News
downsmail.co.uk Transport fears as homes agreed
SEPARATE schemes to build 886 homes along Sutton Road in Maidstone have been given the go- ahead, despite KCC concerns over transport measures. The three proposals – Langley
Park (TaylorWimpey, 600 homes), north of Sutton Road (Bellway, 186 homes) and west of Bicknor Road (Redrow, 100 homes) – were de- ferred three weeks earlier because Maidstone Council’s planning committee questioned the Section 106 agreement to add an extra lane to part of Sutton Road andwanted a viability assessment on afford- able housing. The committee has now accepted
all three applications, yet Peter Ro- sevear, strategic transport planner at KCC, felt the council should not commit to widening the north- bound A274 towards the Wheat- sheaf roundabout and giving buses priority between 7.30am and 9.30am on weekdays. He said: “There may be other de-
velopments going forward in this area in the future, and flexibility is important. KCC is in favour of strategic transport improvements to deal with the growth of this area of Maidstone and we are against being tied to a specific scheme, par- ticularly with bus priority.” Cllr Stephen Paine, cabinet mem-
ber for planning and a committee member, said section 106 devel- oper contributions had to be put into specific schemes or they would be challengeable. He said: “We can’t do nothing and let the traffic increase. There will be more
Sutton Road is to be widened towards the Wheatsheaf junction
crossing points, which means that rather than dissect communities they will be brought together. “We are not proposing to take
out trees; we want to improve an area of appalling air quality.” Lib Dem members of the com-
mittee had cooled on the idea of a park-and-ride on the site, which they previously called for in view of it being earmarked for the site in the 2000 local plan. Therewas also an acceptance that
30% affordable housing on each of the schemes was acceptable, given that developers were putting sec- tion 106 money towards widening Sutton Road,Willington Street junc- tion improvements, better road crossings, a new primary school at Langley Park and new health and sports facilities in the area. Cllr Chris Garland, the KCC
leader and substitute member of the committee, said that KCC mod- elling did not support a park-and- ride facility at Langley Park. He said the proposals, if refused, would be accepted on appeal: “These developments are coming, whetherwewant them or not, and we have to make them work.” Cllr Tony Harwood, acting leader of the Lib Dems and key member of the planning commit- tee, had to leave the debate early as he was called out to deal with flooding problems. Cllr Harwood works as an emergency planner for KCC and on the day of the meeting (February 6) had not had a day off since Christmas Eve. Planning committee member Cllr Daniel Moriarty said he would prefer bus laybys to widen- ing Sutton Road.
To see the full details of the applications in last month’s Downs Mail, log on to
www.downsmail.co.uk, click Read Online then Publication Archive then Town Feb 2014 and turn to page 12.
Views from the villages
Langley Parish Council chairman Cheryl Taylor-Maggio welcomed the widening of Sutton Road, but was concerned about an increase of traffic in Horseshoes Lane. She called for traffic cameras to en- force a 7-tonne weight limit on Leeds Road.
On the day of the meeting Cllr Gordon Newton, who represents Downswood and Otham, under- took his own traffic survey and- found that about 750 vehicles used Gore Court Road, a country lane, between 8am and 9am, more than double the number claimed in a KCC study six years ago. He said the Sutton Road widening scheme would do little to reduce traffic as the road would revert back to two lanes north be- yond the Wheatsheaf pub.
Cllr Richard Ash, chairman of Bearsted Parish Council, called for the closure of Gore Court Road to Sutton Road traffic to prevent rat running for vehicles using M20 junctions 7 and 8.
Cllr Stephen Munford, ward mem- ber for Boughton Monchelsea, thought Section 106 money would have been better spent on establishing a footpath along Br- ishing Lane. He also called for en- hanced water storage to reduce flooding at Quarry Road.
Solicitors’ WWI tribute Village shop could move
GULLANDS Solicitors is looking for copies of photographs, stories and information for a newwebsite,
www.gullands-heritage.co.uk. The website will celebrate the heritage of Gullands, the history and growth of Maidstone and the 100th anniversary of the outbreak ofWorldWar I. Practice manager Paul Manner-
ing said: “We would like to offer people who may have interesting stories or photographs the oppor- tunity for them to be published on
GYPSIES want to add two mobile homes to a site in Collier Street. Planning permission already ex-
ists for one mobile home to be lo- cated at Martins Farm Oast and Charlie Cooper has applied to ex- pand the site. Maidstone Council will determine.
30 Maidstone South March 2014
the newwebsite. “In a tribute to all the young men
of Maidstone who fought in the First World War, we would like people to send us a photograph of them with details.” Anybody wishing to send copies
of pictures and information should contact Paul Mannering, Gullands Solicitors, 16 Mill Street Maidstone Kent ME15 6XT or email
p.manner-
ing@gullands.com. Unfortunately, Gullands won’t be able to return any details sent.
LINTON Primary School has been advised that pedestrian safety im- provements are necessary before it can increase its school roll. The primary school, in Heath
CHARTSutton Community Shop could be on the move. Customers who use the shop,
which operates from a Portakabin on the Green, are invited to the annual meeting in the village hall at 7.30pm on Monday, March 31. Among items up for discussion
is the need for more volunteers – not just to serve in the shop, but also to stock shelves, clean and check the stock. There are two spaces on the committee – including the post of
Mobile homes plan Road safety measures for school
Road, has been given planning per- mission to raise its roll to 225 once a pair of new pedestrian crossing points on Heath Road on the west
side of the school access have been installed. Afurther condition by Maidstone Council was to establish a solar powered interactive sign indicating children crossing with a “slow down” plate under about 50mwest of the Heath Road/Hubbards Lane junction.
treasurer – so anyone with organ- isational, administrative and fi- nancial skillswould bewelcome. Some customers have remarked
on the state of the path, particu- larly during the bad weather, which has prompted the commit- tee consider a new location. Sand and matting has been re-
laid to alleviate problems in the meantime. The shop is run by the village
for the village so any suggestions arewelcome.
Wedding stories
DID you get married at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church in Headcorn? If so, the church wants to hear about your story for an exhibition on Saturday, June 21, and Sun- day, June 22. Call 01622 891032 or email
skeeler@btinternet.com.
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