News
downsmail.co.uk Call to act on illegal gypsy site
RESIDENTS in Yalding and Laddingford are calling on Maid- stone Council to prosecute fami- lies living illegally on a gypsy site inWagon Lane. The council has withdrawn the
Smith family’s latest planning ap- plication to live on the site at Green Acres after refusing a string of pre- vious applications dating back al- most 10 years. Yet they still remain on site. The latest blow to the gypsies fol-
lows a retrospective planning ap- plication for change of use and the siting of six static and six mobile caravans at Green Acres, which
was refused by the council and an appeal rejected in May this year. A council spokesman said: “A
new planning applicationwas sub- mitted in July, which the council declined to determine, as therewas not considered to be any significant change in circumstances since an appeal decision earlier this year. The applicationwas therefore with- drawn by the council and returned to the applicant.” The council has now written to
those living on the site saying it will commence prosecution pro- ceedings against failure to comply with an enforcement notice, should
they continue to stay there. But Tim Ornellas, who lives in nearbyWillow Lane, the site of an- other illegal gypsy camp, said: “This is turning into a farce. Surely there comes a point when prosecu- tion must be considered if the oc- cupants will not leave the site otherwise whatwas the point of the time and money spent by MBC to fight the appeal?” Mr Ornellas has written to chief planning officer Rob Jarman voic- ing his concern. He asks: “Is the council perhaps procrastinating simply because while the gypsies remain on the Green Acres site they
are not turning up somewhere else in the borough causing problems?” Neighbour Maggie Drummond
said she believed Yalding and the rural area over the border in Tun- bridge Wells borough had been “unofficially designated as a far- flung little-populated backwater where both Maidstone and Tun- bridge Wells can accommodate travellers for whom they have not made the provision required by central government”. She added: “The cost to the tax- paying public of what now may be three planning applications/ap- peals must be immense.”
Third global trade award for Yalding firm Jailed for abuse
A YALDING company which began in aMaidstone attic 20 years ago has received its third royal award for its work in international trade. Maviga International (Holdings)
Ltd, which supplies speciality crops including chickpeas and sesame seeds across the globe, received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, which it had previously won in 2003 and 2009. Maviga, which has 70 full-time
staff, has operations in the UK, North America and across Africa. It sources produce from 30 origins, shipping to more than 80 markets around the world.
Business Focus The company strives to be local
at the point of production, sourcing directly from growers in their local currency. The award was presented by
Kent Vice-Lord Lieutenant Richard Oldfield, who is pictured with Marcus Coles, Maviga’s chief executive. Mr Coles said: “The award is a source of great pride to every member of the Maviga team.”
A HEADCORN man who racially abused a stranger while drunk has been jailed for three months. Mark Conroy (36) of Lenham
Road, Headcorn, took off his T-shirt and adopted a boxing stance while yelling at his victim outside the vil- lage sports ground. He was ar- rested a short time later. Conroy admitted a racially ag-
gravated public order offence when he appeared at Maidstone Magis- trates’ Court and was sentenced to three months imprisonment.
downsmail.co.uk
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