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downsmail.co.uk Maidstone North Edition Maidstone North Edition October 2017 January 2018 Panto fever


THOUSANDS of local people have turned out for the Hazlitt Theatre’s pantomime run of Cinderella,which kicked off on December 1. TV cook Rustie Lee (pictured


here) and former EastEnders star Stefan Booth are heading up a stellar cast in the county town. Slapstick antics, hilarious ad-


‘£1m win will help care for Charloe’


A MAIDSTONE couple whose baby daugh- ter suffers from a “life-changing but not life- threatening” condition have scooped £1 million on the National Lottery. Adam and Amy Pryor’s numbers came up


libbing and saucy gags have had the audience rolling in the aisles during the two hour shows. The run lasts until December 31.


just when the family ‘s future started to look a bit grim as Charlotte, who is eight months, needs constant one-to-one care and frequent hospital visits. Adam said: "I don’t believe in fate but on


Tickets are still available for some performances. Call 01622 758611 or visit www.hazlitttheatre.com Picture by Paul Clapp


this occasion I think I might, the timing of our win really couldn’t have been better. “Charlotte needs almost constant one-to-


MP urges minister to review local plan


LibDems ‘thrilled’ by northwardwin


one care and has frequent hospital appoint- ments so we had decided that Amy would not return to work at the end of the month as originally planned.” 3


MAIDSTONE MP Helen Whately has called on the local government secretary of state Sajid Javid to halt the Local Plan.


17,000newhomes and has been pro- nounced "sound" by a government inspector, is set to be put before the planning committee for approval on September 27. Mrs Whately is concerned the plan


seat with an unassailable 719 votes (51.4%) on a poor turnout of 22.1%. The Conservatives took the ward


TheLibDems retook the borough The Local Plan, which proposes


last time in a narrowand surprising victory. Thewinnerwas local father-of-one


– which sets out development policy for the next 15 years – will harm at- tractions like Leeds Castle and leave villages such as Lenham, Harriet- sham and Headcorn unable to cope with the extra numbers. But the Tory MP for Faversham


and Mid Kent was warned she is playing a "high risk" game as the communities and local government secretary Mr Javid could easily in- crease the housing allocation or


Rob Field, pictured, who said: “The stuff that came up on the doorstep time and gain dur- ing the campaign were the issues of play areas, fly-tip- ping and roads. “We have a team


of active council- lors in this area whowork hard for local people andwho are visible. “Iwouldlike to thank localpeople


leave the borough at the mercy of speculative applications. On Leeds Castle, Mrs Whately


for their support andpledge towork tirelessly to tackle the many chal- lenges facing northMaidstone." Tory candidate Cheryl Taylor-


wrote: “The specific issue is the in- clusion in the plan of an industrial employment site at Woodcut Farm, a rural location near to junction 8 of the M20, and on the approach to the castle…Developing this site would have far-reaching ramifications for the countryside and heritage assets.” Mrs Whately is worried the Local


Maggio, fromLangley,polledbarely half the winning total – 363 votes (26%) – in a by-electionl sparked by the resignation of Conservative councillorMikeHemsley. Mr Hemsley was a popular and


hard-working member, regarded warmly by his LibDemopposition. Lib Dem campaigner Rob Bird


Plan does not include sufficient in- vestment in roads. She said: “Many thousands of houses are being built in this area, without meaningful development of roads (or any alternative to car trans- port) – when congestion is already


questionedwhy the Tories chose an “outsider” in Mrs Taylor-Maggio rather thana candidatewho livedlo- cally. He added: “I think they’ll be look-


ing back on thatdecision andbe say- ing ‘Why on earth didwe do that?’.


affecting the ability of residents to travel to and from work or access services in and around Maidstone. "I strongly question whether these locations can be deemed sustainable for this level of housing.” Mrs Whately added: “I wish we


THE LiberalDemocrats swept aside the Conservatives in a by-election vic- torywhich re-establishedtheparty’sdominance inMaidstone’s northward.


“It is fair to say, that in this by-


election, there were two parties who threwthe kitchen sink at it and lost. “It was a fantastic result and al-


could have solved this locally, but we’re running out of time. That’s why I have asked the secretary of state to personally intervene." MBC's Cllr Clive English, chair-


though northward is traditionally a Lib Dem stronghold, I was over- whelmed by the support out there for us.” TheLibDemswill take heart from


man of the planning committee, warned Mrs Whately her appeal to Mr Javidwas "high risk". He added: "Calling in the Local


Plan will not necessarily mean there will be a reduction in housing num- bers - it could go the otherway. "The delays caused by calling it in


01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT


mean that developers would slip any number of applications through as we would no longer have the powers to refuse them as we would- n’t have an emerging Local Plan. "It would be good if the secretary


maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent


of state did reduce the numbers, but this rarely happens. It's a bit of a high risk strategy."


webexpand.co.uk


the fact that as the rulingparty at the borough council, they have not been adversely affected by the recent adoption of the Local Plan, which brings some 17,000 extra houses to Maidstone. Labour came in third with 270


votes (19.3%) and the Greens 47 votes (3.4%). Mr Field (39), amanagement con-


sultant, served as a Lib Dem coun- cillor in the ParkWood ward from 2005 to 2011. Mrs Taylor-Maggio, who is chair-


man of Langley Parish Council and has voiced grave reservations about a south Maidstone relief road, de- clined to comment. The seatwill be fought oncemore in around 18months’ time.


Obituaries Obituaries 34 Parish Councils 37


IT HAS been agreed that a CCTV camera owned by the parish council in Tovil should not have been removed from its location in Wharf Road/Church Road.


36 Parish Councils 38


EIGHTEEN laurel bushes were stolen from gardens in Allington; a bicycle was taken from outside a property in Upper Fant Road; the clutch cable on a motorbike was cut in Hart Street; a rear tyre was damaged on a people carrier in Hastings Road; a car was broken into in Union Street but nothing was stolen; two council bins were stolen in Allen Street; sunglasses and a mobile telephone in Consort Close.


Crime Reports 37 Crime Reports 38


AN X-BOX games console was tolen from a house in Penfold Close and the occupant assaulted; three chimney pots were stolen from a cottage in Teston; a motor- bike was stolen from a driveway in Loose Road; diesel was sypohoned from a a lorry parked in Barming; damage was caused to a cash ma- chine in Wallis Avenue.


Comment 46-47 web design google promotion ecommerce•• 01622 880840 Comment 46-47


PARISH councillors in Barming met with Barming Youth FC and its use of the pavilion was confirmed; parish councillors in Tovil accepted an offer of crocus bulbs from Ro- tary; a new bench on the towpath at Barming was installed.


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Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper


FREE No. 249


News


No. 246 News


M2 works planned Invicta ‘top school’


MAJOR works to the M2 at J5 have been welcomed but will bring disruption locally. 4


Jason at the Hazlitt New M20 junction


JASON Donovan is to appear at the Hazlitt Theatre next year in a special one-off show celebrating his career.


MP lashes far right Shop closure Little Mix date


THE popular designer clothes shop, Zee & Co, in Maidstone has closed.


11


GIRL band Little Mix are to play at the Detling Showground next summer.


24


A NEW M20 junction at Ashford has been given the green light by the transport secre- tary, Chris Grayling.


Heather House saved


MAIDSTONE MP Helen Grant has attacked far right group Britain First. 10


A PARK Wood facility has been saved from closure after a public outcry. 17


148


INVICTA Grammar School has been named as one of the best schools in the country. 4


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