Maidstone Weald Edition downsmail.co.uk Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE December 2018 No. 260 Headcorn hit News Jean stepping down by ramraiders JEAN Hammond’s 14-year RAMRAIDERS caused extensive association with Headcorn’s damage to the front of the Sains- parish magazine has come bury’s Local store in Headcorn. to an end. 3 A large mechanical crane was used to gouge the cash machine Jobless mum stole out of the wall late on November A JOBLESS Marden mother of 19. It is not known how much cash three who stole fuel from a was in the machine at 29 supermarket petrol station the time. faced the music in court . 5 Eco village scheme A BUSINESSMAN claims a plan for an “eco village” in Rural protection plan Kingswood could help finance a relief road. 10 Council mag blunder ‘not failsafe’ warning THE borough council is under fire for a magazine which REPRESENTATIVES in the Weald have been warned against using wrongly depicted WW1 in artwork. 18 government protection for rural areas as a “negative planning instrument”. Recognition for areas including body, Country Land & Business cations in on some areas. Obituaries 32 the Greensand Ridge and Low Association (CLA), cautioned Conservative group leader and Weald as areas of outstanding nat- AONBs do “not ensure its protec- Staplehurst borough councillor ural beauty (AONB) is now under- tion and enhancement” and the John Perry said: “There is wide Parish Councils 36-38 way and has received cross-party needs of rural businesses must be support for this and protecting the A NEW defibrillator machine has support. heard. Two Maidstone borough Greensand Ridge, but the hoops been installed in Headcorn; there Headcorn borough councillor councillors proposed the AONB that need to be gone through to have been pothole problems in achieve designation means this Karen Chappell status, going further than the coun- Busbridge Road, Loose; a resident will be a long, slow process, but it Tay (pictured) cil officers had themselves pro- in Langley asked for help to clear says achieving the posed. has to be worth a try.” debris from a chestnut tree which CLA regional director Robin Ed- AONB designa- It includes an application for na- was landing in Leeds Road; a wards said: “AONBs can bring sig- tion will offer the tional “sub-tier” AONB recogni- litter pick is scheduled for March highest protection tion for all “landscapes of local nificant benefits, but it must be 2019 at Marden; allotment hold- against inappro- recognised that the designation of value” identified in the Local Plan, ers face an increase in rents in priate develop- including Low Weald and the Len an area of land alone will not en- Sutton Valence. ment. and Loose valleys. sure its protection and enhance- She told Downs Mail: “If we se- Liberal Democrat Cllr Sue Grigg ment. Crime Reports 38 cure AONB status that would be said achieving AONB status can “AONB designation should not wonderful.” take several years, which critics be used as a negative planning in- A HORSE box trailer was stolen in But the influential landowners’ fear could be used to sneak appli- strument, and rural areas that are East Farleigh; a tractor was taken designated cannot remain immune from an agricultural field near from events within the economy. Staplehurst; cards and cash were “AONB policies must include taken from a car in Headcorn; a sustainability for the economic and digger trailer was stolen from a environmental development of building site in Marden Road, rural communities. Staplehurst; a car was damaged “Land management brings envi- in Laddingford; an attempt was ronmental benefits and can only made to steal a wing mirror from continue and improve if farmland a van in Chart Sutton. and rural businesses within the AONB are economically sustain- able.” Comment 46-47 We Offer Cuts, Colours, Styles & More WALK IN UNISEX SALON % 10 OFF WITH THIS Unit 4, Langley Park Centre, Laight Rd, Langley Park ME17 3FU | 01622 532972 | www.scissorhandz.co.uk VOUCHER NO GIMMICKS! NO MISLEADING OFFERS! TOP QUALITY PRODUCTS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES! OUR REPUTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF 2 Maidstone Weald December 2018 downsmail.co.uk News Fair at Hunton Jean, 89, stepping down THE church, churchyard and vil- lage hall at Hunton will host the community’s Christmas Fair and parade on Saturday, December 8. Stalls will offer gifts and activi- from her magazine role ties and a large model railway is IT WILL be with some amuse- likely to prove a big crowd pleaser. ment that Jean Hammond reads The festive lantern parade starts about herself in Downs Mail after at 5pm and there will be mulled working for more than a decade wine, mince pies, and refreshments on Headcorn parish magazine. in the hall and the church, as well At 89, Jean is handing over her Retiring as a barbecue in the churchyard. title as magazine chairman, after chairman Jean Admission is £1 per adult (under getting involved 14 years ago Hammond with 16s free). Tickets to see Santa are £5 when her husband died. a copy of the per child. Profits will be shared by She said: “It has been the best ed- Headcorn St Mary’s Church and the Friends ucation. I knew nothing about the parish of St Mary’s, along with other vil- village when we moved to magazine lage organisations. Hawkenbury from London in 1985. To book a Santa visit, reserve a “Now I know so many people, It was notes such as these which 500 copies of the magazine each stall or offer your help call Steve the issues and the wonderful were handed to Jean by Colonel month and distributes them to and Sue on 01622 820403. things this village has to offer. Blick Waring’s widow when she over 300 homes. “I hope those moving here will took the chair in 2004. The publication, which costs 50p, recognise that the magazine is a Jean joked: “When the magazine has been a central feature of village Lights going on fantastic way to get to know the committee realised I was computer life since the turn of the century. THE Christmas lights in Coxheath community and make friends.” literate, that was the beginning of New chairman Gillian Mountjoy will be switched on at the Holy Magazine secretary Peg Parn- my undoing! I am quite organised praised Mrs Hammond’s “bound- Trinity Church on Sunday, De- ham said: “Since the days when and have loved finding stories and less enthusiasm”. Editor Helen cember 2. the magazine was typed to the getting new correspondents. Anderson said: “Jean’s tenacity There will be carol singing from computer-based production of “While it is a church magazine it and commitment to the sourcing 4.30pm, followed by mulled wine today, Jean has been an incredibly is our parish magazine, and has of new and fresh material has en- and mince pies. active chairman, always accompa- something for everyone.” sured content that is relevant, in a The lights will be switched off in nied by lists and copious notes!” The team of volunteers produces ‘whole-community’ approach.” early January to save energy. 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RELIEF road campaigner and Elvin QC to let the case proceed to a After the November 7 hearing, county councillor Gary Cooke (pic- “substantive hearing” on half of the Cllr Cox said: “The objective of the tured) said: “It would nice to have six grounds for a possible judicial Judicial Review has always been to this resolved one way or the other. review. gain clarity in respect of the use of “Three of The case revolves around MBC’s S106 money, secured from develop- the grounds for unhappiness that Tory-led KCC ers through the statutory planning a judicial re- used road levies from three specific process, and intended for specific view have A274 housing developments to developments. been thrown carry out viability studies for a "Today’s oral hearing has al- out and MBC Leeds-Langley relief road. MBC’s lowed the merits of our case to be has to go away application for an injunction to stop examined and I am satisfied that the and find a way leadership of John Perry. MBC of re-arguing the remaining three. KCC using the monies for the stud- brought the action against KCC Honourable Judge David Elvin QC ies was thrown out, we understand, has intimated that there are suffi- “It was interesting that the Lib- after years of wrangling between as it was too late. cient grounds to continue our legal eral Democrat leader of MBC, Mar- the two authorities. Although the decision was not a challenge against KCC. tin Cox, says the door remains victory for either side, MBC has One year ago, they agreed to “Throughout this process we open, but really it is up to them to managed to keep its chances of se- meet in a group headed by MPs have remained open to all discus- withdraw as they instigated it in curing the judicial review alive.