News JOHN
MUNSON SHOW TIME
School show is one of best
Evita Valley Park School
THIS was a brilliant and moving production. The huge cast moved about a well-set stage with disci- pline and dramatic effect. A hidden orchestra provided
powerful support to solo singers and ensembles of a high order and the dancing sequences were a pleasure towatch. This production of Evita fol-
lowed other successful shows by Valley Park, such as Miss Saigon and Oh What a LovelyWar. Nicole Kakel played Eva Peron in
her journey from rags to riches, worshipped by the poor of Ar- gentina. With her beautiful voice and terrific costumes, I thinkwe all joined her followers. Harry Harding as Peron gave
strong support as a singer, actor and dancer. Aaron Frith was su- perb as Che, and the rest of the cast was superb. It was hard to believe that we were watching students in a school production.
downsmail.co.uk
Village shops saved as council rejects new plan
PEOPLE power in Bearsted has once again saved the day. Maidstone Council has rejected
the latest application from Evenden Estates to demolish and redevelop the parade of shops near Bearsted Green. A vociferous “Save Our Shops” campaign was launched by the Bearsted and Thurnham Society a year ago after the owner submitd its first application. It wanted to demolish the exist-
ing parade of shops, replacing it with a three-storey building com- prising three shops at ground level and six residential flats on the first and second floors. The applicationwas withdrawn a
year ago and a second one submit- ted shortly before Christmas. Officers took little over a month
to come up with their decision, based primarily on conservation grounds and the view that the pro- posed building would “over domi- nate” the street scene, be visually intrusive and have an adverse im- pact on the grade II listed White Horse pub, opposite. They were also concerned at the
velopment would have led to the loss of long-standing treasured businesses, such as W J Crouch (“Rickwoods”), which would have to relocate and would not return. Almost 160 individual objections
were lodged with the council, as well as objections from parish councils, borough and county councillors and MPs. KCCHighwayswas concerned at
lack of parking and difficulties re- lating to refuse collection. Bearsted and Thurnham Society Secretary Mary Richards said: “We are absolutely delighted by the de- cision and are grateful to everyone who supported our community ef- fort, by writing letters, signing our petition and turning out to rallies. “We are pleased to see that com-
mon sense has prevailed.” The society is still hoping that the premises will be listed as being of architectural interest by Historic England, following an inspection earlier in January, which will afford it greater long-term security. Residents feared that the rede-
the increase in traffic movement and the borough conservation offi- cer was opposed to the redevelop- ment on heritage grounds. Case officer Flora MacLeod con- cluded: “The proposed building, by reason of its prominent position within the Bearsted Conservation Area, mass, height and design and in particular the roof form and de- sign of the front façade would prove significantly overbearing, in- congruous and unrelated to the prevailing built form. “As a result, it would severely
harm the setting of the grade II listed White Horse pub and would fail to enhance or preserve the char- acter, appearance and setting of the conservation area.”
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