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Bearsted school doubts emerge


A PLAN to add a care home to a “medical campus” off the M20 at Maidstone is to be considered by the borough council - but two new schools there may be in doubt. The proposal for a 75-bed unit on


the site off the busy junction 7, near the Nottcutts Garden Centre, is on the desk of the borough’s planning officers and is expected to be con- sidered in the comingweeks. The care home would include “step-down facilities” for patients well enough to leave hospital but not ready to go home. Gary Watson, from JLL – the company advising the applicants on property matters – says the ap- plication represents a £10m invest- ment. He claims the need to tackle bed blocking in the area and a shortage of care services for the frail has been clearly identified. The site is already earmarked for


a mental health hospital and two new schools. The latter is likely to cause some controversy as the land identified by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) is designated as “permanent woodland”, according to local bor- ough councillor Val Springett.


She firmly told members of Bearsted Parish Council’s May meeting: “The planning authority is the borough council.” Cllr Springett said the first mem-


bers of the borough council knew of the EFA’s intention to put new primary and special schools at the junction 7 site was when it was published in Downs Mail. Tory parliamentary candidate


and former MP Helen Whately, who has been campaigning for a new primary school serving the Bearsted area, said: “I find dealing with the EFAvery frustrating; they have evidently not been liaising with the borough council I have worked hard for the funding and we’ve got it. The question of the site is something to be worked out be- tween the EFA and the borough council.” Cllr Springett had accused Mrs Whately of “blowing her own trumpet” over the EFA’s decision to fund the schools. Currently taking shape, with the


help of a high-rise crane, is a 64-bed mental health hospital for a health care company, following the instal- lation of a new link road. See letters pages, 42&43


Coffee grounds for gardens


A SUPERMARKET is giving away used coffee grounds from its in-store café to gardeners, to help their plants to thrive. Gardeners can get the used coffee grounds by visiting Morrisons store


in Sutton Road, Maidstone, and picking up a bag. Therewill be no limit to the number of bags available to each gardener to take away. Used coffee grounds are a source of nitrogen, which is needed by plants


in order to grow. They also encourage the growth of micro-organisms and are thought to attract earthworms. Adrian Perris, storemanager, said: “Used coffee grounds are a great or-


ganic resource which gardeners can use in their composter or soil.We sell a lot of cups of coffee and don’t like to see anything going to waste – so it’s great to see this natural fertiliser going to a good home.We hope that Maidstone’s plants will be in full bloom as a result.”


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