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Get on with our local plan MailMarks


IAMwriting this without knowledge of


the election results, but I stick to my forecast that no one party will have control of Maidstone Council. Myfervent hope is that all councillors


will bring a new determination of co- operation to Maidstone’s greatest need – agreeing a local plan. National government, whatever the political colour, will insist on a massive growth in residential development throughout the country and Maidstone will have no option but to meet a set target. Currently the evidence-based figure is 18,600 for a period up to 2031.A Government inspector willwant to see where those houses will go – or acceptable evidence for a lower total – before approving Maidstone’s local plan. And KCC is saying it cannot, in any case, provide much of the additional vital infrastructure to support this growth. Maidstone’s local plan has been a mess


for such a long time. Policy has proved largely impossible to set due to these pressures, and when individual applications come before Maidstone’s planning commiee, national policy-based recommendations from planning officers are often overturned by politicians.


Traffic plan won’t work


Dear Sir – I am writing with regard to your story about South Maidstone Action for Roads and Traffic (Smart) group. Having spent more than 40 years in


traffic engineering and planning I do not think I have ever read such tosh. The leader of the Lib Dems, Cllr FranWilson, showed maturity with her carefully-chosen comments. Damning with faint praise! “Let’s have a shared space at the Wheatsheaf junction as it works in Ashford,” the report says. The scheme in


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Stephen Eighteen Editor stephen@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231


THIEVES got into a shed in the garden of home in The Priory, East Farleigh and stole a Hayter petrol lawn mower, a can of petrol and a pressure washer. An aluminium ladder was stolen from the roof of a white Citroen Berlingo van in Orchard Close, Coxheath. The sides of the ladder are painted in red with the words "First Ace Security". A lawnmower and other items were stolen from a shed at a property in Lower Road, East Farleigh. A vehicle was damaged with paint in Clinton Close, Coxheath. A silver Mitsubishi L200 pick-up which had been loaded with fencing, was stolen from a farm in Love Lane, Headcorn. A vehicle was scratched in Duke of York


Way, Coxheath. A man was seen taking cast iron garden furniture from the garden of a home in


28 Maidstone South May 2015 Diane Nicholls


Assistant editor diane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 232


Jane Shotliff


Journalist jane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Dawn Kingsford


Journalist dawn@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police


Lower Road, West Farleigh, but left it behind when challenged. He was described as in his early 30s, 5ft 6in tall, of medium build, and with short dark hair. He was in a mustard-coloured van with a woman. Fencing was damaged at a property in Duke of York Way, Coxheath. A sat nav system was taken from a


vehicle in Linton Hill, Linton. A shed behind a property in Lenham


Road, Ulcombewas broken into but nothing was missing. A Peugeot 307 was taken from Oak Lane, Headcorn and later recovered after being


crashed.


Garden equipment was stolen from a garage in Pope Drive, Staplehurst. Items were stolen in a break-in at a home in Bankfields, Headcorn.


ALARM NOT WORKING? WE SERVICE ALL MAKES & MODELS


CALL 01622 880751 ALARMS & SECURITY LTD


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


The cost to us taxpayers of expensive planning appeals can be massive – and without an agreed local plan in place developers will expect many victories. Maidstone Council now reverts from the cabinet system to commiees. I believe this is more to do with politics than speed and efficiency and I amnot sure the perceived greater democracy for all elected councillors will speed up the local plan procedures. I fear not. I hope there will be real urgency among


both Maidstone Council and KCC to take the tough decisions which will lead to real progress before the end of this year. Mywish is to see evidence to reduce that


18,600 figure and perhaps KCC can be influential due to massive problems of providing infrastructure. But I thinkwe are only talking around the margins. The one significant answer is a new sustainable North Downs community close to Maidstone’s key transportation structures – the M20 and the main rail line.


Ashford is on a road that probably carries less than 20% of the traffic of the junction of the A229 and A274. It has been condemned by uninvolved professionals and organisations representing the visually and mobility impaired. As for a roundabout at Linton Crossroads, thiswas suggested in the 1980s and rejected as being unworkable on the traffic levels of 30 years ago. How would the crossing movements of schoolchildren be safely provided for? “Let’s have a park and ride at Linton and


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Sporting successes 


I think a big new parish of “Downsview” could be a very popular place to live.


Deplorable dirt IALWAYS feared the general election


for Maidstone and TheWeald would be one of the dirtiest around. Some of it has been very devious – but recognisable. I stick to my forecasts – the Tories to hold Maidstone and TheWeald and Faversham and Mid Kent – and another hung Maidstone Council.


IT has been a good winter for top Maidstone sports clubs. Pride of place must go to Maidstone United for topping the Ryman League and winning promotion to National League South (currently Conference South). The turnaround in the past three years has been magnificent and the folk of Maidstone have turned out so strongly in support. Could Football League soccer ever return? It is a mighty challenge but the dream lives on. How good too to see Maidstone Rugby Club climbing back. They won promotion after an unbeaten season in London 2 South East. It is a long haul back for a return to the National League – but what a promising stride.


10 buses per hour to increase the use of the bus lane on Loose Road,” the report says. What bus lane on Loose Road? Park and ride would be of lile use to the 50% of people who drive on the A229 to get from south of the town to north of it. However, the authors did get one recommendation right. Maidstone has needed a southern relief road for the past 40 years, yet all such proposals from county and borough officers have been vetoed by our elected representatives. Malcolm Bulpi, Bray Gardens, Loose


Comment


Crime reports


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