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Maidstone Town | Maidstone East | Maidstone South | Malling August 2015 No. 220
News ‘Let’s act fast to avoid Fun on the river ALMOST 100 boats lined along the Medway for the informal boat gathering, collated by a rise in homes target’ River Medway Boaters. 4 THE borough's housing target could swell beyond the current 18,560 if the Involve replaces Vam local plan is not adopted soon, warns the leader of Maidstone Council. LOCAL charity Voluntary Action Maidstone is to change Lib Dem Cllr Fran Wilson cam- spokesman] and myself over the port in the independent magazine its name to Involve. 26 paigned to reduce the controversial past 18 months to achieve this and for housing professionals that indi- housing target (initially 19,600) – be- we've failed. cates that the latest revision in pop- tween 2011 and 2031 – while in op- “The leader of Kent County Coun- ulation figures puts existing housing Delays expected position to the ruling Conservatives. cil [Cllr Paul Carter] did all he could data in question and that calcula- OPERATION Stack misery is set But less than three months after re- to find a way and he failed. tions on which local authorities have to continue despite gaining the role of council leader “Kalc [Kent Association of Local based their figures for housing need political interventions. 31 eight years since she was in charge, Councils] provided a further report have probably underestimated pop- Cllr Wilson has admitted that she and MBC, in the interests of trans- ulation growth. has “failed” to reduce the target. parency, sent that to yet another in- “I beg everybody to work together Show crowd increase Furthermore, both the Lib Dems dependent consultant. His verdict to actually resolve our local plan.” A TOTAL of 77,000 visitors at- and Conservatives have warned that was that it would not stand up to the Conservative Cllr David Burton, tended the Kent Show – London's rapidly increasing popula- inspector's scrutiny. chairman of the strategic planning up 2,000 from 2014. 40 tion – up by 100,000 every year since “It would now be advisable to ac- committee, said: “The impact of mi- 2008 – could force the borough to ac- cept the 18,560 housing need assess- gration to and from London will cept an even higher target. ment and to understand that as yet have an impact on the South East. Comment 34-3546-47 Cllr Wilson told full council: no utility or highways authority “There is some uncertainty about “Everything has been tried to reduce have provided any evidence to en- if and when it will come to fruition. Crime Reports 35 our housing need assessment. No able us to substantially convert that Delay in the local plan increases the one worked harder than Cllr Tony figure into a lower housing target. risk that housing numbers ITEMS were stolen from a cricket Harwood [Lib Dem planning “There is a well-substantiated re- need to increase further.” 12 pavilion in Otham. Obituaries 38-39 Cash query as TRIBUTES were paid to Alistair Rockers let hair down Black (79), who was a Maidstone bypass agreed borough councillor for Fant ward. MAIDSTONE proved it could rock with the best of them, MAIDSTONE Council is set to Parish Councils 50-51 in spite of the rain, when press ahead with the Leeds-Lang- the Ramblin’ Man Fair paid ley bypass, but there is still no indi- THERE was little interest in an its first visit to the town. cation of how the scheme will be emergency plan at Broomfield Thousands endured funded. and Kingswood; a car had en- Sunday’s downpours at the The proposed road linking the tered tee lake in Downswood; rock weekender in Mote A274 south-east of Maidstone with rats were problematic in Detling; Park and, in spite of the A20 near M20 Junction 8 has there were reports of travellers in complaints about the noise been an aspiration for more than 30 Glebe Field, Harrietsham. from residents, Maidstone years. It has become even more im- Council has confirmed it is portant in recent years, with the in talks with organiser The council's local plan target of 18,560 Rock Collective about a homes between 2011 and 2031 in- repeat performance next cluding about 4,000 homes along year. the Sutton Road corridor. 20 Previously the link road idea had caused divisions but the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board, con- taining borough, county and parish Award winning councillors, has recommended the Rubbish pick-ups salon inclusion of the scheme in the Inte- PAID-FOR bulky refuse collec- grated Transport Strategy (ITS), tions now include Saturdays. For sohairdressing.com which will form part of the local information see the Maidstone plan. But Cllr Paul Carter, who Council-sponsored 12-page Bor- lives in Langley and repre- ough Update in the centre pages. 