News


downsmail.co.uk Water main work starts in town


TRADERS and customers are facing four months of disruption while roads are dug up to lay a newwater main through the centre of Maidstone’s busy pedestrian area.


At a meeting called by Town Cen-


tre Management, South EastWater outlined to more than 60 traders its plan to lay 400m of pipe alongWeek Street and Earl Street. The meeting heard that the proj-


ect will run from January 5 to April 3,weather permitting. While it is not the largest, or the


most expensive of South East Water’s projects, the company ac- cepts the work – in the centre of town – will be high profile. A five- man panel told traders at the Town


Hall meetinghowthe company had been working for a year to keep dis- ruption to a minimum. Asked why the workwasn’t done


when the town centre was being dug up for new gas pipes, or the new paving in High Street, South EastWater’s project manager Steve McIntegart said that two years ago the project had not been on the com- pany’s radar. He added that 13 burst mains


pipes in the two roads since 2010 had caused considerable disruption


Traders voice concerns over loss of customers


JAMES Spearink, who has run the fruit and vegetable stall on the Earl Street junction with Week Street for 16 years, will be affected by the work twice. Hewill have tomove on separate occasions for a fortnight at a time and is concerned customers won’t find him. He also understands he will need to re- apply for planning permission and a traders’ licence.


James Spearink


“With a family to support and a mortgage to pay, four weeks is too long for me to be out of business,” he told the Downs Mail. A member of staff from Slinders


in Earl Street also raised concerns that the work would coincide with Mother’s Day – the florist’s busiest time of the year. She said: “We are a small busi-


Bank to open


A COMPANY that claims to be the UK’s first high street bank in more than 100 years is to open a branch in Maidstone. Metro Bank has applied to move


into premises in Colman Parade, King Street, at its junction with Week Street, which was occupied by clothes shop Peppermint until September. Metro has expanded rapidly


since its launch in July 2010, with 27 sites established and more planned. Branches are open every day except New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. The application for the Maid-


stone branch, which will be deter- mined by Maidstone Council, includes two cashpoints. The com- pany says the branch would offer up to 30 jobs.


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ness and this event keeps our busi- ness running through the rest of the year.We always have flowers and plants on show outside the shop at this time. “If this doesn’t happen, it could


be the difference between our busi- ness surviving or not.” There was also concern that the


taxi rank in High Street, near Gabriel’s Hill, will be reduced dur- ing the work to just one vehicle. TownCentre Management chair-


manPaulAlcock said: “Taxis play a vital role as part of the town’s night-time economy in getting peo- ple home and they need to be able to park somewhere.” South East Water has agreed to


hold talks with Town Centre Man- agement to resolve the particular problems raised. There is also a suggestion that


some parking spaces in Earl Street will be lost during the work, in- cluding those for the disabled.


and the work was now a priority. TheVictorian cast iron pipes would be replaced with polypropylene, at an expected cost of £155,000. An area of the new paving in the


High Street will now need to be re- laid outside the shop Peppermint, where the pipe crosses the road to Gabriel’s Hill. Temporary traffic lights will be in operation for two weeks while the water main is brought across the High Street. Traders also heard that delivery routes and pedestrian access would


Timing of work


January 5: Phase one (nine weeks),Week Street – fromthe junction of Union Street to Gabriel’s Hill (starting from the McDonalds end of town) in five 50m sections. March 9: Phase two (four weeks), Earl Street – fromWeek Street to The Hazlitt Theatre (starting at the Marks & Spencer end). April 3: Proposed project completion date.  Clancy Docwra contractors will work Monday to Saturday.


be maintained at all times while a 0.5m wide trench is dug through the town centre and backfilled. South EastWater’s delivery man-


ager, Chris Love, said: “No one wants the road dug up outside their home or business, so we will carry- out the work in 50m sections, con- necting the supply and reinstating the roads and pavements aswe go. “By bringing the water with us


and reinstating fully behind us, we will give Maidstone its shopping centre back as soon aswe can.”


Disruptions


SOUTHEastWater anticipates cus- tomers will experience two disrup- tions to supply:  When the new pipe is connected to the old main at both ends.  When individual properties are transferred to the new main. This will be between 11pm and 5am, with 48 hours notice. Traders should contact thewater company or Town Centre Manage- ment on 01622 678777 if they have any specific concerns or require- ments to be accommodated.


It’s business as usual


HUGE efforts are to be made to make sure shoppers know “Maid- stone is still open for business” . South EastWater’s head of com- munications Jo Shippey said let- ters would be sent to everyone affected. The public would be kept abreast of the work via the press and a website will be set up to serve the town and answer en-


Farm wins food awards


A FRUIT farm in Harrietsham has won two awards at the annual Slow Food London awards. The farm, established by the Deme


family in 1983, is certified organic by the Soil Association and has more than 200 acres farmed. The company delivers fresh produce


daily to its two shops in London –at Borough Market and Kensington Church Street. Chegworth Valley’s range of farm-


pressed juices scooped the best product award. Owner David Deme said: “We are


over the moon to have won not one but two slow food awardsWe are unique in thatwe are farmers growing awide range of produce and making juices, aswell as having our own London shops where this is sold.” More information on the farm and shops can be found at www.chegworthvalley.com.


Maidstone East November 2014


quiries. Its Update magazine will also carry an article on the work and Maidstone’s Borough Update – published quarterly in the Downs Mail – will carry the latest news.


South EastWater’s websites are www.southeastwater.co.uk/ maidstone and www.southeast water.co.uk/contact-us.


School plan


PARENTS are being canvassed about a plan for a science-based sec- ondary school in Maidstone. The Valley Invicta Academies


Trust wants to built the Maidstone School of Science and Technology (MSST)in Huntsman’s Lane. The trust is in talks with the De- partment for Education over its pro- posal for the comprehensive co-educational free school for 120 11- to 18-year-old pupils. MSST would focus on the sci-


ences, technology, engineering and maths. Pupils would also takeGCSE English, have the option of learning Mandarin and would work with in- dustrial partners to enhance their studies. The trust, which runs Valley Park School, Invicta Grammar andAyles- ford primary, hopes the new school could open by September 2017.


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