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Bale to save shops is back on
RESIDENTS in Bearsted turned out to protest at a plan to demolish the historic parade of shops on The Green. As shoppers thronged the Christ-
mas Farmers’ Market, dozens more gathered outside the shops to voice their fury at a planning application from landlord Evenden Estates to re- place three shops and build six apartments on two storeys above. Residents have since bombarded Maidstone Council with objections to the proposal. Evenden Estates withdrew its original application – submitted at a similar time a year earlier – promis- ing to come up with something more aesthetically acceptable. Itwas a blow for the Bearsted and Thurnham Society when Historic England said itwas unable to pursue an application for listing, as it did not meet any of the Department for
The vision for the shops (left) and above, as they are now and right, KCC leader Paul Carter with protestors
Culture’s three criteria for priority, one of which is being “demonstrably under serious threat of demolition or major alteration from a current plan- ning application”. The society has re-issued its plea
to Historic England in the light of the new application and wants the council to put matters on hold until a decision has been reached. Society members say the applica- tion remains unsustainable and has
a shortfall of 10 parking spaces, which will add to the problems of parking around The Green. The closure of WJ Crouch Butch-
ers and the impact on the newsagent and computer shop will affect the livelihoods of 30 people. Mary Richards, secretary of the Bearsted and Thurnham Society, said: “All three businesses are flour- ishing – they are not struggling and do not require revitalisation.”
WJCrouch would have to relocate during rebuilding and staff say it would not be viable to return. The plans have no provision for a base- ment, where equipment is stored. Mrs Richards said: “These shops
are viewed as community assets, providing a welcome alternative to supermarkets for the wholecommu- nity, but particularly for the elderly. “Their presence is one of the rea-
sons for Bearsted’s appeal as a place to live rather than the drab unifor- mity found elsewhere. “The utilitarian design is unsym- pathetic to its setting and appears as a monolithic structure with a large expanse of blackweatherboarding – nothing like this exists in the vicin- ity. It will significantly impact on the nearby buildings.” Comments on the application
had to be filed with Maidstone Council by January 4.
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6 Maidstone East January 2016
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