downsmail.co.uk


News


‘Build homes on brownfield land’


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


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.


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 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. MrLloyd 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.


Selling homes in Maidstone since 1982


Want to sell your home in


MAIDSTONE? Sell with us and save yourself money


We offer  


GROVE GREEN


Barrie Sheeran with Julia Moat and knitter Hilary Donovan


Park route to boost fitness


A GROUP of nifty knittersfrom Staplehurst has created 50 blankets, hats and jumpers for babies born prematurely. The eight members of the Knit and Natter group meet at Staplehurst li-


brary every Tuesday. They have been working tirelessly to create the blan- kets for the neonatal unit at Pembury Hospital. The Knit and Natter group was formed four years ago when Barrie


Sheeran, whose own daughter Georgina was born five weeks prematurely, realised a group of ladies were all busy knitting in solitude. Initially, they made blankets for the Hospice in theWeald but last year turned their at- tention to the baby unit, which admits about 500 babies a year – some of whom stay for a considerable period. Neonatal unit manager JuliaMoatsaid: “The knitted blankets are used as


cot covers or to cover the baby in an incubator and the parents are always pleased to see a homely touch in such a clinical area.” Many differentgroups are run fromKent’s libraries, includingbaby bounce


and rhyme, IT buddies, health trainers, reading groups and children’s story time.


Business park planning appeals


APPEAL dates have been an- nounced for the proposals to build a business park near the M20 J8. Maidstone Council has refused


two applications from Gallaghers, Scarab Sweepers and ADL to cre- ate a warehouse development calledWaterside Park south of the A20 near Hollingbourne. The first


hearing by a planning inspector will be in mid March 2015 and the second, for a smaller scheme, is scheduled for May 6. The council has obtained the services of barrister Tim Corner QC, who successfully fought the battle against the nearby Kent In- ternational Gateway (KIG) plan.


BEARSTED DOWNSWOOD


 


1% + vat


No tie in contract


No extra charges for photography


Energy efficiency report Only £72


Why sell your home with anyone else?


Penenden Heath Office Penenden Heath, Maidstone ME14 2HN


Tel: 01622 671200 Bearsted Office


Bearsted Green, Bearsted ME14 4QZ


Tel: 01622 737800 www.ferrisandco.net


Maidstone South January 2015 11


SOLD


SOLD


SOLD


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40