Interesting to read Stephen Paine's recent blog post on the Fib Dem newsletter - he seems a bit cross. The newsletter has been printed as a single sheet newspaper and doesn't contain their logo anywhere nor does it mention in the banner that it is from them. Mind you, the opening photo of Nick Clegg claiming to build a fairer society is enough to confine the rag to the recycling. Did they mention that it is a two horse race here?
It looks like Helen Grant's husband Grant is now in charge on fundraising for the Tories. Do they know how unpopular her approach to expenses has been? Surely they would have been wise to elect anyone else!
Green Party campaigner in Kent. Also a nurse, academic, former manager, writer, Druid, husband and father...
Showing posts with label local. Show all posts
Showing posts with label local. Show all posts
Friday, 29 March 2013
Objection to St Peters Street supermarket
I have just sent the letter below in to the council on the proposed supermarket on one of the most gridlocked streets in the town. We have also collected 100 signatures from local people against it.
Dear Development Control,
Planning Application Ref: 13/0297 - Objection
We, along with local residents, are very concerned about the planning application to convert the 'Power Hub' on St Peters St into a supermarket. We append a 100 signature petition that has been signed by local residents.
Firstly, the site could be put to better use, for example for light industry or affordable homes, both of which are in short supply. Neither of these uses would create the volumes of traffic associated with a supermarket yet industry and homes are necessary for the town.
Secondly, the specific grounds on which we object to the supermarket are as follows:
1. Another supermarket in the area is unnecessary. There are already six large supermarkets within a mile of the site: Tesco and Lidl in Tovil; Sainsburys at Romney Place; Aldi on Well Road; Waitrose in Allington and another Lidl in the Broadway Shopping Centre. These are supplemented by three huge supermarkets at Grove Green, Senacre and Aylesford. Furthermore Morrisons are keen to take over the Army and Navy site just a short distance from Baltic Wharf.
As Maidstone residents are not starving as a result of being unable to find a local supermarket it seems that there are no good reasons to think that additional supermarket capacity is needed in the town.
2. The opening of Asda Home alongside TK Max, Homebase, Wickes and Hobbycraft has reduced St Peters Street and Buckland Hill to gridlock at the weekends. There are three schools that are accessed via Buckland Hill which create serious congestion at 8.30 am and 3.30pm each weekday.
The plans state that there will be an extra 710 vehicles an hour along these roads, a rise of 54%. The planning application seems to focus on the impact on the gyratory system and London Road, however the real impact will be on St Peters Street and Buckland Hill and these roads will simply not cope with this additional traffic which equates to an extra car passing every 5 seconds.
The new ‘drive thru’ McDonalds proposed for the Broadway is already destined to bring more congestion and worsen air quality in the area.
There are no bus services at all along St Peters Street, and the site is 400 metres from the nearest bus stops. Inevitably almost all customers will arrive and leave by car contributing further to the traffic congestion and pollution in this part of the town.
The impact on air quality for the 800 homes in the Buckland area will be devastating. For some reason the council has not been assessing the area in your pollution control work, however it is opposite Fairmeadow which has exceeded the NO2 targets for the past three years and we can only assume that this level of pollution already extends to Buckland Hill and St Peters Street.
Furthermore, as European research has shown that the UK has around 29,000 premature deaths occur in the UK as a result of PM10, there can be no justification in reducing air quality levels for people already living in an Air Quality Management Area, an area that is clearly experiencing excess deaths due to air pollution.
3. Other local shops will become unviable and will close. The Corner Shop by Maidstone Barracks Station is well used by local residents and provides useful employment and a friendly local business that will be destroyed by a supermarket on its doorstep.
Maidstone Borough Council should be encouraging local businesses not closing them down.
We urge you to reject the planning application.
Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Green Party
Dear Development Control,
Planning Application Ref: 13/0297 - Objection
We, along with local residents, are very concerned about the planning application to convert the 'Power Hub' on St Peters St into a supermarket. We append a 100 signature petition that has been signed by local residents.
Firstly, the site could be put to better use, for example for light industry or affordable homes, both of which are in short supply. Neither of these uses would create the volumes of traffic associated with a supermarket yet industry and homes are necessary for the town.
Secondly, the specific grounds on which we object to the supermarket are as follows:
1. Another supermarket in the area is unnecessary. There are already six large supermarkets within a mile of the site: Tesco and Lidl in Tovil; Sainsburys at Romney Place; Aldi on Well Road; Waitrose in Allington and another Lidl in the Broadway Shopping Centre. These are supplemented by three huge supermarkets at Grove Green, Senacre and Aylesford. Furthermore Morrisons are keen to take over the Army and Navy site just a short distance from Baltic Wharf.
As Maidstone residents are not starving as a result of being unable to find a local supermarket it seems that there are no good reasons to think that additional supermarket capacity is needed in the town.
2. The opening of Asda Home alongside TK Max, Homebase, Wickes and Hobbycraft has reduced St Peters Street and Buckland Hill to gridlock at the weekends. There are three schools that are accessed via Buckland Hill which create serious congestion at 8.30 am and 3.30pm each weekday.
The plans state that there will be an extra 710 vehicles an hour along these roads, a rise of 54%. The planning application seems to focus on the impact on the gyratory system and London Road, however the real impact will be on St Peters Street and Buckland Hill and these roads will simply not cope with this additional traffic which equates to an extra car passing every 5 seconds.
The new ‘drive thru’ McDonalds proposed for the Broadway is already destined to bring more congestion and worsen air quality in the area.
There are no bus services at all along St Peters Street, and the site is 400 metres from the nearest bus stops. Inevitably almost all customers will arrive and leave by car contributing further to the traffic congestion and pollution in this part of the town.
The impact on air quality for the 800 homes in the Buckland area will be devastating. For some reason the council has not been assessing the area in your pollution control work, however it is opposite Fairmeadow which has exceeded the NO2 targets for the past three years and we can only assume that this level of pollution already extends to Buckland Hill and St Peters Street.
Furthermore, as European research has shown that the UK has around 29,000 premature deaths occur in the UK as a result of PM10, there can be no justification in reducing air quality levels for people already living in an Air Quality Management Area, an area that is clearly experiencing excess deaths due to air pollution.
3. Other local shops will become unviable and will close. The Corner Shop by Maidstone Barracks Station is well used by local residents and provides useful employment and a friendly local business that will be destroyed by a supermarket on its doorstep.
Maidstone Borough Council should be encouraging local businesses not closing them down.
We urge you to reject the planning application.
Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Green Party
Friday, 22 March 2013
Huge supermarket planned for Maidstone town centre
A new supermarket in Maidstone on an already gridlocked street? They must be mad but that is what is proposed for the old Tilling-Stevens factory - now known as the Power Hub on St Peter's St.
Space for 318 cars, with 3716 sq metres of retail - a significant shop, 60 metres by 60 metres.
The local corner shop won't survive and the road, which is already impassible for most of every weekend after they allowed an Asda Living at the far end, simply will not cope.
Bizarrely, the applicants cite the following in support of their application...
Space for 318 cars, with 3716 sq metres of retail - a significant shop, 60 metres by 60 metres.
The local corner shop won't survive and the road, which is already impassible for most of every weekend after they allowed an Asda Living at the far end, simply will not cope.
Bizarrely, the applicants cite the following in support of their application...
Policy R1
permits retail development within the defined urban and village area (includes Baltic Wharf site) subject to the following criteria:
•That the proposed development will not threaten the overall economic vitality and viability of established retail centres;
•That arrangements for road access, parking and servicing of the land and buildings are adequate and that there are no highway objections;
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