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downsmail.co.uk £5m spa hotel plan at risk


PLANS to plough £6m into a spa hotel in Maidstone could be scuppered by a fire-ravaged former schoolhouse and the town’s conservation officer.


Entrepreneur and actor Ciaran O’Quigley, owner of Mu Mu’s in Week Street and a director of Mu Mu Experience Ltd, wants to build Kent’s finest five-star spa hotel on waste land at the lower end of Brewer Street, behind St Francis’ RC Church. The 36-bedroomed hotel, com-


plete with a luxury Roman swim- ming pool, 10 treatment rooms, a “livingwall” entrance and a Japan- ese garden, would have the finest Italian marble bathrooms and hand-made furniture and provide 20 jobs. The ambitious ideas for Hotel


Mu Mu incorporate a 1930s piano bar, a 100-cover restaurant, two li- brary-style lounge areas and a retro cinema. The project also includes the renovation of St Francis’ derelict church hall for community use.


The 48-year-old businessman has


been working on the concept with design consultants for almost three years and has the support of the church, his neighbours and several local councillors, as well as the town centre partnership One Maid- stone. However, Maidstone’s conserva-


tion officer Mike Parkinson is against the demolition of the for- mer St Francis’ Church School even though many say it has become an eyesore, having suffered neglect, vandalism, fire, damp and dry rot. Jason Howard at Trash or Treas- ure, which backs onto the site, has


Maidstone, said: “One Maidstone feels that this development would deliver some much-needed en- hancement to the area and that the proposal makes good use of cur- rently disused and derelict proper- ties.” Parish priest Canon Luke Smith


An artist’s impression of the Mu Mu Hotel, planned for Brewer Street, and Ciaran O’Quigley, right


welcomed the scheme. He says the derelict buildings are a constant worry to him, attracting drug-users and vandals. Mr Parkinson has lodged his ob-


jection with the council, saying he fears the development, which would encompass the site of a dis- used dance studio, would harm the heritage of the county town. He considers the old school,


which was badly damaged by fire in September, to be a “non-desig- nated heritage asset”. He says not only should the application require listed building consent, but also ap- proval from English Heritage. Mr O’Quigley says demolition of


the schoolhouse is key to the proj- ect. “The site is landlocked without the removal of this building,” he said. “Tourism plays a massive part in the plans for Maidstone, yet there is currently no high-end ac- commodation in the town centre.


THERE was a break-in at a home in Old Barn Road, Leybourne. A building was damaged in Manley Boulevard, Snodland. A wallet and cards were taken from a ve-


hicle in Harvest Ridge, Leybourne. Avehiclewas broken into in Lambe Close, Snodland. Garden furniture was damaged in the


back garden of a home in Fielding Drive, Larkfield, when a supermarket trolley was thrown over the fence. A red VW Polo, registration VE07***, was


stolen from Chippendale Close, Aylesford. Tools were stolen from a van in Taylor


Road, Snodland. Agrey Ford Transit van, registration GF09


P**, was stolen from Bull Lane, Aylesford. A black Vauxhall Astra was tampered


with in Lee Road, Snodland, but no damage was caused. A vehicle was broken into in Maidstone


Road, Aylesford. The windscreen of a van was smashed in Midsummer Road, Snodland but nothing was taken. A vehicle was damaged in Quarry Wood,


Aylesford. A vehicle was broken into in Ladds Lane,


26 Malling June 2016


This would plug that gap and bring clien- tele who would then spend money in the town – not in the villages on the periphery.” The proposed hotel would sit


next to listed Grove House, the first permanent base for Catholic wor- ship in Maidstone. However, the schoolhouse was added later and carries no listing. Mr Parkinson said: “The loss of


the original school building would, in my opinion, cause harm to the significance of the Grade II* listed building of Grove House by re- moving an important feature of the overall interest of the site as a com- plex of Roman Catholic Church, presbytery and school, the earliest example of such in Maidstone.” Andy Davy, chairman of One


says he believes the hotel would be an asset to the town and that the agreement being drawn up be- tween Mr O’Quigley and the dio- cese would be beneficial to all concerned. Planning committee chairman


Cllr Clive English and Cllr David Naghi are among members who want to see the application dis- cussed in full committee, so that the tourism and regeneration impact can be considered. Cllr Naghi said: "The scheme fits


in perfectly with the regeneration of that end of Week street and Maidstone East station. It will give a ‘wow’ factor and a much needed point of interest to visitors who will be stepping off the train to walk in to town. " Mr O’Quigley added: “It’s sim-


ple. We want to take dilapidated buildings that are a complete eye- sore and embarrassment to the county town and turn them in to this luxurious hotel and spa, which will help draw in people from all over Europe. “It will be five star luxury at three


star prices. We are hoping to have a bit of London chic here in Maid- stone.”


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police


Snodland.Aladywas approached by a man in a supermarket car park in Lake Road, Aylesford. When he had gone she realised that her


pursewas missing. The bodyworkwas damaged on a vehicle


in Hammonds Square, Snodland. Therewas an attempt to break in to a shed


in Ryarsh Lane,West Malling. The door of a sports hall in New Hythe


Lane, Larkfieldwas damaged, activating an alarm, but no entry was gained. The rear wheel arch on a Toyota Corolla


was damaged in Fartherwell Avenue, West Malling. Ablack hybrid bicyclewas stolen from the


side of a house in Sherwood Avenue, Lark- field. A white VW Caddy NJ60 M** was stolen


from Vigo Hill, Trottiscliffe. A rug was taken from the back of a horse


in Birling Road, Larkfield. More than 50 bales of wood shavingswere


stolen from a farm at Water Lane, West Peckham. A blue BMW, registration OW14 ***, was


stolen from a car park in Kings HillAvenue, Kings Hill. Ashed at home in Church Road, Offham,


was broken into but nothing appeared to have been taken. A rock was thrown at the window of a


home in Lambourne Drive, Kings Hill, smashing it. A locked bicycle was stolen from a car park near the station in East Malling.


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