News
Shopping village ‘will keep customers local’
THE company behind the proposed redevelopment of Newnham Court Shopping Centre says the scheme will keep trade in Maidstone. Critics say Land Securities’ plan-
ning application to create a Wait- rose, Debenhams, rebuilt Notcutts and 17 retail units off M20 Junction 7 would, if accepted, badly harm the town centre. But ChrisWard, director at Land Securities, said: “By 2018 Bluewater is expected to lure £216m worth of consumer spending from the local area – some of that money could otherwise have been spent in Maid- stone’s shops. “An expanded Newnham Court Shopping Centre will ‘claw back’ £13.2m of this ‘leakage’. Mod- ernising Newnham Court Shop- pingVillage will not prevent strong retail growth in the town centre, but a failure to invest will seeMaid- stone lose out to massive develop- ments planned at Bluewater, Ashford and at other shopping
Longer visits
MAIDSTONEHospital is extending visiting times for itswards. Visitors can now go to see pa-
tients from 8am until 8pm every day, in line with Tunbridge Wells Hospital. Previous times varied ac- cording to the ward, but mostwere from 3-5pm and 6.30pm-8pm Chief nurse for Maidstone and
Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Avey Bhatia, said: “The new hours give visitors much more flexibility to arrange to come and see a friend.”
Road closure
A TEMPORARY road closure will affect traffic in Bearsted and Thurn- ham at the end of March. Thurnham Lane in Bearsted will
be closed between Pilgrims Way and The Street for eight days from- March 31, from 8.30am to 5.30pm. Drivers should use PilgrimsWay, Water Lane and The Street.
Parish clerk
ULCOMBE Parish Council has ap- pointed a new clerk. Liz McLaren, from Cranbrook,
will also act as the council’s re- sponsible finance officer. She was appointed at the January meeting of the parish council.
Artist studio plan
A PLANNING application has been lodged to replace a car port with a building to be used as an artist studio at The Granary, Weavering Street, Weavering. Maidstone Council will determine.
30 Maidstone East March 2014 Town ‘not option’
DEBENHAMS says it decided against moving into town centre shopping centre The Mall because it was “not a viable opportunity”. Robert Hadfield, director of
property, said in an open letter that the company had “investi- gated a number of sites in and around the town centre, none of which were sustainable for our business”. He insists this decision was made “prior to any discus- sions on Newnham Court”.
hotspots around the county.” Within the next decade Bluewa-
ter is set to grow by 20%, while McArthur Glen wants to nearly double its Ashford Designer Outlet. Retail facilities are likely to be ex-
panded at Tonbridge and Tun- bridge Wells, while a large invest- ment scheme is planned at Kingsmead in Canterbury. MrWard added: “Neighbouring
towns are investing in better shop- ping facilities and more choice. Maidstone needs to grab invest- ment opportunities now or face a period of gradual decline for the re- tail sector in the county town.” Land Securities says it would in- troduce a legally binding “no poaching” commitment. “We have undertaken not to allow any re- tailer which is already present in Maidstone town centre to occupy space at Newnham Court,” Mr Ward said. “The only exceptions will be where the retailer intends to open a second store in the town [at Newnham Court] and to keep its existing store open.”
downsmail.co.uk
Line-up for music festival
MAIDSTONE’S restaurants and pubs will serve up a giant helping of music for the fourth Maidstone Fringe Festival on May 1-5. Venues already lining up acts for
the five-day extravaganza across the May Day bank holiday weekend are The Style &Winch, Earls, The Druids Arms, The Flowerpot, The Source Bar, Stepping Stones Studio, The Rafters, The White Horse, The Art Lounge, Pizza Express, The Art Lounge, The RoyalAlbion, The Swan, Frederic, The Walnut Tree and Pops Café. New this yearwill be a music stage
in Jubilee Square. Fans of stand-up comedy can enjoy showcases at the Walnut Tree, Druids Arms and Step- ping Stone Studios. The Style & Winch in Union Street
will hold a music all-dayer on the Monday.
Nine flats agreed
THE go-ahead was given by Maidstone Council for a scheme to convert upper floor offices into nine flats at Westbrook House, Albion Place, Maidstone.
Councillors set to stand down
THREE Tory stalwarts from south Maidstone have announced they are to stand down at the May elec- tions.
Formermayors Eric Hotson (Sta- plehurst) and Jenefer Gibson (Headcorn) will join Shepway North councillor Mike Yates in not seeking re-election to the bor- ough council. Cllr Hotson, who also sits on the county council, has been a mem- ber of Maidstone Council for 20 years. He is a member of the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board and of the strategic leader- ship and corporate overview and scrutiny committee. He is a former member of the cabinet and former
Cllrs Eric Hotson, Jenefer Gibson and Mike Yates will not seek re-election
council leader. Cllr Gibson, who has been a member of the council for 28 years, is a member of the licensing and standards committees and the community, leisure services and environment overview and
Events hall to open at showground
A NEW £1.5 million conference and events facility is due to open at the Kent Event Centre in Detling this spring. The facility will seat up to 4,000 people in theatre style, and should be ready
to start hosting events from the end of April. It will be officially opened by the Kent County Agricultural Society at the Kent County Show in July.
Extra train services proposed
COMMUTERS could get a third peak service into London by Dem- ber.
Southeasternwants to introduce
a rush-hour service from Maid- stone East into Blackfriars, stop- ping atWest Malling. A spokesman said: “The with-
drawal of our limited peak service into Cannon Street in December
2009 was pretty unpopular. We have listened to comments and are proposing this service into Black- friars as a half-way house, taking commuters closer to the City.” Also proposed is an extension to
the Victoria service via Maidstone East, providing an off-peak, stop- ping service to Canterbury West via Ashford International.
scrutiny committee. Cllr Yates has been a member of
the council for 15 years and also sits on the licensing and commu- nity, leisure services and environ- ment overview and scrutiny committees.
Cemetery bid THE decision over whether to convert the gatehouse at Maid- stone Graveyard into a three- bed house is to go to appeal. Applicant Stuart Anderson
has lost patience with Maid- stone Council’s inability to de- cide on the proposed restoration of the vacant Grade II Listed Cemetery Lodge, in Sutton Road, and has asked a planning inspector to deter- mine the scheme. The council says it would
have refused the scheme for its lack of an up to date noise as- sessment.
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 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56