about it.” Cllr English said most of the reserve will be managed to en- courage wildlife, with some mown areas for walking. The reserve – provisionally named Hayle Place Nature Re- serve – will be run by the bor- ough council, Tovil Parish Council and Loose Valley Con- servation Society. Three-bedroom properties at


Hayle Park are selling from £220,000.


Flats scheme LIAM Walsh hopes to use new legislation to convert upper floor offices into nine flats at Westbrook House, Albion Place, Maidstone. He wants to retain the ground


floor for offices but says the property is only 30% occupied so has applied for a certificate of lawful development, which will be determined by Maid- stone Council, to convert the first, second and third floors into six flats. The Government is now al- lowing certain business to resi- dential applications to bypass the planning procedure.


Office conversion MAIDSTONE Council has raised no objection to a plan to convert an office in Hedley Street, Maidstone into four self- contained flats. The principle of Michael


Walker’s prior notification ap- plication for Faraday House was accepted by the council, who said full planning permis- sion would be required for any external works. MrWalker claimed there had


been no commercial interest in Faraday House since April.


36 Town


Natasha Elmes THE wedding of Natasha and Ricky Elmes earlier this year was a day when friends and family contributed to make it a wonderful oc- casion.


Natasha


(27), of Sun- ningdale Court, Maidstone had already been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She died at the Heart of Kent Hospice on October 9, 11 weeks after her wedding. Natasha, who had previously worked as a chef, met Ricky when the pair were employed at Betsy Clara Nursing Home in Tovil. The couple have a two- year-old son, Reuben. Friends and family paid trib-


ute to the former pupil of All Saints Primary School and Maplesden Noakes School. She leaves her husband and son.


Peter Vowles PETER Vowles (86) lived in the Penenden Heath area from 1970, moving locally when his career in the paper in- dustry took himtoSwan Mill in Swan- ley.


Peter spent


most of his working life in the industry, progressing to be chief pur- chasing manager and company director at Swan Mills, becom- ing well known in the industry around the county and travel- ling abroad. Born and raised in Milton


Regis, near Sittingbourne and educated at Borden Grammar School in that area, Peter watched Battle of Britain dog- fights as a boy and was some- times among the first on the scene when planes crashed. Peter’s working life began


with time in the RoyalMarines; he worked for Kent Education Committee and went to work in the paper industry after this. Peter married his wife of 41


years, Gwen, in 1950. The cou- ple raised Lorely, David and Mandy. David Vowles said: “My father led a full life, he played hockey into his late 40s for a works team. My mother died in 1991 and my father re- mained independent and was very proud of his growing fam- ily.


“His knowledge of all kinds


of things was impressive and he was sharp and able to an- swer all kinds of quiz questions to the end of his life. After beingwidowed, hemet Audrey and enjoyed cruises and a lot of good times together.” Peter leaves his children, Audrey, eight grandchildren (another grandchild pre-deceased him), and two great-grandchildren.


We will remember


Marjorie Wood DETLING’sMarjorieWood (81) was well known locally after a journalistic career and growing up in a Maidstone pub. Born Marjorie Cook, her par-


ents ran The Papermakers Arms in Lower Stone Street. The family later moved to take over a hardware store at Penen- den Heath. Marjorie joined the Kent Messenger Group in an admin- istrative role andmet journalist Alan Wood. The couple mar- ried in 1952 and had daughters Lesley and Jayne. Marjorie went on to edit the South East- ern Gazette and served as a par- liamentary reporter for The Times. After moving to Detling in


1976, Marjorie ran the Cat’s Whiskers Cattery. She was heavily involved in Detling life: she was a member of the Detling Gardening Club and had her own garden next to the Pilgrim’s Way, which was fre- quently admired by walkers. In addition to helping in the organisation of village events Marjorie was involved in the campaign which resulted in the building of Jade’s Crossing. A number of tributes from family and former colleagues have praised her qualities of caring for and helping others. Marjorie –who was widowed


in 2002 – leaves her daughters and five grandchildren.


David Clark DAVID Clark (94), of Boughton Malherbe, held an im- portant place in the history of


Kent


County Cricket Club, Mote Cricket Club, Maid- stone and the MCC. He was captain of Kent for


three seasons, from 1949 to 1951, at a time when hewas al- ready a player and member of the general committee. Subse- quently he became chairman from 1970/74, chaired the play- ing committee and in 1990 served a year as president. He often opened the innings


for Kent or was a mid-order batsman. In a typical season (1950) he had 43 innings and scored 745 runs at an average of 17.73. In those days he lived in Sta- plehurst and played much of his cricket at The Mote. He played pre-war and was club captain for three years from 1946 before he captained Kent, and returned to captain the Mote in 1953. He was president of the Mote between 1982 and 1984. He managed MCC tours to


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


India in 1963 and 1964, as well as the successful Ray Illing- worth Ashes campaign to Aus- tralia. He served as treasurer and later president of the MCC (1978-79). When cricket duties allowed,


David was a farmer. He was a widower and is survived by his son James and daughter Alison.


Dave Johnson DAVE Johnson, of Roseacre Lane, Bearsted, lived locally for over 40 years, originally moving to Madgingford when he came to the area to work for the Lucas Group. His entire career was spent


with the Lucas Group. Having started as a 15-year-old appren- tice, he rose through the ranks to take on project management around the world. Married to Pauline – with whom he had grown up in Twickenham – for 43 years, Dave was father to Matthew and Jo. Pauline said: “Dave loved all sports, and was presi- dent of Bearsted and Thurn- ham Tennis Club at the time of his death. “He had been a good foot-


baller in his younger days, earning a professional trial for Brentford and playing at a high amateur standard for a number of years. He loved long-dis- tancewalking with our son and his brother and we enjoyed travelling in our motor home.” Dave’s involvement with Bearsted Woodland Trust (BWT) drew plaudits from his colleagues. Chris Street, of BWT, said: “Dave has been a volunteer at BWT for the past six years or so, making an enor- mous contribution as project manager and leader of the maintenance volunteers.” Dave’s other post-retirement activities included founding SLOBS (Senile Lucas Old Boys Society), for those who had re- tired from the Lucas Group. Having startedwith six people, the group now boasts over 100 active members taking part in activities like organised walks. Dave leaves his wife, chil-


dren and grandchildren Maisy and Oliver.


The Stone Shop Memorials. Any natural stone supplied, lettered and installed anywhere. Inscriptions added to existing memorials Renovations and memorial cleaning


The Stone Shop Station Hill, East Farleigh, Kent.


01622 726633


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