News
downsmail.co.uk Call for views on borough plan
THE latest consultation on the Maidstone Borough Local Plan – which will set out how Maidstone will develop up to 2031 – is now underway. Residents are being asked for their
The objectively-assessed housing
views on a variety of issues, from po- tential housing sites and proposed employment site locations, to candi- date sites for gyp- sies
and
travellers and the removal of the proposed park and ride site at Linton Cross- roads.Aproposal for a new plan- ning policy for
care homes is also included. Cllr David Burton (pictured), chairman of the strategic planning, sustainability and transport commit- tee, said: “The local plan will show how we will meet the needs of the people of Maidstone until 2031, and howwe will protect our countryside and open spaces. I urge everyone to take part in the consultation.”
need for the borough – the number of homes needed for the population from 2011-2031 – is 18,560 additional homes. Of these, 2,341 have already been built, and a further 5,508 are in the pipeline. For the local plan to be approved
by the planning inspector, it must show how the borough will meet as much of the housing need as possi- ble, within the borough’s con- straints. Additional housing sites are being proposed in the built-up area of Maidstone and at some of the bor- ough’s larger rural villages to help meet this need. The proposed open space policies
will help make sure that valuable open space is delivered as part of new housing developments. Cllr Burton said: “The protection
of open space and precious land- scapes is an essential part of the local
plan. Everyone will have a chance in this consultation to have their say on a proposed policy for public open spaces, the allocation of specific sites for use as public open space, and the council’s approach to protecting our highly valued local landscapes.” The consultation document and supporting background material can be found at thewebsite
www.maid-
stone.gov.uk/consultation. Com- ments can be made on the website, or sent to
ldf@maidstone.gov.uk, or Spatial PolicyTeam, Maidstone Bor- ough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone ME15 6JQ. The deadline for comments is 5pm
on Friday, October 30. Copies of the document will be
available to view at all libraries in the borough, and at the Gateway on King Street from 9am until 5.30pm on Mondays, and until 4.30pm from Tuesday to Friday.
The council will consider all of the
issues raised during the consultation with the aim of publishing a full, re- vised version of the local plan for further public consultation early next year. The plan will then be sub- mitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Govern- ment. An independent planning in- spector will be appointed by the Secretary of State to conduct an “ex- amination in public” towards the end of 2016, before the plan is finally adopted the following year. Cllr Burton said: “Once the plan is
in place we will be able to defend against inappropriate applications for further development. It’s impor- tant that we achieve the 2016 dead- line, otherwise we run the risk of needing to extend the plan period, and the possibility of losing control of the process to central govern- ment.”
Sharon excels Refurbished pub shows off new look
in finance A SIXTH-FORM student at Maplesden Noakes School, Maid- stone has excelled in the IFS Uni- versity College Certificate in Financial Studies (CeFS), coming within the top one per cent of all students taking the qualification nationwide. A spokesperson for the school
said this was a great achievement for Sharon Hayre as well as for the school, head of business and fi- nance Ms Noble and Sharon’s teachers last year, Mrs Forghani and Mr Bosanko. Assistant head teacher Mrs Forghani said: “As a business and enterprise specialist school, Maplesden Noakes has longstand- ing expertise and considerable commitment to developing stu- dents' broader business under- standing and financial capability. “We want to contribute to en- hancing the financial well-being of future generations, beginning with our own students. The IFS Level 3 certificate and diploma courses provided by the IFS University Col- lege are the perfect medium.” Sharon has been awarded a £750 scholarship, should she decide to continue her studies with IFS Uni- versity College. Sharon said: “Before doing the
course Iwas thinking of a career in hospitality management. However doing the IFS course has increased myunderstanding of opportunities in the finance field and widened myoptions, especially as a result of the scholarship offer to take my studies further with the IFS.”
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THE Duke of Edinburgh at Barming has had a £130,000 make-over. The four-week refurbishment has opened up the main bar, introducing wooden floors and carpet in a new snug. Thewashrooms have been upgraded, while outside the pub, which dates back to 1868, has been painted and new seats have been fitted on the terrace. Licensee Adam Phillips (45), who
took on the pub 10 years ago, is delighted with the results. The father-of-one said: “We have
much more space and the decor has been given a contemporary feel.” Brian Tree, a regular at the pub for
more than 40 years,was given the honour of pulling the first pint.
Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame attended the launch party and presented £500 to Demelza, the county’s children’s hospice, to mark the occasion. Mr Neame said: “The Duke of Edinburgh is a characterful pub in a great location, andwe are delighted with the results of the makeover.”
Focus on town’s heritage
MAIDSTONE is on a mission to make more of its heritage. Research carried out by the Royal Society of Arts placed the county town 20th out of 326 destinations for the quality of its heritage – but only in 275th place for activities re- lating to it. Council leader FranWilson said: “Considering the importance of the visitor economy to the borough, this is a major lost opportunity to use one of our biggest assets.” The council’s heritage, tourism
FREE Maidstone Town November 2015
and leisure department recently launched its Destination Manage- ment Plan – the blueprint for mar- keting the borough to visitors in the future – and Cllr Wilson said she hoped this was the start of a new era of progress. Officers from the RSA are due to
visit Maidstone in a few weeks’ time and Cllr Wilson said she hoped this too would give the council some ideas as to how it could better exploit its heritage as- sets.
Read all the latest editions of the Downs Mail at
www.downsmail.co.uk Bathroom fire
FIREFIGHTERS were called to reports of a fire in the bath- room of a ground floor flat in Coombe Road, Maidstone. Crews quickly established
the location of the fire and ex- tinguished it. A thermal imag- ing camera was then used to ensure there were no remain- ing hot spots and a fan was used to clear smoke and fumes from the property. A woman was given oxygen
for the effects of breathing in smoke before being treated by paramedics. There were no other reported injuries and the cause of the fire was not known.
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