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layouts, are still lanes whichwere designed for the horse and cart, not heavy goods vehicles, unwanted articulated lorries or thousands of car movements. Our councils persist in building programmeswithout any view as to the consequences for the other infrastructure elements. By theway, I believe this has nothing to do with immigration. It has more to dowith the expanding population, people living longer and couples not staying together. PWarren, via email


Clear benefit to tourism


REGARDING the proposal for a £5m five- star spa hotel scheme in Maidstone, has the planning committee met to discuss the tourism aspect of the proposed hotel? Surely it must be obvious itwould be an asset


to the town, which has so many unused and boarded up properties. Ciaran O’Quigley is willing to build this


hotel and is being prevented from doing so be- cause of Maidstone’s conservation officer Mike Parkinson, who suggests it would cause harm to a listed building – Grove House – of which, I understand, only the porch is listed. The Catholic school Mr Parkinson refers to is literally an unusable and unstable building. The windows have been boarded up by the priests because of being vandalised, so the only way in is through the roof unless the door is un- locked. It would be interesting to know if the council


or its officers have actually seen the property he wants to save, which is not listed, and is an eyesore. If not, Mr O’Quigley, who has 24 years’ experience running Mu Mu’s in Week Street, is going to pay for the demolition of the building, which is falling down anyway. That the council is not accepting with open


arms the proposition, in the words of Victor Meldrew, I would say: “I don’t believe it!”. Marie Shandley, via email


Rachel’s brave cancer battle I HAVE been reading about the brave battle


A SHED at a home in Ashford Road, Bearsted,was broken into. Nothing appears to have been taken. The artificial grasswas taken from the garden of a home in Grove Green Road, Boxley. A wooden ornamental bridge was stolen


from a garden at a home in Buon Lane, Bearsted. The driver's side windowwas smashed


on a Renault Clio parked in Lenham High Street. Nothing appeared to have been taken. Itemswere stolen from the garden of a


home in Spot Lane, Bearsted. A Mitsubishi L200, parked in a driveway


in The Street, Boxley,was entered and a mobile phonewas stolen. An Apple computer, hairdressing equipment, Sony DVD player, Dyson vacuum cleaner, riding clothing and a bridlewere among items stolen from a property in YewTree Close, Bearsted. Power toolswere taken from the garage


of a property inAutumn Glade, Boxley. Copper lightning conductor and various


itemswere stolen from the Church in Church Road, Otham. A ToyotaAuris parked in Grampian Way, Downswoodwas broken into.


that Rachel Curley has been fighting against cancer and wanted to say what an inspira- tion I feel she is to other sufferers. Like many people, I suspect,my life has been touched by this horrible disease, having lost more friends and family members than I dare to count. Rachel’s never-say-die (literally) ap- proach to taking on her illnesswith always one eye on the future, rather than allowing the can- cer to defeat her, is amazing. People react to cancer in so many different


ways. Some prefer to take it on in private, sur- rounded by family, while others get out there and raise awareness. It takes a lot of nerve and steel to do what


Rachel has done and I hope that she makes a full and speedy recovery. Lee Davis, via email


Claire Turner and Stanley Trek to help Demelza


MY FAMILY has been privileged to be able to use the services of Demelza Hospice Care for Children for the past few years as my son Stanley has Crouzon syndrome. This condition is a fusion of the skull


which prevents it from growing normally. It means my lile boy has had to have more than 25 operations and has been on life support when hewas only two months old.


Stanley is very unsteady on his feet, he’s partially blind in one eye and he has been diagnosed with global development delay. He has a suction machine which he


needs with him at all times to keep his airways clear. He needs to be checked all the time, even at night from anything from every half an hour to every 10 minutes so we sleep very lightly. I have three other children, so being able


to come to Demelza Kent in Siingbourne for a break means a lot to me and my husband, Clint. Stanley loves the art room, he loves


music, he loves the computer room. It is a place for making special memories. Demelzawas the first placewewere able to go swimming together as a family.


That’s a really big achievement. It’s a place for our eldest daughter, Harriet to go. She ha’s made some lovely friends there, she loves it. Last year I trekked up Ben Nevis as part


of the Demelza 101 challenge as myway of doing something for Demelza. I lovewalking, so itwas right up my


street. Itwas fantastic – more than I hoped it


would be. I met some great people and I loved every minute of it. Everybody supported each other – itwas a real team effort.We had never met each other before but we all had something in common. Demelza is now looking for people to


take on a triathlon or a trek in the Lake District as part of its next Demelza 101 challenge next May (2017) and I’d like to urge you to sign up and do something amazing for them. It will be an experience you will never


forget and you will be helping families like mine make things a lile bit easier. You can find out more at


www.demelza.org.uk/challenges-and- events or by contacting Emma Cox on emma.cox@demelza.org.uk or 01795 845249 Claire Turner, Demelza mum


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


Several personal items and cashwere stolen. Parts were removed from vehicles in Maidstone Road, Lenham. A vehicle parked in Brewer Street, Maidstone,was damaged. Therewas an aempt to break into the


cricket club pavilion in Honey Lane, Otham, damaging several doors. No access gained and nothing appeared to have been taken. A BMX bicyclewas stolen from a garden


inWaterlow Road, Maidstone. Eight bags of cement and other building materialswere stolen from the building site in Coldblow Lane, Thurnham. Therewas an aempt to break into a


house in Hedley Street, Maidstone, but no accesswas gained. A vehiclewas damaged in a car park in Maidstone Road, Lenham. A vehiclewas taken without the owner’s consent in Brewer Street, Maidstone.


Parts were removed from a vehicle in Chartway Street, Broomfield and Kingswood. A red Honda lawn mower, a hedge trimmer and a strimmerwere among items stolen from a garage inWest Street, Lenham. A school playground was damaged in Cayser Drive, Broomfield and Kingswood. A vehiclewas broken into in Back Street,


Leeds. A container on the drive of a home in


Flint Lane, Lenham,was broken into and itemswere stolen.


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