Swale Borough Council - New 9-Lane Bowling Alley Planned for Sittingbourne

Picture: Spirit of Sittingbourne.

An application for a 9-lane bowling alley in Sittingbourne has been submitted to Swale Borough Council.

The plans have been put forward by The Light, the firm behind the 8-screen cinema currently being fitted out in the new Bourne Place development between the high street and train station for opening in October.

The application proposes a change of use of one of the ground floor restaurant units that would share an entrance with the cinema above.

If approved, the bowling alley would join the 63 bed Travelodge hotel, the Light Cinema, restaurants such as Nando's, Pizza Express, and Loungers.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“I really welcome this initiative by Light.

A bowling alley is something that many people have asked for over the years, and the more we can diversify the leisure offer at Bourne Place the better.

It will help give people more reasons to visit the town centre more often and for longer periods.

I would like to commend cabinet member Monique Bonney for the work she has put into this innovative plan”

Cllr Monique Bonney, cabinet member for economy and property at the council, said:

“This is really exciting news for Sittingbourne and, if approved, should be a major attraction for the borough.

We are working very hard with the tenants to deliver a more diverse offer for local people and visitors that will be less dependent on restaurants than the original scheme.

If we want our town centres to thrive, we need a broader offer to attract more visitors to support our local businesses and jobs.”

The application 20/503138/FULL is expected to be decided by the planning committee in the next few months.

Swale Borough Council

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KCC Adult Education Launches FREE Virtual Taster Sessions

KCC’s Adult Education service is holding a range of free taster sessions during a virtual open week to showcase some of the many course subjects on offer.

The courses take place in the first week of September and will give learners the opportunity to try a range of creative subjects for free, to see if they like the experience before deciding if they want to enrol and a longer course. There are about 30 subject choices as diverse as belly dancing, floristry, sculpture and watercolour painting. 

Courses are delivered in a real-time, virtual environment, and are easy to access with a phone, laptop, tablet and an internet connection. They provide a collaborative learning experience and the option to interact with other learners, without having to leave the comfort of home.

Learners will be able to experiment with different materials, mediums and techniques with demonstrations from expert tutors. The open week tasters give learners the chance to see how courses are delivered virtually and may help to develop new, exciting hobbies and interests. Specialist tutors will be able to advise which courses are the next step up from the tasters. They not only teach the course but will guide the participants through it, to ensure a positive and enjoyable virtual learning experience.  

The first taster courses start on Tuesday 1st September and the last ones take place on Friday 4th September.

The creative open week courses are free. For more details and to book a space please visit: kentadulteducation.co.uk/about-us/news/creative-open-week-courses or call: 03000 41 40 25.

Kent Adult Education provides an extensive range of vibrant, diverse and challenging courses. Courses are designed to enhance wellbeing and offer high-quality opportunities to discover and develop interests which enrich quality of life. The range covers arts, crafts, languages and much more. Courses take place virtually during the day, in the evening and at the weekend.

Murray Evans

Kent County Council

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Appeal Lodged for Development of 41 Houses at Land off Jubilee Fields, Upchurch

Local news item - posted for information only.

Gold Property Development Ltd has lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate against the decision of Swale Borough Council to refuse permission for outline planning application: 19/501773/OUT | For residential development of 41no. two, three and four bedroom houses. (all matters reserved except for access) at land off Jubilee Fields, Upchurch, Kent ME9 7AQ.

The planning Inspectorate/Secretary of State has decided that the appeal will be determined on the basis of written representations.

Any comments and/or representations received in relation to this application have already been forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate and will be considered by the inspector when deciding the appeal.

Anyone wishing to add to or modify or withdraw their previous representations can do so by contacting the Planning Inspectorate by Email at: RT1@planninginspectorate.gov.uk or in writing to: Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN quoting reference: APP/V2255/W/20/3246265.

Please note: The deadline to do this is by Wednesday 12th August 2020.

Link to planning application and appeal documents: http://bit.ly/2XBhll8

Upchurch Matters

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Changes to Upchurch Surgery Times on Thursday 30th July

Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi Subbiah

Upchurch Surgery will be closed on the afternoon of Thursday 30th July but will be open between 10:00am until 1:00pm instead.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Please call NHS 111 if you require urgent medical care.

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham
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Please Nominate Holywell School to win £5,000 in National Book Tokens

WIN £5,000 for your school!

Please nominate Holywell School to win £5,000 in National Book Tokens to spend on their School Library - and if your entry is picked, you'll also get £100 of National Book Tokens to spend on yourself!

The prize draw closes at 11:59pm on Friday 31st July 2020. Winners will be contacted by Email.

Only one entry per person will be accepted. Entrants may not win more than one prize, but multiple entrants may nominate the same school.

The more nominations Holywell receives, the higher their chances of winning - so please get nominating at the link here >> www.nationalbooktokens.com/schools

About National Book Tokens

National Book Tokens have been inspiring book lovers since 1932. They work with their charity partners at World Book Day, Book Aid International and Read for Good - and through the thousands of people who give National Book Tokens as gifts and rewards to children and young adults each year - to encourage a lifelong love of reading among children everywhere.

Accepted in 1000s of bookshops, online and on eBooks, National Book Tokens are the perfect way to reward and inspire.

Thank you

Upchurch Matters

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Swale Borough Council Deep Cleans Roads to Improve Air Quality

Swale Borough Council has deep cleaned the roads and pavements in the borough’s five Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) to improve air quality.

As well as the usual level of cleansing to remove litter, leaves and debris and clear back the edges of weeds, council contractors Biffa worked to jet wash the tarmac in Newington, Ospringe, East Street and St Pauls Street in Sittingbourne, and Teynham to reduce the dangerous particulate matter deposited in the road from recirculating into the air.

Cllr Tim Valentine, cabinet member for the environment at the council, said:

“Deep cleaning the roads in our air quality management areas is important for eliminating the damaging particulate matter that is deposited into the road by traffic.

The dangerous matter can be deposited from vehicle brake pads, tyre wear, tail pipe exhaust emissions and various materials - mud, dust and other particles - attached to vehicle tyres.

When the deposits build up along the road, they can recirculate into the air every time a vehicle moves over them, which intensifies the pollution in an area already under a heavy burden.

We spend more than £1m each year on street cleansing services, street patrols to pick up litter and emptying more than 800 litter bins and 350 dog bins across the borough, and have now allocated additional funds to trial this extra service to reduce these dangerous particulates that can damage people’s health.”

For more information about air quality visit: www.swale.gov.uk/air-quality

Swale Borough Council

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