downsmail.co.uk This £410m scheme will combine 1,386


new homes and commercial warehouses and, by 2025, will breathe new life into an iconic 1913 building. The grand façade of the Sandhow


building will be fully restored as part of its conversion into apartments. The 1920s- style main office building and grand staircase will be given a new lease of life, 40% of the new properties will be affordable housing and the public will benefit from the development with access to the Grand Union Canal. Here in Maidstone, we have our own


fine example of an early “Daylight” factory with an ornate front façade, namely the Power Hub building, which Tilling Stevens built in 1917, during WWI, and is a rare survivor of its period. The main building was grade II-listed in


2012. This grand edifice is crying out for a similar transformation to that happening at Hayes. The Power Hub building has an


enviable riverside location, good transport links to London and a town centre se�ing. A mixed housing development would make this area very desirable. Back in 1999, there was a project to


develop a “Li�le Venice” along the St Peter’s Street water frontage, with flats, shops, wine bars and cafes to replace the retail sheds. I do believe that we can still encourage a be�er ambition for this area. With the iconic Power Hub building still


standing proud, I do hope Maidstone will soon produce a development worthy of its historical past and a beacon for the future of our county town. David Picke, Ex-borough councillor, Bridge Ward


Muntjac sighting a first


SOME time ago, I was interested to read your articles in the Downs Mail about muntjac deer sightings. But having lived in Maidstone for most of my life, I may have laughed at this at the time. However, one morning in early June I


was proved wrong. I saw a muntjac on the Pilgrims Way in Detling. We followed the


animal very slowly along the road as it tried to find a hole in the hedge to escape – something I have never seen before. I would be intrigued to know if your readers have seen these creatures in the Detling area before? Sharon Hooper, via email


Respect others’ opinions


I WISH to correct Mike Watson’s recent comment on my le�er published in Downs Mail. He is right that the proportion of those


who voted remain in Maidstone would fall to 31% if votes were related to the total electorate. I have never sought to claim otherwise. My point was that it is grossly misleading to claim that 58% of Maidstone wishes to leave the EU, when we do not know what the 24% of the electorate who did not vote actually think. On the question of whether or not the


result would be reversed if the referendum were to be re-run, I am not offering any opinion on that and never have, other than to say that national opinion polls carried out recently suggest a small majority in favour of remaining. Mr Watson can easily check that this is so. My point was that I feel it is entirely


unhelpful for biased editorials, not actually supported by the facts, to continue to be broadcast in such a tone that the writer assumes more or less universal agreement with his sentiments. Everybody is entitled to their own


opinion. I have no problem with that. But please let us show respect and seek to base criticism on what has actually been said. David Hacke, via email


Time to tackle waste


THE Country Land Business Association (CLA South East) welcomes Kent County Council’s announcement that it is to spend an extra £250,000 fighting flytipping, as we have long called for additional resources to help ba�le waste crime. It has also announced a new recycling centre to serve Tonbridge and Malling,


while it has negotiated with Medway Council to allow Kent residents to continue using Medway sites. While this is positive news, flytipping


and waste crime are serious problems and it comes at a time when KCC is introducing charges for disposing of items such as soil, rubble and plasterboard. While the authority has rejected


widespread concerns that these fees could lead to a rise in the amount of waste dumped in Kent, it is interesting that it has pledged this extra money to fight flytipping days before the charges come in. Kent is the Garden of England, yet there


are nearly 20,000 incidents of flytipping a year. It causes enormous harm to the environment as well as costing a fortune to clean up, especially if hazardous materials are involved. Landowners are liable for waste


dumped on their land and are fed up with having to pay to clear up the mess. Recent data from the Local Government


Association revealed that nobody has been given the maximum penalties for flytipping since they were introduced five years ago. Flytipping incidents in England have


risen by nearly 40% in that time, to almost one million in 2017/18, although the true figures are likely to be significantly higher as predominantly the statistics do not include incidents on private land. CLA South East, which represents


landowners, farmers and rural businesses across Kent, is calling on councils and courts to take action to deter flytippers. We appreciate that councils have


budgetary pressures, but failing to tackle the menace of flytipping could make their financial situations worse if it means they end up facing increased clean-ups costs dealing with more dumped rubbish. The message needs to be sent loud and


clear that dumping waste will not be tolerated, and those who do it will be prosecuted. For more information about the CLA


and its work, visit www.cla.org.uk/your- area/south-east/regional-news. Robin Edwards, regional director, CLA South East


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Maidstone North


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Maidstone South Maidstone East Maidstone Weald


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