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2 Maidstone East August 2015 downsmail.co.uk News Arcade plan A GAMBLING arcade in Maidstone Parade brings global town centre is set to close. A planning application seeks to convert Main St Amusements at 90 Week Street into a tanning and beauty salon. theme to town centre Applicant Absolutely Fabulous Tanning has 14 salons across the HUNDREDS of people enjoyed country, including Mega Sun Tan- the glorious sunshine as the Maid- ning, which recently opened in Orp- stone Parade wound its way ington and whose frontage would be around the streets. replicated in Maidstone. The spectacular parade with the Maidstone Council will decide. theme “Around the World” in- volved more than 20 walking groups from schools, churches, Doorstep sellers charities, youth and community RESIDENTS have been warned groups, accompanied by choirs and not to do business with doorstep bands. sellers after reports of a company Places represented in colourful knocking on doors in the Madgin- costumes included Africa, Brazil, ford area. Anyone needing work Italy and Hawaii while the children A group from the Mandy Ellen Performing Arts School in Hawaiian dress done to their home or garden is ad- from Jubilee Church dressed as vised to obtain three quotes before aeroplanes from across the world. buying. Any suspicious activity There were also live music and should be reported by calling 101, or dance performances in the town. in an emergency, 999. The event was organised as part of Maidstone Arts Festival by Maidstone Town Team, in conjunc- Pub extension tion with Maidstone Council and THE Harrow in Lidsing Road, Lids- the Town Centre Management. ing has applied for a single storey For more pictures of the parade extension to the pub's existing din- see www.downsmail.co.uk ing area. Maidstone Council will determine For more local news Left, children from Jubilee Church the part-retrospective planning ap- and above, dancers from Maplesden plication, which includes a utility www.downsmail.co.uk room and installation of a decking Noakes Dance Academy area with canopy. 01622 738772 7 Yeoman Court, Ashford Rd Bearsted, Kent ME14 4ND www.directorshairandbeauty.co.uk
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Maidstone East August 2015 3 News downsmail.co.uk Boat gathering lights up river
THE prospect of poor weather was that we do not want an official spent more than £500 during the sued a warning to visitors to stay failed to deter boat owners sailing event – we are quite happy to carry five days he was berthed on the safe and behave responsibly on the into Maidstone for the new “gath- on with our own gathering as we Medway. water. ering of boats”. have done for 37 years.” Mr Smurthwaite said: “It is such However, one speedboater – un- Almost 100 boats berthed in the Mr Smurthwaite said 90% of the a shame that the council cannot see connected with the gathering – was town for the informal gathering, boaters were happy with the gath- the benefit in promoting the river spoken to by police after driving collated by River Medway Boaters, ering as it was – although he criti- as a positive attribute to the county dangerously close to young chil- which last year replaced the Maid- cised Maidstone Council for its town, despite using a picture of it dren bobbing about in dinghies, stone River Festival. apparent lack of interest in the river on much of their literature.” and causing a swell which knocked The gathering was a great social as a tourist attraction. Prior to the gathering, police is- other boat owners off their feet. event, according to spokesman This year’s gathering coincided Mark Smurthwaite, who said it was with the Ramblin’ Man Fair, which now a fixture which would con- the council claimed would boost tinue in its present form for “many the town’s economy by £700,000 years to come”. and bring up to 20,000 visitors to There had been attempts to re- the town. vive the old-style festival this year But Mr Smurthwaite said: “Yes, but Mr Smurthwaite said: “The lots of people travelled to and from boaters do not want a fun fair, Mote Park but very few stopped in stalls, bands and all the grief that Maidstone or spent any money in goes along with being part of an or- the town.” ganised festival. In contrast, one boat owner alone “From speaking with the boating – moored alongside Mr Smurth- community, the general consensus waite and who visits every year –
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4 Maidstone East August 2015 downsmail.co.uk News Protest at plan for 850 homes CAMPAIGNERS are facing an- Cllr Paulina Stockell, a member of other battle to prevent hundreds of the committee, said: “I am ab- homes being built on land south of solutely staggered. It gets worse and Sutton Road, Maidstone. worse. Enough is enough. We now Maidstone Council still has a hear there is going to be a school, shortfall of more than 1,000 on its when there is already going to be a local plan target of 18,560 homes be- school at the Langley Park develop- tween 2011 and 2031, so officers ment nearby. have recommended an allocation of “There will be 2,000 homes there 850 homes at Langley Park Farm. and another 850 on here. There will The idea came before the strategic be an unacceptable impact. Nothing planning committee, less than a has changed since it was refused be- week after developer Countryside fore. The traffic in rush hour goes all Properties hosted an exhibition out- the way back to Sutton Valence. For lining a proposal for 850 homes as this development to go all the way well as a school on