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downsmail.co.uk Flats plans ‘will hit businesses’


MAIDSTONE Counci lis on the march to bring more residents back into the town centre. The council has agreed to a change of use of Miller House, in Lower Stone Street, from offices to 63 apartments. The application is one of 17 sub- mitted to the council and usually approved since theGovernment re- laxed planning rules in May 2013, giving commercial office owners a “permitted development right” to have them converted for housing. As part of its draft local plan con- sultations, Maidstone councillors have made it clear they want more people living in the town centre. They see the conversion of dis-


used office space – and even retail units – as away of bringing 24/7 life back into Maidstone and also help- ing to address the borough’s need for 18,600 more homes by 2031. However, the Miller House deci-


sion has had a knock-on effect on disgruntled office workers, who claim they are being pushed from pillar to post by the escalating


and had hoped they could get the applicant to reconsider. He said: “While I appreciate


there is a need to provide homes, there is also a need to provide work for the people moving into these homes. “I am aware Maidstone Council


would prefer companies to locate out of town. However, this does not suit all businesses and I feel that by doing so the shops in the town centre will lose a lot of trade.” Mr Fox said some of the compa-


Miller House in Maidstone


changes of use. They argue the town is at risk of becoming a “ghost town” without offices and busi- nesses to support the shops. Roger Fox, building manager of


Miller House, has already written to business secretary Vince Cable and Prime Minister David Cameron to express his concern


nies affected by the application had said they would move out of Maid- stone if itwere to be approved. “These companies have all ex- pressed a need and desire to re- main within the town centre and not in a location in the middle of nowhere,” he said. Peter Lewis, commercial director


of Adept IT, based in Miller House, supports Mr Fox and had written toMPHelen Grant asking her to in- tervene, pointing out there were costs associated with relocation. Some companies had moved


within the town centre several times – only to find the situation re- occurring. He said: “KCC currently has


three growth fund schemes de- signed to actively promote business expansion in the county. If Maid- stone Council continues to drive business away from the borough, is this not contradictory to regional and national ambitions for eco- nomic development?” He also pointed out that the building only had 49 parking spaces, yet the application was for 63 units. “I would therefore expect this


will have an impact on parking congestion in the surrounding res- idential areas,” he said. Globe House, Star House and


Kent House – all offices within the town centre – have been the subject of recent successful residential planning applications, along with properties in Knightrider Street, Bishops Way, Bank Street and Al- bion Place.


Brownfield land ‘the place to build homes’


PREVIOUSLY developed brown- field land could provide space for more than local 18,000 homes. Areport by the Campaign to Pro-


Sheltered housing scheme


THE former bowling alley in King Street could be redeveloped to form 53 sheltered apartments for the elderly. Churchill Retirement Living’s


proposal consists of 32 one- bedroom and 20 two-bedroom flats and one flat used as lodge manager's accommodation. The development would be four storeys high and contain 16 parking spaces. A supporting statement said:


“The proposed sheltered housing scheme building layout is of a T shape and positioned in close proximity to the back of the


pavement along King Street. “The scheme provides in amore


holistic approach a well-considered architectural solution to a prominent town centre site, currently occupied by a vacant and rather dated leisure facility. “It does not jeopardise any


future redevelopment plans for the council pay and display car park site.” After the closure of the AMF Bowling Alley earlier this year, Hollywood Bowl opened in Lockmeadow. Maidstone Council will decide the planning application.


tect Rural England (CPRE) identifies 1,600 hectares of brownfield land in the county, of which 336 are in Ton- bridge and Malling and 89 in Maid- stone, which could accommodate 14,700 and 3,900 new homes. The CPRE says 70,000 homes


could be built on brownfield land in Kent, which would protect farmland and greenfield sites. “We have long been arguing for


development to be focused on brownfield sites,” said CPRE Kent senior planner Brian Lloyd. “By building on brownfield we would protect our countryside, help avoid the loss of productive farmland and regenerate our towns and cities.” Maidstone is one of several Kent boroughs looking at building on his- torically greenfield sites because of the intense pressure for new homes.


A HEALTHCARE provider with a branch in Maidstone has become the first in Kent to be accredited by the LivingWage Foundation, paying staff a minimum of £7.45 an hour. With branches across the county, including an office in Hermitage Court, next to Maidstone Hospital, Superior Care provides care for peo- ple with complex health conditions and those with learning and physi- cal disabilities.


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A THREE-month plan to upgrade water mains inWeek Street and Earl Street begins on January 5. South East Water is spending £155,000 on laying 400m of pipe after 13 bursts in four years. Onemillion litres ofwater, enough


to fill 12,500 baths, is pumped into Maidstone town centre supplying homes and businesses every day. Chris Love, delivery manager at


Maidstone Town Xmas 2014


South East Water, said: “When the water mains have burst there has been disruption to traders and shop- pers whilewe carry out repairs. “We are keen to ensure there is as


little disruption as possible to busi- nesses in the area while we’re up- grading the pipelines, which is why we’re starting this work in January, after the busy Christmas period.” Bill Moss, Maidstone town centre


But the CPRE says fields could be saved if councils looked more care- fully at what already exists. The research carried out for the charity, using data collected from a survey of planning authorities, re- veals sufficient brownfield land in England to accommodate at least a millionnewhomes – and half of this is in the London, the East and the South East. The authors of the report “From


wasted space to living spaces” be- lieve one million homes is an under- estimate because it identifies land already derelict or with planning permission and does not include un- derused land such as car parks. Mr Lloyd said: “There needs to be


a pro-active approach to identifying brownfield sites and more funding and incentives to develop large and difficult sites.” The report recommends reintro- ducing ‘brownfield first’ into na- tional planning policy.


Livingwage vow Water mains work to start in town centre


manager, said: “The majority of this upgrade is taking place in the pedes- trianised area of the town centre. “We have been working behind


the scenes with South EastWater for many months and are confident there will be little disruption and ac- cess to all the shops will be main- tained.” The work should finish on April; 3,weather permitting.


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