News | Sutton Road
downsmail.co.uk No decisions on homes plans
THREE planning applications to introduce a total of 886 homes along Maidstone’s Sutton Road corridor have been put on hold.
All three developers wanted to provide 30% affordable housing, contrary to Maidstone Council’s de- velopment plan document, adopted in December 2006, which seeks a minimum of 40%. The plan- ning committee ordered each de- veloper to produce a viability study explaining why they were unable to meet the higher figure. It was also proposed that the de-
velopers contribute £2.65m to- wards a northbound lane on the A274 Sutton Road, which would have bus prioritisation between 7.30am and 9.30am onweekdays. The committee felt this should be looked at again, with Cllr Tony Harwood, a member of the plan- ning committee, calling for a park and ride hub to be located on the Langley Park site and the main road to remain its current width. All three sites, shown right,were
Site ‘could be traffic rat run’ North of Sutton Rd
Proposal: 186 homes(30%afford- able); open space. Location: North of Sutton Rd, east of Gore Court Rd, south of Bicknor Wood,west of RedrowHomes plan. Developer: Bellway Homes Developer contributions: £1.35m towards new school at Langley Park; £558,000 for Sutton Rd lane widening; £388,000 towards local secondary school improvements; £55,800 for Willington St junction improvements; main road pedes- trian crossing link to Langley Park development. Objections: Otham Parish Council; 16 letters from neighbours.
FEARS of rat running were not al- layed by the proposed introduction of bollards to stop vehicles access- ing Gore Court Road from the site. The bollards would not be re-
moved until phase two, which could see an extra 190 homes north of Bicknor Wood - a site allocated by Maidstone Council for housing. No application has been submitted for this phase. Cllr Gordon Newton, a local
ward member, said motorists would use the access to make a quick escape to the A20 via Otham and Downswood. He was joined by Otham Parish Council and Cllr Richard Ash, who feared more vehicles would head for his ward of Bearsted, in re- questing the bollards were closed permanently.
28 Maidstone East February 2014
allocated for housing in the coun- cil’s most recent local plan, which was adopted in 2000. Rob Jarman, head of planning,
warned that the deferrals could lead to a further delay in the deliv- ery of the long-awaited forthcom-
Tonight has been a waste of time. What
has happened tonight is going to cost this council dearly.
ing local plan and add an additional shortfall to the five-year land supply, which councils need to satisfy to retain control of where new housingwould be built. “Tonight has been a waste of
time,” said Cllr Mike Hogg, a mem- ber of the committee. “What has happened tonight is going to cost this council dearly.”
Boughton Monchelsea
Transport concerns set paern Langley Park
A ROW over transport led to the Langley Park development setting the precedent that led to the other deferrals. Cllr Tony Harwood and the Lib
Dems argued that a park and ride scheme, which was earmarked for the site in the 2000 local plan, would have been a more sustain- able alternative to the proposed road-widening measure towards the Wheatsheaf roundabout. He said: “Park and ride will take
vehicles off the road, but widening what is a residential street will di- vide communities.” Cllr Stephen Paine, a committee member who was in favour of ac- cepting the proposal, said: “Sutton Road as it is cannot accommodate the increase in traffic.” Cllr Harwoodwon the argument,
with the deferral agreed with nine votes in favour and four against. Council officers will now try to ne- gotiate a more sustainable trans- port scheme with the developers. The proposed community centre
was a cause of concern, with Cllr Daniel Moriarty calling for it to be removed from the proposal for fear of reducing the demand at two other community facilities in nearby ParkWood: Heather House, in Bicknor Road, which has been refurbished; and the new commu- nity centre in the Longshaw Road area that forms part of Golding Homes’Wallis Fields development. This request was not taken on
board by the committee, and nei- ther was Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council’s request for £1.9m towards a new village hall.
Proposal: 600 homes(30%afford- able); two-form entry primary school, community centre, retail area, supermarket to open in 2021, allotments, public open space. Location: South of Sutton Rd, east of Bircholt Rd and Brishing Rd, north of StreamShaw,west of Lan- gley Park driving range. Developer: Taylor Wimpey Developer contributions: £14,280 per pupil for new school; £1.8m for Sutton Rd lane widening; £180,000 forWillington St junction improve- ments; initial £106,200 for im- proved health facilities, £40,000 towards sports facilities. Objection: Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council.
Sustainability impresses planners
West of BicknorWood Proposal: 100 homes (30% affordable); new access road from Sutton Road; play area; trim trail to the east; amenity green space around the borders. Location: North of Sutton Road, west of Bicknor Farm Cottages, south of BicknorWood, east of Bellway Homes proposal. Developer: Redrow Homes Developer contributions: £300,000 for Sutton Road lane widen- ing; £40,000 towards sports facilities in ParkWood; £30,000 for Willington Street junction improvements; £14,280 per pupil at new school in Langley Park; main road pedestrian crossing link to Langley Park development. Objections: Otham and Boughton Monchelsea parish councils; 12 letters from neighbours.
REDROWHomeswas applauded for pay- ing greater attention to sustainability than the other two applicants. While Taylor Wimpey and Bellway Homes proposed only level three on the code for sustainable homes, Redrow’s schemewas level four,with 20% of energy coming from low carbon measures sources. The layoutwas complimented by planning officers for incorporating natural ventilation and optimising solar gain. Boughton Monchelsea was concerned
by the proximity of the Bircholt Road to the new access from Sutton Road. Neigh- bours voiced fears for the effect on nearby BicknorWood, an ancientwoodland.
ParkWood Senacre homes 186 Otham homes 100 homes 600 Langley Sutton Road A274
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