News
downsmail.co.uk Supermarket decision reversed
ALEGAL battle is brewing after a plan for a supermarket at Springfield Park was refused. Developer Augur Buchler Part-
The earlier meeting had asked of-
ners wants to build the Morrisons supermarket, plus a number of smaller retail units and a doctor’s surgery on the site, off Royal Engi- neers Road next to Ringlestone – on land earmarked by Maidstone Council officers for housing in the draft local plan. The first time the applicationwas discussed, Cllr Richard Ash broke ranks with the Conservatives and voted with the Lib Dem opposition group in favour of the application. However, at a later meeting,
where detailed conditions and legal agreements were due to be agreed, Cllr Ash could not attend and sub- stitute Cllr Derek Butler voted ac- cording to his party line. This allowed the “in principle”
vote in favour of the mixed use plan- ning application to be overturned. Nowthe developer is to seek a ju-
dicial review of the council’s con- duct – while submitting a revised planning application.
Parking fines
MAIDSTONE Council issued 30,848 parking fines to motorists last year – the ninth highest num- ber for any council outside London. The figures were revealed by Churchill Insurance, which re- quested the figures under the Free- dom of Information Act. It found fines by local authorities
last year totalled about £255m, ex- cluding tickets issued by the police and private companies. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells councils also found their way into the top 10 local authorities outside of London, issuing the most tickets per head of population, with Maid- stone coming sixth, and Tunbridge Wells fifth. A spokesman for Maidstone Council said: “Our parking en- forcement officers work to make sure traffic can flow freely.”
ficers to report back with contrac- tual heads of terms and detailed conditions, whichwould then allow it to be approved. Instead, officers presented letters
from Solum Regeneration, which has been marketing the site at Maid- stone East; Asda, which says it would like to open a store at Maid- stone East; the owner of the Peugeot garage at Len House and Capital & Regional, on behalf of the Mall Che- quers – all voicing strong objections to the Springfield proposal. Ringlestone resident Barry Curtis
spoke against the application, claim- ing another supermarket was un- necessary, but Mrs Butler from the Ringlestone Community Associa- tion said she spoke on behalf of many residents who would find a supermarket preferable to 950 new houses earmarked for the site in the draft local plan, with the resulting traffic theywould generate. Ward Cllr Tony Harwood said:
“The principle has been fully dis- cussed and democratically agreed – and there has been no material change since that meeting. If we go against the earlier vote, we are legally on shaky ground. “The housing is a draft allocation
in a draft local plan which has caused a huge amount of contro- versy – there is no guarantee it will happen.” The land at Springfield has lain
empty since KCC moved out of its offices in 2001. In 2007, planning permission was granted for 192 flats, retail units and community hall, but building never took place. A spokesman for Dentons solici-
tors, representing the developer, warned: “Our view is that the April resolution…was a decision in prin- ciple to grant planning permission, subject to the satisfactory planning obligations and planning conditions being agreed.” She said that she believed a rejec- tion of the April resolution – with-
out good planning reason – would leave the council open to a success- ful costs claim on appeal. The council believes retail use in Springfield would pose a threat to alternative town centre supermarket sites, such as the land at Maidstone East railway station. Planning committee chairman
Cllr Denis Collins said hewas confi- dent the council’s decision would stand up to scrutiny at an inquiry and said: “Our legal team has sought legal advice and I amhappy with the decision. Our priority has to be Maidstone East, which is a huge area of disused land in need of development. This scheme would put paid to that.” Cllr Ashwas unable to attend the meeting because of a prior engage- ment and Cllr Collins said he had refused to accept the council leader Chris Garland as a substitute, opt- ing instead for Cllr Butler who had been present at the first meeting and whowas au fait with the case.
KCCpresents award to golden girl Lizzy
OLYMPIC gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold has been presented with an award by the chairman of KCC. The Kent Invicta Award recognises
residents of Kent who have achieved excellence in their chosen field or who have provided an exceptional service to the county. As part of the award, Lizzy was
presented with a cheque for £5,000 to give to a charity of her choice. She has decided to share the money between the mental health charity Mind, and Slideaway, a bereave- ment support service based in Kent. Lizzy is a Kent girl whowent to pri-
mary school in Otford beforemoving on to Maidstone Grammar School for Girls where she became head girl. She won the 2013-14 Skeleton World Cup before going on to take
the gold medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She received the Invicta Award from outgoing KCC chairman Eric
New officer ‘will be an asset to force’
KENT police has appointed an as- sistant chief constable for central operations. Chief Superintendent Jo Shiner
(42), from Norfolk Constabulary, will be responsible for a portfolio in Kent that includes critical incidents, initial crime investigations, special branch, frontier operations and roads policing. Mrs Shiner has 21 years of polic-
ing service, and has held a wide range of operational roles since joining Norfolk Constabulary in 1993 as a student officer. She has also led a variety of busi-
ness areas at strategic level for Nor- folk, including the protection of
16 Maidstone East June 2014
vulnerable people within commu- nities, and has been a tactical and strategic firearms commander for the past 10 years.
She is actively
involved with charity work in her community. Mrs Shiner’s appointment follows a selec- tion process cul- minating in an interview panel
chaired by Kent's Chief Constable Alan Pughsley, and included the police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes, Deputy Chief Consta-
ble Paul Brandon, Kent Police’s di- rector of human resources, Ian Drysdale, and chief executive offi- cer of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council Gurvinder Sandher. The Chief Constable said: “Chief Superintendent Shiner’s experience will be invaluable, and I know that all the officers and staff of the force willwelcome this appointment and offer their support to her.” Ann Barnes said: “I was particu-
larly impressed by Chief Superin- tendent Shiner’s innovative ideas about victim services and involving local communities in decision mak- ing. I am convinced she will be an asset to Kent Police.”
Gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold receives the Kent Invicta Award from KCC chairman Eric Hotson
Hotson who said: “I, like so many Kent residents, was glued to the tel- evision during the Winter Olympics to watch Lizzy’s progress.”
Rural winner
MB FARMS in Stockbury was among the nation’s top producers gathered at the House of Commons to hear the winner of the rural Os- cars.
Nick and Jacqueline Brown, from
the family firm at Parsonage Farm, were praised by MPs and the judges of the Countryside Alliance food awards at the gathering of food heroes. MB Farms, which runs a butch-
ery, post office and a farm that sup- plies its shop with beef and lamb, received top marks when judge Michelle Nudds visited the busi- ness to declare it the South East’s Local Food champion.
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