News


downsmail.co.uk Gypsy site rules strengthened


NEW planning rules designed to protect areas from unauthorised traveller encampments could prove useful in Maidstone.


The national reforms, which


came in to force on September 1, follow a four-fold increase in unau- thorised sites between 2000 and 2009. The Department of Communities


and Local Government says the planning policy comes in a wider crackdown to enforce the same planning rules for everyone. Central to the changes is that any application for a permanent site, in- cluding caravan sites, by someone who does not travel will be consid- ered in the sameway as an applica- tion from the settled population – rather than being considered under policies relating to travellers. However, the policy also makes


clear the need for local councils to meet the requirement for sites for those who travel permanently.


Landlady not


guilty of assault THE landlady of the White Horse at Otham has called on the village to put aside the historic split over the ownership of the pub and unite to keep it from closure. Catherine Small was speaking


out after being cleared of assaulting customer Peter Middleton outside the premises on May 31. Her daughter, Catherine McCann (27), who was heavily pregnant at the time, was also cleared of any in- volvement, specifically of stealing Mr Middleton’s phone. Mrs Small told the Downs Mail:


“We have some lovely customers but Mr Middleton was hoping to lead a successful community offer for the pub. Instead, I bought it to run as a community outlet. It has led to a split in the village, but now that justice has been done I am keen to put this behind me. “I have no intention of closing at


the current time, but the pub busi- ness is hard. Should anything hap- pen to force me to close I would remain here and turn it into a hos- tel for immigrants or the home- less.”


Calling time TIME appears to have run out for campaigners hoping to save their village pub from closure. Campaigners are now hoping someone will buy the Hook and Hatchet at Hucking as a going con- cern. The group secured £160,000 in pledges when Shepherd Neame put the pub on the market, butwas unable to meet the asking price of £450,000. The pubwas due to go on the open market on September 24.


Sun shines on sports day


YOUNGSTERS turned out to try their hand at a variety of sports on The Green in Bearsted. This year’s sport and activity day


was organised by Bearsted Parish Council and included a range of sports workshops, dance shows, as- sault courses and food. Sports groups giving demonstra-


tions on the Saturday included rep- resentatives from Tudor Park’s golf


course; Roseacre Raiders’ football team; Beginners to Runners and Bearsted and Thurnham Lawn Ten- nis. There was also a chance to try the tricky game of lacrosse, archery and a bungee run. Directions and Trendytotz laid


on the dance show and Joe’s Bows country sports gave the birds of prey demonstration. Face painting was courtesy of Whizzbang.


Those councils without an up-to-


date five-year supply of caravan sites, which include Maidstone, will still be afforded some further protection for proposed sites that fall within Sites of Special Scientific Interest,Areas of Outstanding Nat- ural Beauty, National Parks and Green Belt. In addition, where councils were previously required to provide sites for people evicted from large- scale unauthorised encampments in their area, such as Dale Farm, this obligation will be removed. Maidstone Council’s planning committee chairman Cllr Clive Englishwelcomed the news, saying the traveller issue had been long- standing in the area and the current policy landscape “tilted in favour of accepting applications”.


However, he expressed some caution while the policy change is examined by planning officers. He said: “It does look as if it will


be more helpful than those policy changes set out by Eric Pickles when hewas Secretary of State that were expected to tackle the prob- lem, but turned out to be less than spectacularly different from the arrangements before. “On the face of it, this policy change looks as if it will be more useful in determining whether or not someone is actually a traveller when they submit their plan. “However, we will need to be


clear on the exact interpretation of the policy as itwill undoubtedly be tested at appeal or in the High Court.”


Regarding the unfinished bor- Mote House cycling challenge


MAIDSTONE printer Mark Bidewell smashed his way through a nation- wide charity cycling challenge during a weekend of wellbeing at Audley Mote House. The retirement village


on the edge of Maid- stone’s Mote Park was one of five Audley prem- ises taking part in the ARCOWellbeingWeekend, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. Allington man Mark


Park rocks to


(37), from Bison Printers in Tovil,was one of a number of residents, staff and suppliers who between them cycled the equivalent of the 603 miles between Land’s End and John O’Groats. Audley is about to launch the final phase of its Mote House develop-


Bison team Matt Barnes, Jenna and Mark Bidewell with Harriet Dunstan of Mote House


ment, which will see 35 new apartments in Alexander Court, named after the architect ofMote House, Daniel Asher Alexander.


Social event MOTE Park’s final major music event of the year, the Social, at- tracted more than 10,000 people to a day-long party. Revellers were reported to have


travelled for the best club music, both old school and new. Amongst the DJs playing were Jackmaster, Jamie Jones, Richy Ahmed and event organiser Nic Fanciulli. As with the recent debate over


the Ramblin’ Man festival, local opinion was sharply divided, with some businesses such as hotels and supermarkets benefitting whilst those nearest Mote Park re- ported traffic and noise problems. In all, 23 complaints were made


to Maidstone Council, eight of them specifically about noise. En- vironmental officers confirmed the music remained within the legal limits. A few arrestswere made for drugs offences. The site was cleared of traffic


beforemidnight and 400 residents were reported to have taken up of- fers of free tickets. With another event planned in the park next year, the organisers have vowed to reduce its impact on local people. The organisers have confirmed a


winter Social event at Kent County Showground, Detling on February 6, 2016.


Maidstone East October 2015 35


ough list for traveller sites, cur- rently showing a shortfall of 45 pitches, he believes the redefinition of a traveller could have a signifi- cant impact and could even reduce the number of places the borough needs to find. Cllr English said: “There is


bound to be a lag while this policy is researched in detail and applied to fresh applications.” He said it would not be possible


to apply the policy retrospectively to applications that had gone through or which were halfway through the planning process. It would also not remove the require- ment for the borough to have des- ignated sites for true travellers. Maidstone andWealdMP Helen


Grant said: “Iwelcome these devel- opments.”


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