High Street regeneration

This is the winning design idea for the 4 million pound makeover of the High Street.
Vehicles such as buses will travel though, but instead of having old fashion boundaries of kerbs, so you know where is safe, there will be road lines. By the bridge is a busy main road that sees heavy traffic loads, I wonder if this is the safest approach. Don't get me wrong, I am all in favour of the regeneration of the area.
However, people will be attracted to the area if the buildings encourage this, not just a monocyled juggler. The rents and shops pay for the upkeep, so it is them that need to be updated, and not empty units and boring shops that do not attract the visitors.
Lets hope the scheme will work and make the High Street a more usable space, like Earl Street has with its flavour of restaurants.

Latest Council drastic cutbacks (or chainsaw massacre)

If anyone has walked into Earl Street, this week will see the destruction of the two nice plane trees at the top of the road. They gave a continental feel of the street with the open pubs and restaurants. Also they helped with the air pollution and gave nice shade in the afternoon sun.
Why were these not trimmed in the autumn?, when new shoots could grow in the spring and been able to produce leaves for this year.

Apparantly, the truth is that as the trees were pollards several years ago, and it is time to do it again. I am sure in a years time they should look like tress again! The sparrows will just have to find somewhere else for a while.

High Street regeneration scheme

Some of the pictures of the designs of the High Street £4 million regeneration sceme look ideallic. However the regeneration of the High Street cannot just be changed by just opening up the area, which can sometimes be used by rouwdy people and street sellers that would make the place a no go area.
It has more to do with, what is in the buildings along the street, it is these building that generate rates and jobs and attract people to Maidstone to help it prosper as the county town.

I would like to hear your comments on the new addition by the river - The Maidstone Marker.

Tonbridge road when there was no traffic, and you can hear the birds sing

Pictures of Maidstone

An entrance from Earl St to Fremlin Walk. If you have any old pictures share them with us.

Welcome to blog for Maidstone in the UK