the land. to the allotments and the Crown Cllr Cheryl Taylor Maggio, chair- and Horseshoes pub is unaccept- man of Langley Parish Council, was able.” at the exhibition. She said: “The The Downs Mail received several housing density is high, at 35 houses letters of objection in the days before per acre, and there will be blocks of the meeting. Adam Hume wrote: 3.5-storey town houses – an urban “At the meeting [exhibition] I was development in the countryside – astonished to see no green buffer which extends from Langley Park to zone/anti-coalescence strip, which St Mary's Church, including the golf will mean Langley as a village will driving range. The view of St Mary's (if passed) disappear to be swal- Church on the approach down the lowed up into Park Wood.” hill to Langley would be blocked by Rob Jarman, the council's head of housing.” planning, told councillors that they In March, objectors thought they would not be “wedded” to the idea had successfully protected the land of having a school on the land, but from development when an alloca- added it would be difficult to refuse tion of 600 homes was removed a planning application for homes Advertisement Feature from the list of sites on the draft given the shortfall in the local plan local plan because it was considered and the site's proximity to those al- an unacceptable “encroachment of ready with planning permission. the urban area”, given that about The 11pm deadline arrived with- WARNING: 2,000 homes in the Sutton Road cor- out a solution. The item was de- ridor had recently been built or ferred to the next meeting of the 7 Critical Questions to given planning permission. committee on August 18. Classic fun at castle Ask Before You Instruct an LEEDS Castle was a sea Estate Agent in Maidstone of Union Jacks as Not all estate agents are the same. If you decide to seek thousands enjoyed the yearly classical concert. the help of an agent when selling your home, you need A sunny afternoon some good information before you make any decision. greeted swing from The Choosing an estate agent is one of those critical issues Definitive Rat Pack and a programme from the that can cost or save you thousands of pounds. In this FREE Royal Philharmonic special book, we give you the 7 specific questions you Orchestra, conducted by should be asking to ensure that you get the best estate for John Rigby. After your home. Before you appoint any estate agent in the demonstrations from a Spitfire and TV dancers Maidstone area, call and secure your free a copy of this James and Ola Jordan, book entitled "The 39 Steps to a Successful House Sale". who live in Kings Hill, the Whilst it normally retails at £9.95, our special reader evening concluded with cannons and fireworks. offer entitles you to get the book for free! Simply visit www.Maidstone7Questions.co.uk Club seeks extra parking Or to get a free text redemption code with details about BEARSTED and Thurnham Club has applied to extend car parking to how to get your FREE copy of this book simply text the rear of its premises in Bearsted Green. “MAIDS7” to 60222. The club wants to create five extra spaces on land it purchased 15 years Get your free book NOW ago from a former owner of one of the Invicta Villas. A supporting state- ment said: “The current car park at the rear is often full and at times it to find out the 7 questions does become hazardous with the potential for accidents. The situation is that most estate agents in not helped by the continuance of unauthorised parking as a result of the Maidstone hope you’ll never parking restrictions now imposed around the Green.” ask! Maidstone Council will decide.
Maidstone East August 2015 5 News downsmail.co.uk Lights events THE Christmas lights will be switched on in Maidstone’s Frem- Passing medics rush to lin Walk on November 19. As in previous years, the organ- isers are hoping to attract a celebrity to perform the switch-on. save heart a ack driver Maidstone Town Centre Man- agement will be looking to comple- A GROVE Green man who suf- cumstances ensured that Peter re- ment the event with entertainment fered a heart attack at the wheel of ceived the best treatment possible including performances across the his car in Wateringbury was saved when he suffered a heart attack. town from the likes of school choirs by hospital staff who were in ve- What were the chances of there and the Salvation Army band. hicles behind him. being two health professionals in Efforts are also being made to co- Peter Rabbatts (62) was driving to cars behind Peter, who had both ordinate late-night shopping op- work through the village when he been trained in CPR? Then you portunities, possibly for two weeks collapsed. When his car failed to throw in the presence of the trust’s in the run-up to Christmas. pull away as the traffic lights medical director, and the miracle is Approaches will also be made to changed, the two medics became complete.” Maidstone Council about parking concerned and ran to help him. Mr Rabbatts said: “Thanks to concessions. Paediatric oncology nurse Helen their prompt actions, I arrived at Stevens and occupational therapist Maidstone Hospital’s A&E depart- Chloe Joseph, who