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downsmail.co.uk Residents oppose homes plans


TIME is running out for residents to register their views about two housing developments off Her- mitage Lane, Maidstone. TheNewAllington Action Group (NAAG) is opposed to Croudace’s schemes two and three, which would introduce 500 homes on the “last green space available to resi- dents”. The group says residents currently enjoy the views, ancient woodland and protected species, all of which would be lost if the devel- opmentswere to go ahead.


Toy train set thief


ANDREW Dighton (38), of Beaumont Road Fant, was handed a suspended jail sentence at Mid KentMagistrates’ Court after he admitted two counts of shoplifting. He was sentenced to 120 days


in prison, suspended for 18 months for stealing a toy train set worth £40 from a shop in High Street, Maidstone and perfume worth £32 from the nearbyMall shopping centre. He was ordered to pay £72 compensation, £85 costs and an £80 victim sur- charge.


Croudace is already appealing against an earlier decision to refuse housing on the land. In July, Maid- stone Council turned down the de- veloper’s application for 500 homes because it would have eroded an- cient woodland (known as Bluebell Wood), offered no contribution to- wards a country park and had only 30% affordable housing. Scheme two is for 420 homes with


access from Hermitage Lane and a bus and pedestrian-only access from Howard Drive. Land would


be set aside for a primary school and there would be no need to put an access road through the ancient woodland. Scheme three is for 80 homes on


land south of the ancient woodland, known as Hospital Field. A road through the wood would be needed. Diana Lewins, vice chair of NAAG, said: “Congestion and pol- lution will reach maximum levels as the daily traffic is increased by as much as 6,000 car journeys along


Hermitage Lane and Howard Drive.” The group recently staged a protest outside the Town Hall to make their feelings known to mem- bers of Maidstone Council. Diana said: “Residents need to


take action and object – now!” Objections must be received by


November 12. The relevant appli- cations can be seen on the planning section of Maidstone Council’s website, reference numbers 14/503735 and 14/503786.


Illegal immigrants found at restaurant


FIVE illegal immigrants were awaiting deportation and an- other man was questioned after they were rounded up at an In- dian restaurant in Maidstone. Home Office immigration en- forcement officers arrested the six Bangladeshi workers during a raid on Mughal Dynasty in London Road. Officers, acting on intelli-


gence, visited the London Road restaurant at just after 6pm, as diners settled down to eat. The six men – aged between 23


and 35 –wereworking there ille- gally. Two were found to be in breach of their visa conditions and the others had overstayed their visas. Five of the men were detained pending removal from the UK, while the sixth man, aged 34, must report to the Home Office regularly while his case is pro- gressed. The restaurant’s owner Mitu Chowdhury has been served with a notice warning that he could face a £50,000 fine unless


he can demonstrate that appro- priate pre-employment checks were made. He said: “The men who were working here had all presented me with identification, which I showed to the officers. They said the documents were either forged or invalid.” Richard Lederle, head of


Kent’s immigration enforcement team, said: “Businesses should bewarned that our officers carry out regular operations to tackle abuse of the system.”


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Maidstone Town December 2014


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