News


Jailed drug dealer faces


bill for £9k A MAIDSTONE drug dealer has been ordered to pay back more than £9,000 after being jailed for five years.


Ashley Nation (36), of Ton- bridge Road, admitted a string of drugs supply charges including supplying cocaine, MDMA and cannabis. A confiscation hearing found Nation had illegal earnings of £9,174, which included money in bank accounts, cash, designer clothing and footwear.


Nation has three months to pay back the money or faces a further six months in prison.


Police searched his flat and found an array of high value goods, many still boxed, as well as almost £3,000 in cash. A Kent Police spokesman said:


"Plastic packaging had been flushed down a toilet and white residue powder was visible around the toilet bowl. "Just weeks later, a second search warrant was carried out at the same flat. Nation was again arrested, and a number of high value goods valued in excess of £30,000 were seized."


A search of a car parked nearby led to the discovery of quantities of cannabis and cocaine. Nation received a prison sen- tence of four years and nine months. An order was also made for his co-defendant Laura Hughes (39), who had previously been convicted for converting criminal property.


Hughes paid Nation’s profits


from drug dealing into her bank account. She was found to have assets totalling £23,124 and was also ordered to pay these to the court, or face imprisonment.


Churchyard’s


wildlife plan ST Mary's Church in West Malling is creating a new wildlife area in its churchyard. The project to allocate an area in


the north-west annexe of the site for wild flowers, wildlife and bio- diversity is now well under way. Any families with graves in the area should contact the vicar to ask any questions. Church mem- bers are looking for volunteers to get involved in the plans. For details


go to


www.stmaryswestmalling.org.uk. 8


Garden for bugs and birds


THE One Maidstone Business Improvement District (BID) has taken on a patch of ground near the bus station to turn it into a mini wildlife haven. The Pads Hill site has been unused for many years but now it is hoped it will become easier on the eye. The One Maidstone team have sown wildflower beds using donated


seeds and plants. Bird feeders have been put in place, funded by Gullands Solicitors, while bug hotels, handmade by One Maidstone administrator, Nigel Downes, have been installed.


downsmail.co.uk


‘Hundreds of jobs’ at Woodcut estate


THIS is how Woodcut Farm industrial estate will look when it is completed under the name LOC8. The developers Clearbell Prop-


erty Partners released this com- puterised aerial image of the site, located near junction 8 on the M20, near Leeds Castle. The Woodcut Farm proposal, a central plank in getting the Local Plan through in 2017, was met with fierce local resistance, but outline permission was granted in 2018.


It is hoped that the new facility, with its easy motorway links to other part of Kent, will generate hundreds of new jobs.


Concerns from council critics


about the site, where exploratory work has already started, have largely been allayed. Outline planning permission for the development was granted in 2018. A revised masterplan pre- pared by the applicant, Maidstone Investment Holding Limited (MIHL), was then approved by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) earlier this year. LOC8 stands for "Logistics, Of- fice, and Commerce at Junction 8".


A statement said: "The Kent economy is well geared towards logistics and manufacturing oper- ations, with a significant propor- tion of the local population employed in connected trades. "With about 792,500 people eco- nomically active in Kent, LOC8 of- fers access to excellent local talent to help businesses grow." Clearbell Capital spokesman Dominic Moore said: "We are de- lighted to be launching LOC8.


Given its prime location in the heart of Kent, with great transport links and access to a large skilled labour pool, LOC8 will provide an ideal location for businesses and industry to attract the right talent and access global markets. "We have already had a range of enquiries for space on the site and look forward to welcoming more businesses and creating many new jobs when we open in summer next year.”


Tina tribute THE Hazlitt Theatre is putting on


a Tina Turner tribute show from 7.30-10pm on August 28. A Hazlitt spokesman said: “Join an army of loyal fans for a truly authentic,


fun-packed spectacular.”


Book at www.parkwoodthe- atres.co.uk/Hazlitt-Theatre


Food grant ST Gabriel’s in Kings Hill re-


ceived an Asda Community Grant for its food bank.


If you are interested in helping to deliver food boxes to people every other Thursday contact Rev Mark Montgomery on 01732 844194.


Road re-opens


PRATLING Street in Aylesford is set to reopen on June 13. The road shut on May 24 near Old Mill Lane to enable drainage works to be carried out by Kent County Council.


musical


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48