Maidstone East Edition Maidstone Weald Edition October 2017 August 2019 Panto ahoy!
‘Stop the building - before it’s too late’
THE cast of Cinderella, which is to be staged at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maid- stone, took to the River Medway to launch this year's panto. On board The Kentish Lady were national treasure Rustie Lee (Fairy Godmother), former EastEnder Ste- fan Booth (Prince Charming), Eliza- beth Bright (Cinderella), Craig Anderson (Buttons) and, pictured, Stephen Richards and Adam Bor- zone (Ugly Sisters) . They were greeted by pupils from
PLANNERS admit only a third of the 17,660 homes earmarked for the borough have been built … and 9,000 more could be piled on top of that. As roads, schools and GP surger-
South Borough Primary School and members of the media. The panto runs from December 1-31. For tick- ets go to
www.hazlitttheatre.co.uk.
ies creak under Maidstone’s phe- nomenal growth, residents and workers in the borough are being warned much worse is to come. Downs Mail has discovered that
just 6,437 or 36% of the 17,660 houses have been “delivered” ahead of the 2031 deadline. But Maidstone Borough Council
says an extra 9,277 properties are likely to be added to that figure to meet the Government’s housing targets by 2037. At the same time, highways au-
CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping
CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.
thority Kent County Council has confirmed that it has completed just 27 infrastructure improve- ments in response to local growth. The area’s only “substantial”
road improvement scheme in the pipeline for this year involves the removal of a bus lane, widening a junction, and creating a shared cycle and footpath on the A20. Now, as work progresses on an-
other 1,301 homes, with a further 6,000 ready to start, the public clamour for a moratorium on fur- ther development while services and infrastructure catch up, is reaching fever pitch. Marden farmer Tristan Russell
Burberry Lane, near Leeds and Broomfield, has been targeted by waste dumpers for years, but in re- cent months, the problem has be- come more acute. Constructionwaste, rubble, hard
core, windows and household fur- niture is left illegally – often strewn in the middle of the road. Cllr Gill Fort said: “Every month
we are having toilets, sinks and construction waste dumped in the village, specifically in Burberry Lane, where we are now thinking of installing cameras on private land, to oversee the problem area.” A recent event in Burberry Lane
saw a caravan burned out while a torched car remains on a footpath
nearby, more than a year after it was dumped and set on fire. The church car park has also seen
many instances of illegal dumping. But it is a problem in many rural areas including Langley, Otham and Kingswood. Water Lane in Bearsted and Pilgrims Way have village, but associated community bLast year, Maidstone Borough we’ve had is a fall in water pressure and an increase in traffic,” he said. S an Carter, pictured, of
said development had rocked his also been targeted recently.
enefits have not materialised. “All Council cleared 911 cases of fly-tip- ping and this year more than 163 have been recorded since April. The approaching darker evenings will prompt a rise in illegal tipping. Cllr Fort welcomed a joint initia-
the
tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on
South Maidstone Action for Roads & Transport (SMART) pressure group said: “It’s common sense to say the roads are not
coping.There is gridlock everywhere at peak
unlicensed waste carriers, but be- lieves the cost to small firms of dis- posing of construction waste at a transfer station is proving a deter- rent that is costing councils more. Cllr Fort made her remarks as
one of the borough’s closest trans- fer stations at North Farm, Tun- bridge Wells, announced it will be closed for 10weeks. She added: “If you go along the
times and the Maidstone gyratory system is a waste of time because you can’t get to it for the traffic.” Downswood borough councillor
line of increasing fines, they have to be enforced. A reduction in the charge or offering it free may have the desired similar effect.” Athree-monthly litter pick on the mile-long stretch of road through Leeds village produces an average 32 black sacks of rubbish.
Cllr Fort, who also serves as a
Gordon Newton said: “It’s a mess and this is just the beginning. The place is wrecked.” Gary Thomas, Maidstone district
01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT
maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent
parish councillor, says teaching children about social responsibility and the issue of litter in schools will help take the issue off the streets. She believes with every household receiving a weekly refuse collection service, there is no excuse for litter being thrown from vehicles or dumped in the road.
chairman of the Campaign to Pro- tect Rural England, added: “There are so many things that have not been done, and others that should have been, but underpinning most of them has been lack of foresight.” MBC insists it is working with its
partners, adding: “The majority (of projects) are reliant on our partners in the NHS and KCC to deliver, so we work with them to ensure they are completed within timescales.” Turn to pages 18 and 19 for the full story.
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Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
FREE No. 246
News
downsmail.co.uk
Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper
Kate, 107, dies News
FREE No. 268
KATE Hart, a resident at an old people’s home in Bearsted, has died aged 107, her son David has disclosed.
HELEN Whately asked the government to halt the borough’s housing scheme.
3
Airport security visit MP’s Local Plan bid
VILLAGERS and police have joined forces to stop law- breaking lorries from using country roads.
Plans for Dr Nigel
SECURITY services have visited Headcorn Aerodrome to promote the fight against terrorism and organised crime.
4 Tackling illegal lorries
THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12
Jason Donovan date
THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.
Wild fire warning
FIREFIGHTERS have warned the public to beware of grassland blazes after record- breaking temperatures.
Obituaries Obituaries
21 26
Parish Councils 34-35
ASH dieback has been discovered in Monks Meadow in Detling; Hollingbourne village fete stall- holder co-ordinator Jean Duffy has resigned; yellow lines are needed for Buffkyn Way, Otham, to allow buses through Imperial Park; rub- bish bins in the sports field in Kingswoodare to be moved over to the picnic area and rear exit.
RESIDENTS were concerned about commuter parking at the entrance to Gibbs Hill, Headcorn; walkers complained about the overgrown footpath from High Banks to Heath Road, Coxheath; a Sutton Valence resident has asked for a reduction in the speed limit from the bottom of South Lane to the BP garage; Langley Parish Council has been asked to nominate two pensioners to attend the Mayor’s tea party this summer.
Crime Reports 35
VEHICLES have been driven over farmland in Lenham, causing damge to crops; an attempted break-in was reported in Detling; a vehicle was vandalised in Bearsted Rd, Weavering; pumpkins were stolen from an allotment in Lenham.
Comment 46-47 Comment 38-39
A BIKE and tools were stolen from a garage in Boughton Monchelsea; lead was stolen from the roof of a community hall in Nettlestead; youths were seen destroying crops in Marden; A Renault Captur was damaged in Yalding after youths threw missiles at it.
Parish Councils28-29 32
DOGwalkers are urged to keep an eye out for snakes after petswere bitten.
Snakes in the grass 18
6 10
3
Crime Reports 29
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