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News Traffic fears scupper homes plan


NORTH Loose residents were victorious after winning a long-fought battle to prevent more housing being built on land off Boughton Lane, Maidstone.


Top-level planning chiefs have fi-


nally agreed that traffic congestion in south Maidstone is a reason to refuse housing development. The Secretary of State for com- munities and local government, Greg Clark, upheld an inspector’s findings that building should not take place on land in Boughton Lane because of the adverse effect it would have on Loose Road and the congested Swan junction. He regards an increase of be-


tween 15% and 30% in traffic flows, in an already-congested area, to be a matter for “significant concern”. BDW Trading Ltd, KCC and Fu-


ture Schools Trust, which owns the NLL Academy in Boughton Lane, wanted to sell part of the school playing fields for development to raise funds for the expansion of the Five Acre Wood special school, as


Shop needs


volunteers VOLUNTEERS who can spare a few hours a week are needed to work in Hi Kent’s new shop in Week Street, Maidstone. The shop will be open after Easter, from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday. No experience is nec- essary as full training will be given and travel expenses paid. The charity, which works to


help deaf and hearing-impaired people in Kent,welcomes applica- tions from a diverse range of peo- ple. A DBS check will be necessary and will be paid for by the charity. This is an opportunity to make


a real difference to Hi Kent’s clients by promoting assistive equipment that can help a person living with hearing loss. Please contact Donna Chadwick


on 01622 691151, Textphone to 07795 951466 or email d.chad- wick@hikent.org.uk.


MARDEN childminder Heidi Stu- art (pictured) has received the high- est praise from Ofsted, achieving her second “outstanding” grade. Inspector Lynn Grinsell noted


Heidi (pictured) has “exceptionally strong relationships with children”, adding: “They are very happy, con- tented and confident in her care. The quality of teaching is also out- standing and all children make ex- cellent progress, are independent and exceptionally well-prepared for school.” Heidi, who has a teenage daugh-


ter, puts her high score down to the home-from-home setting she pro-


well as creating an 8.65-hectare playing field on agricultural land for use by NLL students and the local community. Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council supported the scheme as it would have gained 95 acres of land for public amenity, but the pro- posal was contested by North Loose Residents’ Association, Loose Parish Council and Maid- stone Council’s landscape and housing officers. Maidstone councillors turned


down the planning application for 220 homes, claiming the access road would destroy ancient wood- land and the extra traffic would add to congestion on Loose Road. Following a four-day hearing in


July last year, planning inspector John Felgate dismissed an appeal against the decision.


His findings have now been up-


held by the Secretary of State, who said: “On the appellants’ own fig- ures, the likely impact on traffic conditions at the Swan junction would be severe and without effec- tive mitigation, the development’s impact on the highway network would be unacceptable. “The proposed development


would have a severe adverse im- pact on the highway network, in terms of congestion and inconven- ience to residents and other road users, and on the strategic trans- port planning of the area.” Mr Clark also said the proposed


development “would result in sig- nificant danger to pedestrians, cy- clists and other road users.” He also took into account the emerging North Loose Neighbour- hood Development Plan.


While Mr Clark accepted there


was an acute shortage of housing in the area and that a new sports field would be of benefit, he agrees with the inspector that “the benefits of this proposed development are sig- nificantly and demonstrably out- weighed by its adverse impacts.” Sean Carter, chairman of the


NLRA planning group, said: “It’s a bit sad that it has taken a planning inspector and the Secretary of State – both from outside the area – to quickly and accurately identify the problems we have, while KCC’s highways authority and Maidstone Borough Council have failed to see it as a serious issue. “This has great implications for


the Maidstone local plan and the council should be able to use this to seek constraints against the identi- fied housing need of 18,560.”


Decision on


Dawn patrol homes in on cafe Michael Topley, of the Art Lounge, with members of the Dawn Patrol


BRIGHT and early Rotarians in Maidstone are raising their coffee cups to finding a new home. The Rotary Club of Maidstone’s Dawn Patrol has been meeting at a


variety of places since the closure of the Stone Court Hotel, but has now found a new home at the Art Lounge in Market Buildings, Maidstone – and marked the venue with a commemorative plaque. The club meets at 7.30am on Thursdays for fun and fellowship and to


help communities, both locally and internationally. If you are interested in the work of the Rotary Club and Dawn Patrol


and would like to help with various projects, pop along to ameeting to meet the members and find out more, or contact presidentMartin Pember on pembermartin1@aol.com.


Childminder Heidi ‘outstanding’


vides youngsters, with emphasis on play. The top marks were awarded by Ofsted in every cate- gory from the level of teaching to the welfare and be- haviour of her charges. She said: “This is


my second out- standing grade in eight years of


childminding and, despite the changes in the Early Years Founda- tion Stage in recent months, I have a waiting list due to a shortage of childcare in Marden.”


Heidi provides all the children’s


meals, snacks and drinks and takes on regular training. She said: “We also make use of


the local amenities, such as the vil- lage library, aswell as the park and surrounding countryside and often travel further afield to National Trust properties and the coast, to give the children a rich and varied experience whilst with me.” The inspector concluded: “Chil-


dren have an excellent range of ac- tivities to motivate and engage them and opportunities to extend their interests and learn about the world around them.”


care home KENTCounty Councilwas expected to announce the closure of the Dorothy Lucy Centre and carehome as the Downs Mailwent to press. Despite valiant efforts by local councillors, campaigners and MP Helen Whately, the county council was expected to announce the clo- sure of the care home in Northum- berland Avenue, Shepway, with effect fromAugust 2016 and an end to day care provision from March 2017. The Mid KentMPsaid: “I am dis- appointed the Dorothy Lucy Centre is to close. It is a much valued com- munity asset and the staff there have done great work caring for the frail and elderly, as well as providing support to local families.” Mrs Whatley had called on the council to think again about closing the care home andKCCdid agree to delay making the final decision until it had more robust proposals in place for future provision. It is now satisfied that patients can be accom- modated in the private sector. Mrs Whately said: “While I un- derstand the reasons KCC has put forward for closing the centre, pro- viding high-quality health care lo- cally is a must. I will continue to monitor the situation and pressKCC to ensure good replacement facilities are in place before the final closure of the Dorothy Lucy Centre.” KCC says the Dorothy Lucy cen-


tre is outdated and no longer fit for purpose, along with Kiln Court in- Faversham. Mrs Whately said: “There are opportunities for health agencies to use this overall situation to improve provision in Maidstone and across Kent.”


Maidstone South March 2016 37


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