downsmail.co.uk More bungalows please
Dear Sir –With consultation about to start on how our borough will expand its housing, Iwas interested to see that a recent discussion has highlighted the needs of an ageing population. While I can understand the building industry being keen to maximise profits by cramming as many units as possible onto land, itwould also be good to consider the needs of people who may wish to move into a bungalow. There is a reasonable view that when
older people move from a large family home to a bungalow, it releases that larger home for families. However, itwould also be wrong to assume that two bedrooms suffice, as many couples in the older age groups have families who visit/stay and the third bedroom is oen a place where access to computers and the other parts of our modernworld take place, more akin to an office than a room described as a bedroom. There is also the point that bungalows
are not necessarily solely for older people – many people of all ages like the idea of a single-level property and this needs to have enough space to include families. It seems to me that nowwould be a good
time for our planning authorities and our councillors to give consideration to ensuring that the needs of all of us are provided for when new housing schemes are planned and built. Roger Hurst, Kewlands, Maidstone
Population control needed
Dear Sir –Well said, Derek Gould (Downs Mail April 2014) Instead of this constant wrangling about
the number of new homes, isn't it timewe looked at the need for population control? “Only when the last tree is cut down, the
last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, will you realise that you cannot eat money” (old North American saying?). Jill Hinde, The Boatyard, Maidstone
It would appear, Jill, that the quote does indeed have North American origins but has been popularised by Greenpeace in recent decades. Yes, overpopulation is a big problem globally,
and is becoming an increasing one locally. Forecasters predict that this country will experience food and water shortages through climate change, political upheaval and population growth this century. With this in mind, the ease with which agricultural land is being easily sacrificed for housing, mainly in the pursuit of political and short-term economic gain, is a short-sighted and potentially dangerous government policy. Response by Stephen
The Mall name confusion
Dear Sir – Regarding a story in the Downs Mail March edition, Iwas born in Maidstone and have lived in the area since 1935. Iwas a Maidstone councillor for
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36 Maidstone South May 2014 Diane Nicholls
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Jane Shotliff Journalist
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Dawn Kingsford
Journalist
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about 10 years, starting in 1967. Iwas on the planning commiee of Maidstone Council when the River Len was covered by a development that we now have. The planning commiee took about half an hour to discuss the naming of the proposed development, and it was decided to use Maidstone Borough as a source for the name. The planning approval was made with a condition that itwas called “The Stone Borough Centre”. Subsequently, under a Liberal-controlled council it was given the name of the Chequers Centre. I wrote to the owners of the site some
time ago as I queried the name. Iwas told in a leer that The Mallwas the name of the street contained in the now Chequers Centre. Perhaps you could let me know your comments. If you are correct in calling it The Mall perhaps you could let me know the dates of approval of the subsequent names you specified. Before you use names in thisway you should check the legal aspect of them before you publish an article. Many of the local residents I know still refer to the development as The Stone Borough Centre and this is the legal name of the development, unless you can prove otherwise. I look forward to your comment. Gordon Savage, Aldington Road, Bearsted
Gordon, the shopping centre is one of a chain of six, with the others in Blackburn, Camberley, Luton,Walthamstow andWood Green. These are all called The Mall, which replaced The Chequers in Maidstone when current owner Capital & General took it over in September 2004.
Response by Stephen
Clean up roundabouts Dear Sir – The state of roundabouts in Maidstone is an issue that is really bugging me, and the new roundabout near the Vinters Park Crematorium has set me off afresh. It has a gleaming white-tiled trim with mock “arrows”, just like all the others around Maidstone. But just look at the state of these – the
tiles have all turned black because they are not kept clean or maintained. So why repeat this failed design, or why not clean them? I rang KCC andwas told “there is no funding for this”. So, what about the prestige of the county town? Arewe really going to sit back and sele for such a disgusting state of neglect? Compare this with what you see in
places in France. There you see roundabouts that local people can be proud of. The genius who came up with the toilet
tile design has much to answer for and so will KCC if they are not maintained and allowed to become a continuing eyesore that is blighting the town. Patrick Clarke, by email
Patrick, I contacted KCC but it declined to comment. Response by Dawn
Think about the children
Dear Sir – I have lived in Marden since I was a child. I havewatched the village grow and grow, the primary school that I went to is now even bigger andwe have a new doctors’ surgery. I do agree that we need more houses for Marden families who live in the hideous flats Suon Court, The Cockpits etc. One of my issues is that, if I now have to
call 54 times to get a doctors’ appointment and there are no appointments le at 8.45am, how are they going to cope with such an influx of people? My second is the older children. I agree
they have a large park at the football pitch, but not everyone's happy leing their children go up that far. Iwould like to see the older children have their own skate park, or things like that. They get bored so if there is this land to build on then why can't the children also be thought about? Elizabeth Luschwager, by email
No excuse for bad planning
Dear Sir – I am writing to appeal for the implementation of a 20mph speed limit in Parkway in Coxheath before a child is killed. We are faced with speeding traffic on a
daily basis since the installation of the so- called traffic calming on the Heath Road. Parkway has now become a rat-run for motorists seeking to avoid the traffic calming. I, and other residents feel some sort of traffic calming is urgently needed in Parkway, as enjoyed in Huntingdon Road. The extension of the double yellow lines
at the junction of Heath Road and Parkway has made the situationworse. On many occasions there are difficulties in navigating though the cars, especially when a bus is stuck in the middle of the road?Was there any serious thought at all, given to the ramifications of extending these lines? What benefit has it created for residents? I moved into Coxheath, which is a semi-
rural village, in 1998 as I prefer to live out of the hustle and bustle of a town or city. Back at that time parking was not an issue. The road surface in Parkway was beer and parking was so much beer. So why dowe have to put up with these situations? Theworst of all heading ourway is the ludicrous development plans. I recently visited relatives inWestern Australia where the infrastructure is considered first, then land is released to be built on once that infrastructure is in place. I realise the UK is smaller, but there is no
excuse for bad planning on the council’s part. I will be objecting to the plans put forward for the development of the village wholeheartedly. I really can’t see how overcrowded roads, doctors and the other services can
Comment
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