News Plan boost for
community NORTH Loose Residents Associa- tion has become the first neigh- bourhood in Maidstone to progress its neighbourhood development plan to referendum stage. Not only that, but it is one of the
first prepared by a local neighbour- hood forum, rather than a parish council, to reach this stage in Kent. Residents in North Loose, which stretches from Armstrong Road to Lancet Lane, now have the oppor- tunity to vote on the development plan in a referendum being held on Thursday, March 3. If successful, the North Loose Neighbourhood Development Plan will become a formal planning pol- icy document to be used when con- sidering planning applications in the area. It would allow residents to have a much greater say on how planning policy is applied to appli- cations in the future. The referendum is the culmina-
tion of four years’ work by NLRA. There were two years of commu- nity involvement, gathering ideas and the views of residents and businesses in the area, used to shape the development of the plan. A series of formal consultation stages followed, prior to the draft being examined by a professional planning examiner.
downsmail.co.uk
Cash appeal to restore picture of benefactor
A PROJECT to restore a historic painting of Lord Bearsted is near- ing fruition. It just needs a kind benefactor to
come up with about £500 so the restoration work can commence. The painting of Lord Bearsted –
the founder of the Shell oil company who lived with his family at Mote House – has been in storage at the museum for many years, as it is in an unfit state to have on display. The painting shows the viscount
in his robes when he was Lord Mayor of London in 1902. Cllr Dan Daley,whois the interim chairman of the Maidstone Trust, set up 17 years ago to fund projects to mark the Millennium, has raised the bulk of the £7,750 needed to re- store the life-size portrait and frame. Bearsted Parish Council has been approached for a donation, along with Maidstone Area Arts. Once the funds are in, the picture
will be sent to specialist conserva- tors for the remedial work to take place. Lord Bearsted (pictured)was born Marcus Samuel into an Eastern Eu-
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ropean Jewish familywhomoved to London in the 19th century. The family started in business making jewellery boxes decorated with shells and when, in 1890, Mr Samuel began importing oil from the Far East, he adopted the name of Shell. He was elected Lord Mayor of London in 1902 and made a vis- count in 1920, choosing the name Bearsted in honour of his home. As a businessman working in the Far East, Lord Bearsted amassed a
large collection of Japanese ceram- ics and art, which he donated to the Maidstone Museum to enhance its existing collection. A stone was set in the wall of the museum by Lady Bearsted in 1923, in recognition of the gift. Cllr Daley has received £4,000
from the Samuel family trust to- wards the restoration of the picture and a further £2,500 in small dona- tions. He said: “Marcus Samuel lived in
Mote House for more than 30 years and was obviously very fond of Bearsted – otherwise he may well have called himself Viscount Maid- stone. I hope that Bearsted people will be pleased to be so closely asso- ciated with such an eminent person who has a romantic and successful history. Hewas a munificent donor of much value to Maidstone and its museum. “I hope we can get the rest of the money in fairly swiftly so that the restoration project can get under- way and the picture hung in the museum.Wewant to start work be- fore there are any price escalations.”
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