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by builders Bowmer and Kirk- land Ltd for the Department for Education after a consultation ex- ercise at the end of 2018. The ap- plication may not go before the council's planning committee for severalmonths. The schoolswould be built next


to a facility where mentally-ill criminals are being housed and treated on theKentMedicalCam- pus (KMC) site, pictured right. Despite public concerns that the


applicants intend to place the en- trance on the often-gridlocked Bearsted Road, that part of the scheme remains unchanged. Residents had hoped an access


road would come off the KMC site for child safety reasons. Critics say that Bearsted Road is


“too dangerous” for children to walk along at peak times, when traffic is heaviest. But some minor changes have


been made such as a controlled pedestrian crossing, new foot- paths and the removal of on-street parking outside Gidds Pond Cot- tages. The primary and special needs


schools will be operated by the Leigh Acade- mies' Trust. Bearsted bor-


ough councillor Val


pictured,said: “The


Springett, ‘tweaks’


made will cer-


tainlyNOT changemymind.Ac- cess via a single access pointwith insufficient parking will cause chaos on the Bearsted Road.” Canon John Corbyn, the vicar


of Bearsted, pictured, said: “The more I see of this, the worse it gets. The idea of traf- fic turning across traffic


into


Bearsted Road is just a total non- starter. “This is totally


unacceptable in terms of the traf- ficmanagement plan and access.” Boxley parish councillor Cllr


WendyHinder said: “The safety of our children is paramount - there shouldn’t be a school at any cost.”


Rebecca Darling, co-founder of


the Leatherhead-based PR com- pany Stonyrock, which is repre- senting the contractors, accused Downs Mail’s recent coverage of “scaremongering”. She confirmed that no efforts


had been made since the consul- tation inDecember to secure land to create the access fromtheKMC site. But she claimed a detailed ex-


planation as to why it is not pos- sible would be published as we went to press. Ed Sutton, of the developers


Bowmer andKirkland, said: “The responses we received from the community demonstrated that the majority of people support newschools for the area.”


Newschools plan is submied Meeting is to


The scheme has been submitted


hear concern BOXLEY Parish Council’s environ- ment committee has arranged a public meeting at Grove Green Community Hall, Penhurst Close at 7.30pm on January 24 to dis- cuss the schools plan. Boxley parish councillorWendy


Hinder said: “There are grave concerns regarding pedestrian and highway safety issues par- ticularly for children who are being expected to walk to the primary school.” Borough councillors from Box-


ley and Bearsted wards were to meet Kent County Council leader Paul Carter and KCC Highways officers to raise their fears before the publicmeeting. Councillors and residents un-


derstand schools are needed, but the proposed access for the site from Bearsted Road is generally considered to be inherently un- safe and irresponsible. Concerns being expressed are:


 location being totally unsuit- able;  pedestrian safety; totally inadequate access from Bearsted Road; traffic impact, congestion and possible use of Bearsted Road for parking; and inadequate on-site car parking provided for two schools.


CARINGfor sick and injured pets could have the shirt off your back … at least that’s what a leading charity is hoping. The PDSA shop in Maidstone


High Street is urging readers to donate unwanted clothing and shoes. Home furnishings would also bewould also bewelcomed. For details, call 01622 620487.


Homes blow


OFFICIAL figures show that no homes for social rentalwere built inMaidstone last year. The statistic compares to 79 in


the financial year 2007/08, and 301 in 2011/12. However, 302 homes deemed to be “affordable” by Government standards, were built during 2017/18.


8 Maidstone February 2019 Help for pets Life-saving lessons Online target


TEN- and 11-year-olds at Barming School are to learn life-saving. Defibrillator classes will be in-


troduced at the primary school in Belmont Close in the spring. The idea came fromteachers and


a parent during first-aid training. Headteacher Mr Chris Laker


said: “Life-saving is a key life skill andasmanypeople shouldbe able to assist in an emergency as they can.We felt itwould be a great ac- complishment for our older stu- dents to learn such a skill as they head off to secondary school.” Teachers also realised during


training that a defibrillator in- creases a hear attack casualty’s chance of recovery over simple CPR, so the school set about rais-


ing more than £400 for the life- changing kit, which costs from £1,000-2,000. Theywere helped on their way by a donation from Maidstone Lions Club. The ma- chinewill also be available forpub- lic use during school hours. Mr Laker said: “We are ex-


tremely grateful to the Lions for their help and for allowing us the chance to be involved. I feel that pupils shouldfeel they have got in- volved in raisingmoney for some- thing this important.” This is the third defibrillator


Maidstone Lions Club has bought for the people of Maidstone, fol- lowing on fromStMichael’s Junior School andtheHowarddeWalden centre.


APLANNINGapplication for two newschools near junction seven of theM20 has been put in to the borough council for consideration.


AN ONLINE fundraising target of £10,000 has been set to help the family of awomanwho died in a house fire. Judith Tucker (69) was killed


when a blaze broke out in her maisonette in Quarry Square, Maidstone, inDecember 2018. Despite efforts by neighbours


to rescue disabled Mrs Tucker, who was widowed, they were beaten back by flames and smoke. Now her sons, Matt and Lewis, who are believed to be in their 40s, have lost many of their treasured keepsakes which were destroyed in the fire. Friends of the sons have launched a go- fundmepage to cover funeral and other expenses. Visit go- fundme.com/alison-couchman


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