News


downsmail.co.uk WillWaitrose hit town trade?


THE future for scores of food stores will become clear this summer when Waitrose learns if its plan for a new supermarket at Eclipse Park in Maidstone has the go-ahead.


The proposed store’s anticipated customer catchment area would stretch fromWalderslade to Staple- hurst and Strood to Sittingbourne and everywhere in between, with Tesco at Grove Green worst hit, ac- cording to a shopper survey. But fall-out is likely to be felt by supermarkets and convenience stores across the region. The joint applicants,Waitrose and Gallagher, noting that trade will come at the expense of others, both inside and outside the catchment area. A report from MDA, setting out


the proposal, confirms the highest level of “trade diversion” is ex- pected to come from Tesco at Grove Green and Farleigh Hill, as well as Morrisons on Sutton Road and the existingWaitrose in Allington. “Less trade is expected to be di-


verted from town centre stores, and the shopping habits of those using town centre stores is less likely to


Free concerts A PROGRAMME of Midsummer Music will take place at lunchtimes in the United Reformed Church, Week Street. OnWednesdays throughout June


and July, the church will be open from 12.30pm for a series of short concerts, starting at 1pm. Admission is free and there will be


coffee available.Aretiring collection with be shared between the Maid- stone URC and The Samaritans. The season started on June 1 with


a concert by Bel Canto, comprising bass-baritone Brian White, soprano Kathryn Norman and Richard Kemp on piano. The concert onWednesday, June


8, will be by the recorder consort Fri- day’s Music and on June 15, pupils from Invicta Grammar School. TheHelier StringQuartet will per-


form on June 22, followed by Stephen Hatfield on violin and Rodri Protheroe on guitar on June 29.


store in King Street, the applicants state: “We have been unable to identify any sites that are likely to come forward in a reasonable timescale that are available, viable and suitable for the proposed de- velopment.” It adds that the proposed Wait-


An artist’s impression of the planned supermarket at Eclipse Park


change, as trips are usually com- bined with another activity,” the re- port suggests. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that


5.38% (£1.16m) of the proposed store’s trade will be diverted from Sainsbury’s in Romney Place and 0.46% (£0.10m) from the food hall in Marks and Spencer in 2018. Further trade is expected to be di-


verted from stores in Maidstone in- cluding Lidl on Farleigh Hill and Aldi in Well Road and from as far


afield as Sainsbury’s at Hempstead Valley, Tesco in Gillingham and Asda at Kings Hill. The Eclipse Park supermarket proposal has now been submitted to Maidstone Council for consider- ation, following lengthy negotia- tions with planning officers. After looking at alternative loca-


tions in the centre of town at Maid- stone East and the former Royal Mail site; Len House; TJ Hughes in The Mall and the former Somerfield


rose at Eclipse Park will fulfil a need for a wider choice of convenience retail provision in Maidstone, and, if approved, will be open for trad- ing by 2018. It would have an estimated turnover of £24.38m by 2018. Most of the concerns expressed


by the public about the store so far has related to the potential traffic that would be generated by the site, which would incorporate the food- store, a café and parking for 284 customers. Ironically, it formerly hosted the town’s park and ride scheme, tak- ing cars off the road and shoppers into town.


Work starts on special school extension


PUPILS at Five AcreWood School in Boughton Lane, Maidstone, have helped with a ground-breaking ceremony tomark the start of an expansion project. As part of its extensive programme to expand its


special school provision in the county, KCC is taking forward a £12m scheme at Five AcreWood, which educates children with profound, severe and complex learning difficulties. The school was rated outstanding by Ofsted


following an inspection in March last year. School principal PeggyMurphy joined some of the


pupils and staff, together with representatives of the main contractor, BAM, at the ceremony (pictured). She said: “This extension will give us purpose-built


facilities for our pupils and will provide us with the specialist classrooms we need as we increase the number of pupils.” The project, which will provide a 24-classroom


extension, a relocated car park, enhanced landscaping and a refurbishment of the existing building, is due for completion by Easter next year. Over the next four years, KCC is anticipating the


need for extra 225 places for primary age children with special educational needs and another 506


places for secondary age pupils. Five AcreWood’s total roll will rise from 275 to 330,


which includes 15 at East Borough Primary in Vinters Road, and 70 at Holmesdale Technology College in Snodland.


Private gardens open to raise money for hospice


GARDEN lovers will have the op- portunity to take a peek inside some of the area’s most beautiful gardens, when they open exclusively to raise funds for Heart of Kent Hospice. Dozens of gardens are taking part


in this summer’s Open Gardens scheme – and 12 of them are raising funds for the Hospice. There is an evening of wine and


tapas at two neighbouring but con- trasting gardens, at Arnold Yoke and Inverarnold in LeedsVillage on


20 Maidstone South June 2016


Sunday, June 12, and a stroll through a series of garden “rooms” at Knowle Hill Farm in Ulcombe on Sunday, June 19. Garden owner Tikki Gulland


from Detling will be opening her garden exclusively for the Hospice on Sunday, July 17. The Croft boasts a walled garden


laid out as itwas in Victorian times. There will be lots to interest families, as children will be able to spot wildlife, including butterflies in the


meadow and learn about bee-keep- ing from a local bee expert. There will also be tea and cake served on the day. Tikki’s garden was joint runner


up in the 2015 Kent Life Amateur Garden Awards and she said: “We are very pleased to be able to help raise vital funds for the hospice by opening our garden.” The hospice will also be opening


its own garden, which provides a haven of year-round colour and in-


terest to its patients and visitors, be- tween 2 and 5pm on Saturday July 2.


Last year’s programme raised


more than £12,000, which ensured that more patients and their families were able to benefit from skilled and compassionate care. Visit Heart of Kent Hospice web-


site to see which gardens are open- ing and when or call the fundraising team on 01622 790195 for a copy of the Open Gardens brochure.


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