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Morrisons hinders Tesco’s station plan


APROPOSAL for a Morrisons supermarket in Springfield Park could


scupper a plan for a store, likely to be a Tesco, at Maidstone East. The decision by Maidstone Council’s planning committee to support the principle of a 5,503sqm Morrisons supermarket, three retail units, a doctors’ surgery and 315 parking spaces on the site, off Royal Engineers Road, may also in- crease pressure to build housing in open countryside as the land is part of an allocation for 950 homes in the draft local plan. With the council under pressure


would have to be met elsewhere. But councillors went against the


advice of officers, who urged re- fusal because it could jeopardise the scheme to create a supermarket in Sandling Road, on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office north of the railway station. Tesco also raised an objection, suggesting it has an interest in the Maidstone East proposal. However, the decision to permit


to meet a 19,600 homes target be- tween 2011-2031, the housing shortfall caused by the loss of a large brownfield town centre site


Active awards


victim of cuts THE axe has fallen on the Active Maidstone Awards, as part of a cost-cutting exercise by Maidstone Council. The awards were introduced 23


years ago as the Youth Sport Achievement Awards to celebrate the achievement of local people who had shown talent and dedica- tion to their sport, or to clubs be- lieved to have made a difference to the health of the community. Re-branded this year as the Ac-


tive Maidstone Awards, the scheme is considered to “no longer have a clear place in the remit and priori- ties of the community develop- ment team”, according to officers.


4


the scheme will only be ratified when it returns to committee for conditions to be drawn up and ac- cepted. The draft local plan ear-


marks Maidstone East, King Street, Len House and The Mall as “se- quentially preferable” sites for su- permarkets. But itwas mentioned at the plan-


ning meeting that a scheme to re- generate the Maidstone East area has been promised for 15 years without progress. Solum Regenera- tion said it was about to lodge a planning application, in conjunc- tion with Network Rail and Kier, for a supermarket, retail units and railway station improvements. David Maddox, of agent Maddox and Associates, 14


Former mayors celebrate


IT’S party time in the Parvin household this year as two former mayors of Maidstone clock up not one, or two, but three celebratory milestones. Daphne and Peter Parvin have between them given half a century’s service to the borough. As the only husband and wife team to have both served as mayor – and each other’s consort – they each have a commemorative mayoral badge of office and a consort’s badge. Between them, they


have attended five royal garden parties at Buckingham Palace and had the pleasure of meeting royals and VIPs too numerous to mention. Daphne, who has represented the North Downs on the council for 30


years, celebrated her 80th birthday in March, while husband Peter, member for Leeds since 1995, will be 80 in June. In September 37


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The Big Ye llow Building, St Peters St, Maidstone 01622 691 291 www.lincolnfur niture.co.uk May 2014 No. 205 News Health services risk


THERE is concern for the future of Maidstone Hospital after the Gov- ernment said it could could close “failing” hospitals.


3 Shopping centre fear


A CAMPAIGN aims to save the for- mer Granada cinema, which could be demolished in a scheme to improve The Mall. 4


Hospital opening


THE Duke of Gloucester unveiled the new Kent Institute of Medi- cine and Surgery, near M20 Junction 7.


6 Train hub for police


A NEW police station has been opened on platform one at Maid- stone West railway sta- tion.


14 Battle remembered


A PLAQUE may mark the second English Civil War. 24


Park and ride row LINTON scheme criticised.25


Comment 30-31


PLEAS are made for more bunga- lows in the borough and improve- ments to roundabouts, while the ownership of The Mall shopping centre is investigated.


Crime Reports 31


A BAROMETER, golf clubs, bicy- cles, milk, ornamental bricks and skiing equipment are among items stolen in the town.


Obituaries 46-47 Get a better figure


IF you are looking to lose weight for the summer, Maid- stone Council has a range of courses to help you. Full details are in the Maidstone Council- sponsored eight-page Borough Update in the centre pages.


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