October 2017


Maidstone East Edition


Panto ahoy! December 2019


Over 300 sites listed in development plan


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


THE publication of a list of over 300 potential land sites for development in the borough has finally been published to a chorus of criticism.


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.


CCTV call in a bid to stop fly-tipping


From the town centre to the


outer parishes, virtually no area emerges without some form of housing in the “call for sites” list. Although a fraction will be de-


livered, tens of thousands of pro- posed homes were submitted, as well as three hotels and four gypsy plots. As the people’s protest starts to gather momentum, Liberal Demo-


crat-run Maidstone Borough Coun- cil (MBC) has come in for a hail of condemnation. Its leader, Cllr Martin Cox, ad-


mits there are up to 60,000 units in the 334 submissions. Almost 500 hectares of largely


arable farmland near or around Leeds Castle or Leeds village has been submitted by the Rochester Bridge Trust.


Langley would be engulfed by


housing if all the schemes were ap- proved, virtually joining the A20 to the A274 when combined with submissions for Leeds. An “eco village” of 900 homes at


CALLS for the installation of CCTV cameras to prevent fly-tipping on a country road have been made by the local borough councillor.


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


A HARRIETSHAM family raised £1,700 for charity at the Southamp- ton Poppy Run. Bank worker James Clifford, his daughter Mia (8) and nephew Jay- den Haynes (7) drove to the annual charity race on November 3. The two Hollingbourne Primary


saw a caravan burned out while a torched car remains on a footpath


School pupils completed the 5km course in under an hour.


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


Family’s £1.7k poppy boost Mr Clifford said: “They crossed the


line together to a huge cheer as they were carrying a giant poppy scarf. They received their runners’ medals plus a special medal for rais- ing so much money. “The bank I work for is looking to


see if they will match it, which could mean a total of over £3,500.” l Remembrance Sunday - p36


areas including Langley, Otham and Kingswood. Water Lane in Bearsted and Pilgrims Way have also been targeted recently. Last year, Maidstone Borough 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-


tive by the Environment Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Stan- dards Agency to clamp down on


Kingswood is seen in some quar- ters as a “less intrusive” scheme with an emphasis on affordable homes and local jobs. The authority, styling itself as a “master developer”, is behind two large schemes, including 5,000 homes at Lenham Heath. Another 1,000 units in the town


centre contained a plan for 280 houses in a 14-storey block, which would have meant building a road over the War Memorial at The Broadway. Senior council officials removed


the memorial relocation from the scheme in the week before Re- membrance Sunday. But furious elected members dumped the scheme on November 5. MBC said: “No decisions have


01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT


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


been taken on the submitted sites. Many will be deemed unsuitable. “We’re keen to work with the community, especially with landowners and developers, to map out potential sites and be clear about what development could take place in the future.” Labour councillor Malcolm McKay said: “We need protection from speculative developers, but I would also say that we need pro- tection from our own planning de- partment.” l Call for sites list, pages 18, 19 & 22 l Dennis Fowle, page 46 l Letters, pages 46-47


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


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


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.


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FREE No. 246


downsmail.co.uk News


Kate, 107, dies


KATE Hart, a resident at an old people’s home in Bearsted, has died aged 107, her son David has disclosed.


FREE No. 272


MP’s Local Plan bid New village store


News


THE new community-run shop serving Detling village aims to be both convenient and green.


HELEN Whately asked the government to halt the borough’s housing scheme.


Plans for Dr Nigel Under pressure


VILLAGERS say they’re being pressured to withdraw ob- jections to a road scheme.


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THE widow of GP Dr Nigel Minnet will walk the Grand Canyon for charity. 12


Jason Donovan date Election latest


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AS THE Brexit Party says they will stand aside in Tory seats, we survey the election landscape.


THE former Neighbours star brings his show to the Hazlitt Theatre next May.


Chemical leak at farm


FOUR people were taken to hos- pital and dozens more received treatment after a chemical leak at a farm.


A BEARSTED family has made a plea for the safe return of their dog, believed to have been stolen.


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Plea after dog theft Obituaries


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A RESIDENT has raised concerns about the surface of the road at the A20 junction with Chruch Road in Harrietsham; a plaque on the war memorial in Holling- bourne has been changed; a crossing at the primary school in Leeds has been ruled out by the county council because of traffic.


A SAFE was stolen from a property in Upper Street, Leeds; fuel was stolen from a lorry in Thurnham; there have been thefts of oil from a restaurant in Downswood; the windcsreen of a Volvo car was smashed in Lenham.


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.


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Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper


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Crime Reports 35 Crime Reports à35


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 à46-47 Comment 46-47


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