News
downsmail.co.uk Calls to save play area Last call for
MAIDSTONE Council’s chief ex- ecutive Alison Broom has been asked to step in to secure the fu- ture of one of the area’s most pop- ular children’s play parks. More than 100 parents petitioned
to keep open Peverel Drive play area in Bearsted Park when it was threatened with closure in 2014 by the borough council. Now, much of the play equipment has been re- moved by the council, which has declared it unsafe. Eleana Keefe and Abbie Lowther,
who launched the campaign to save the play area, have been told by Maidstone Council that it will only repair the equipment if Thurn- ham Parish Council takes over re- sponsibility for its maintenance in five years’ time. They have now written to Ms Broom, calling on her to intervene. Mum-of-three Eleana Keefe said:
“We were told by MBC that fund- ing from development in the area was in place to prevent the closure of the play area and to replace all the equipment. But after two years of indecision, the council says it will reinstate the park – but only if Thurnham takes responsibility for it at about £5,000 per year.” Mrs Lowther said: “MBC are fully aware that neither Thurnham
Parish Council nor the local com- munity have the reserves to pro- vide that level of funding so whilst giving the impression they are will- ing to save the site they are not pre- pared to secure its future. “We are disappointed and frus-
trated at what we see as a cynical move by Maidstone Borough Council to absolve their responsi- bility for awell-used play area and an essential community resource, which MBC have maintained and funded for more than 20 years.” Campaigners are also calling on MPHelen Whately for her support. A spokesman for Maidstone Co- Council said: “Maidstone Council has a play area strategy to upgrade a network of play areas so that the vast majority of people in the bor- ough will live no more than a 12 - minute walk from a good quality play area. Peverel Drive is not on
this list of strategic play areas, so will not be maintained by the bor- ough council in the long term. “If the parish council is not pre-
pared to take this on [aftger five years of Section 106 funding], a fur- ther decision will need to be taken by Maidstone Council over the fu- ture of the play area. Separately to this, a recent inspection of the play equipment found that the multi- playwas no longer safe, and so this was removed immediately.” A statement sent to campaigners
by Ms Broom said: “I’m sorry that you have not received the service that you need. I have asked Paul Spooner, director of regeneration and place, to thoroughly review the position and reply to you no later than February 8.”
To support the campaign visit 'Save the Peverel Drive Playground' on Facebook.
Maidstone
housing views A PUBLIC meeting to discuss the future of housing in Maidstone is being held at the Maidstone Stu- dios on Thursday February 11. The meeting, which starts at 7pm, coincides with the Regulation 19 public consultation, which is the last opportunity to comment, sug- gest, amend and make changes to the proposed local plan.
The meeting is being organised by Cllr Paulina Stockell on behalf of the Maidstone and Mid Kent MPs, Helen Grant and Helen Whately, and will run on a ‘Question Time’ format with a panel and roving mi- crophones.
Cllr Stockell said: “Residents are
very worried about their quality of life in the future. Langley looks to become swallowed up in urban sprawl and talk of a Leeds-Langley Bypass through farmland to the M20 will blight the area and attract more traffic.”
The meeting will be chaired by BBC's John Warnett and will be at- tended by the leader of Maidstone Council Cllr Fran Wilson, planning chief Rob Jarman, KCC’s cabinet member for growth and transport Matthew Balfour, CPRE Kent and the Joint Parishes Group, Maid- stone KALC and Paul Carter, leader of KCC.
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