work for Maid- ment alive. We cannot thank them No lorry ban ston and Tunbridge Wells Hospital enough – my survival is down to KCC has decided not to implement Trust, each had an instinct that them.” a 7.5tonne weight restriction in something was wrong. Discovering Another passer-by who was on Headcorn Road south of Lenham. that Mr Rabbatts had no pulse and his way to work also stopped at the A petition was handed to the wasn’t breathing, Helen began Peter Rabbatts with Paul Sigston and scene and used his first-aid training Maidstone Joint Transportation CPR, supported by Chloe, while a nurse Helen Stevens from his work as a special consta- Board in April calling for restric- member of the public called for an ble. tions on heavy goods vehicles ambulance and helped to direct Mr Rabbatts said: “The last thing Mr Sigston said: “We are so (HGV) that pass through Sandway, traffic. I remember is waiting at the lights pleased that Peter is making a good Platts Heath, Liverton Hill and As Chloe took over the chest on the A26 when I started to expe- recovery. Fortunately, because my Grafty Green. compressions, the hospital trust’s rience intense chest pains, and put- colleagues responded so quickly to However, a report to the meeting medical director Paul Sigston came ting my handbrake on. The next Peter’s cardiac arrest, further treat- said that alternative routes for on the scene and assisted with CPR. thing I remember is waking up in ment could be provided by the HGVs are limited, and many of When the ambulance arrived, he hospital and being told that I’d suf- paramedics when they arrived. It is them are serving businesses in the continued to offer medical support fered a heart attack.” at moments like this that one ap- area, rather than using the road as a as Mr Rabbatts was taken to Maid- His wife Jane said: “It was noth- preciates why everyone should be rat-run. stone Hospital. ing short of miraculous how cir- trained in basic life support.”
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Maidstone East August 2015 7 News downsmail.co.uk School’s farewell Dawn Riach- Brown (right) and Janet to retiring head Greenroyd receive the A MAN described as “the face of award from Bower Grove School” is retiring. CTSI Past and present staff and pupils chairman of the special school in Fant Lane, Mark Fant were reunited in saying good- McGinty bye to Trevor Phipps at a series of events in the run-up to the end of term. Wardens’ work rewarded The active 60-year-old intends to use his time to follow his passion as MALLING and Maidstone’s com- and we offer support to victims and a cyclist and also hopes to visit his munity support warden has re- give them confidence.” daughter in Australia. ceived an award for her Kent Community wardens visited more Mr Phipps joined Bower Grove in colleagues for their work in protect- than 600 scam victims as part of 1984, rising to deputy head and, 25 ing the victims of scam callers. Kent’s Stop the Scammers project. years ago, to headmaster. He has been the face of Bower Dawn Riach-Brown, previously a KCC’s cabinet member for com- He saw through the changes that Grove School for more than 30 community warden in Bearsted, munity services Mike Hill said: came about following a review 12 years.” picked up the Hero award at the “Kent’s community wardens have years ago, when the school shifted The former PE teacher will be re- Chartered Trading Standards Insti- worked tirelessly, often in their own from serving children with physi- membered for his love of amateur tute’s annual conference in time, to visit vulnerable residents cal disabilities to those with behav- dramatics and sport. Mrs Salter Bournemouth. and warn them about the various ioural and mental health needs. added: “His favourite day of the The award recognises the support ways in which scammers can part The school now has a register of year has always been sports day of the county’s wardens with the them from their money. We are de- 200 pupils aged from four to 16. and the teachers versus students’ campaign by KCC Trading Stan- lighted with their achievements and Deputy head Lynn Salter will football match for year 11s. We plan dards, police and local authorities to this award is well-deserved.” take over as head following Mr to put on a show for his leaving cut scam crime. Community wardens have also Phipps’ retirement. She said: “He party and to hold a staff and pupils Dawn, who is the support warden been delivering training to banks knows every child’s name, and all rounders match before he goes.” for Malling, Tonbridge and Maid- and post offices on scam awareness the parents, always takes Friday as- Mr Phipps is pictured with a Cel- stone, based at the Community and where to report incidents and semblies, takes a turn on lunch ebrate Maidstone Lifetime Achieve- Safety Unit at Maidstone Gateway have helped at training sessions for duty and enjoys making a differ- ment award, which he won in 2013 in King Street, Maidstone, said: more than 400 Royal Mail postal de- ence to the lives of young people. for his work at the school. “There are a lot of scams going on livery workers.
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