News


Further evidence sought in tractor collision death


A29-YEAR-OLD driver died when his car crashed head-on into a tractor on a country road on the outskirts of Lenham.


Ian Parker, a valeting company


owner, was probably not wearing a seatbelt when his blue Citroen Saxo skidded and hit the stationery farm vehicle, a Maidstone inquest heard. PC Mark Chapelhow, who inves- tigated the accident, calculated from tyre marks at the scene in Faversham road,Wichling, that Mr Parkerwas travelling at around the 60mph limit or possibly higher, when he braked and his wheels locked.


Despite appeals for witnesses,


police were unable to trace a Ford Ranger 4x4 pulling a trailer, which was said to have slowed down to pass the tractor near a slight bend in the narrow road. Mark White was heading to-


wards Lenham in his John Deere tractor, towing a trailer loaded with


Townhouses turned down


MAIDSTONE Council has refused a planning application to build five townhouses on the site of St Luke’s Medical Centre, Maidstone. The outline scheme to replace the medical centre, at the junction of Hol- land Road and St Luke’s Road, was previously deferred by the planning committeeover a lack of parking,and this groundwas used by Cllr Martin Cox to have it turned down in a later meeting. He argued that the lack of off-street spaceswould be detrimen- tal to the street scene and have a neg- ative impact on the quality of life of existing and new residents. Another groundwasaddedbyCllr


Tony Harwood, who argued that the density of theschemewould be detri- mental to the area. Although the committee voted to


refuse the scheme, with 10 out of 13 votes against, planning officer Peter Hockney felt the grounds were not strong enough to prevent defeat at appeal, so ordered a three-week “cooling off” period before the pro- posal returns to the committee. However, after the meeting appli-


cant Peter Szwedziuk withdrew the application. Cllr David Naghi, a local ward member, had claimed that Mr Szwedziuk would revamp the scheme to include parking if it was turned down. Mr Szwedziuk hopes to sell off the medical centre for housing as it is merging with the Marsham Street Surgery at the former NFU Mutual Building in Albion Place.


22 Maidstone East May 2014


wood, when the accident happened in damp weather at around 10am on Sunday, November 17. He said he pulled into the hedgerow and stopped for the oncoming Ford Ranger to slowly pass through. The back of the trailerwas level with his cab window so the road would have been temporarily blocked, when Mr White heard something skidding. He tried to manoeuvre his vehicle further into the hedge but “in a panic, could not get it into gear,” and the Citroen “disap- peared” under the front of the trac- tor. The driver of the Ford car did not stop. Mr White said: “I didn’t see what happened to the Citroen. I expected to see that whoeverwas driving the carwas going to be OK. I didn’t ex- pect to see what I saw when I got out of my tractor.”


He dialled 999 and tried, with in- struction from the ambulance oper- ator to help Mr Parker, who was hanging out of the passenger side of the car. He was not conscious and his mouth was full of blood.A first aider arrived but said nothing could be done to help. The inquest heard that Mr Parker, who lived with his parents in Kent Avenue, Ashford, died at the scene from head injuries. Roy Coles, who was driving his


silver Peugeot behind the tractor, said it was stationery as the 4x4 passed it. He did not see the colli- sion but heard a noise “like a wet road skid” and then a dull thud. Coroner Patricia Harding ad- journed the hearing after issues were raised by Mr Parker’s father, Robert, to allow further potential evidence to be produced.


Minister visits Blue Bus


MAIDSTONE’S award-winning Urban Blue Bus has felt the long arm of the law.


Justice minister Simon Hughes


visited Maidstone to hop on board the community bus, which was in- strumental in the town attaining the coveted purple flag for the quality of its night-time economy. Mr Hughes, who is deputy leader


of the Lib Dems, congratulated vol- unteers on the bus for their sterling work and declared it a model for other towns to follow. He said: “This is an excellent serv-


ice and the people of Maidstone should be appreciative of the work of so many dedicated volunteers.” The bus parks in Jubilee Square


Lib Dem candidate Jasper Gerard with justice minister Simon Hughes


between 8pm and 4am at weekends, offering help, refuge and support to people in need. On a typical night, it can deal with 150 clubbers and saves more than 30 visits to A&E each week, relieving pressure on the hard- pressed emergency services. Jasper Gerard, LibDemParliamentary candidate for the area, invited Mr Hughes to Maidstone to show how the successful scheme could be rolled out in other towns. “It is a huge tribute to this town that so many people are prepared to give up their time to help out,” Mr Gerard said.


Pool set for summer opening


THE community pool in Lenham, which has been ‘mothballed’for the last three years, is set to re-open. Volunteers have responded to a campaign, supported by young- sters at the local primary school, and now life-guards have been trained and the health and safety is- sues, which had kept the outdoor pool closed, addressed. Chris Hills, chairman of Lenham Swimming Club, said: “We were delighted with the response to our


publicity drive. The first volunteers have already achieved their Na- tional Pool Lifeguard Qualification and more have signed up,” he said. Work on the pool, at Swadelands School, is expected to be finished for the first session on Saturday, May 31. Volunteers are still needed to


help with collecting admissions. For more information contact


Chris Hills on 01622 859174 or email chris@cjhtraining.co.uk.


downsmail.co.uk More gypsy sites


A 2011 STUDY by Maidstone Council established a need for 105 permanent gypsy pitches between October 2011 and March 2016. As of March this year, 57 per- manent pitches had been granted, leaving a shortfall of 48. Until these pitches have been provided, the council will struggle to refuse speculative gypsy proposals. After March 2016, the need


for pitches reduces: October 2011 –March 2016: 105 April 2016 –March 2021: 25 April 2021 –March 2026: 27 April 2026 –March 2031: 30


Pupils reach


debate finals A GROUP of sixth-form students from Invicta Grammar School are through to the national final of the National Debating Matters compe- tition, after a close-fought contest at London inner regional round. Debaters Kate, Suzanna, Munira


and Charlotte and questioners Iris and Katiewere joined by Mrs Lloyd and Mrs Shepherd-Miller. They enjoyed their day at the Tal-


low Chandlers Hall, where they competed against two other schools in the first round. The Invicta team won both debates, which put them into the final. Here they met Queens School, from Watford, and after some close verbal combat, Invicta was pleased to be awarded the de- bate and a place in the national final. The final will take place at the


British Library in June. The school has aleeady won £500


of educational resources from Hod- der and Stoughton and the team will be rewarded with a tour of St Paul’s Cathedral and tea at the Grange St Paul’s Hotel.


B&B plan approved


CATHERINE Small has been given permission to build a four-room bed and breakfast annex in the car park of the White Horse pub in Otham.


The scheme, which will involve the demolition of a barn store,was seen as imperative to safeguard the pub’s future.


Maidstone Council granted plan- ning consent on condition that the accommodation, in White Horse Lane, is occupied for a maximum of 28 days per single letting.


Raffle raises £300


A RAFFLE at Lenham Commu- nity Centre’s 10th anniversary dinner and cabaret evening raised more then £300 for the Heart of Kent Hospice inAylesford.


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