by Angela Cole

Maidstone's High Street has already changed forever.

Work to create a new High Street may only have been going a few weeks, but already three large plane trees that stood in the High Street have been chopped down.

They were felled around 6am during a weekend.

A campaign to save the tree outside the town hall had been launched but Maidstone council argued all three were too big and had to go to make way for new paving and planting.

Smaller trees will replace them as part of the multi million pound ­regeneration scheme which will see more paving for pedestrians and a new public space in front of the Town Hall.

Cllr Malcolm Greer, (Con) who is heading up the project said: “The street looks better and wider without them. I walk around the area every day and people have commented on what a fantastic building Muggletons is now they can actually see it.”

Work is well under way along the street removing ­kerbstones and a new ­temporary traffic ­system has been put into place.

And the schedule of work has changed. Instead of Bank Street being dug up in November and December, work will take place in the New Year, sparing bars and clubs disruption in the run-up to Christmas.