News Work starts on


Mall centre WORKis about to start on a £5m re- vampof the Mall shopping centre in Maidstone. Owners Capital & Regional are appointing a contractor for the first phase of the refurbishmen. It will involve a redesign of the


two entrances in King Street and Gabriels Hill, with lighting and flooring being installed. Workwas due to start early in the


year, but Capital & Regional has now confirmed it is finally appoint- ing a contractor and work is due to start.


Spokesman Andrew Scorgie said:


“The company continues to workup options to extend the centre in re- sponse to the undoubted demand for quality retail and leisure space in Maidstone.”


Rugby call WEAVERING Warriors rugby club are recruiting new players aged from 18 to 80. Pre-season training starts on July


2, and takes place at Park Wood Recreation Ground at 7pm every Thursday after that. Email rugby@weaveringwar- riors.co.uk, go to www.weavering- warriors.co.uk or call 07523 821333.


downsmail.co.uk


Call forweight limit to make rural roads safer


RESIDENTS from four rural parishes are urgingKCCto impose a 7.5tonne weight limit on roads from theA20 through to Headcorn. Residents in Headcorn Road,


Grafty Green, along with road users from Harrietsham, Boughton Mal- herbe, Headcorn and Ulcombe, have petitioned the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board for the re- striction after years of enduring HGVs trying to use roads originally designed for horses and carts. Lorries frequently get stuck at


pinch points such as Liverton Hill, Sandway and near Platts Heath School, where the road narrows to single track and there are regular accidents on these sections, accord- ing to the petitioners.


AN office building in Staplehurst that was subject to a long-standing enforcement notice is to be con- verted into three homes. Enforcement proceedings on Klh


House in High Street date back to 2007, when a retrospective applica-


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A KCC survey in January last


year found 8,021 light vehicles and 375 HGVs used Headcorn Road in the space of aweek. Campaigners for the weight re- striction say this is “unacceptable on a narrow road with twoschools and single track width sections, used by the largest articulated lorries.” Headcorn Road is the only minor moderately direct north/south route from the A20 to the A274 between Willington Street and Charing which does not have any restriction. Presenting the petition, Cllr Mar-


tin Round said: “We are besieged by lorries looking to avoid the Maidstone urban area. Roads get blocked by oncoming lorries which causewear and tear to the road sur-


tion to convert an IT storage build- ing into office usewas refused, then upheld on appeal. The reasons for refusal were a lack of parking and harm to the conservation area. However, Maidstone Council took no formal action. Now, its planning


faces, especially when fuelled by springs in the area and when it rains.”


Cllr Round (left)


called for improved signage as an ab- solute minimum ar- guing:


“Most


responsible drivers will conform.” He said residents


and regular users respected the na- ture of the road and said: “It is time we gave the residents of Headcorn and Lenham serious respect.” The four parish councils are con- cerned that traffic will increase dra- matically if housing developments proceed in Harrietsham, Headcorn, Lenham and around J8 of the M20.


Offices can become homes, planners decide


committee has allowed an applica- tion for the building to become resi- dential. After a motion to refuse the pro-


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