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DENNISFOWLE President email
dfowle2011@aol.com
NIMBYs must take a back seat
It’s an odd battle of Torywords
between the leaders of Maidstone Council and Kent County Council on the number of houses Maidstone must plan. KCC’s Paul Carter sticks adamantly with the long-established South East Plan figure. Thatwas 11,080 for the Government plan period of 2006-26. KCC produced new forecasts in 2012 for the subsequent plan period of 2001-2031 and this interim figure was 14,800. But Maidstone Council, determined to get a Government-approved local plan in place, has been researching current requirements in a fast-evolving scene. Government determination for many more houses nationwide grows, and local authorities not producing evidence- based projections for 2011-2031 are having draft local plans rejected. That gives developers a much freer hand beyond full local controls. Maidstone has commissioned the detailed evidence, which shows a need for 19,600 homes. The evidence is based on a growing population, people living longer, new jobs created and national immigration. Maidstone Councilwould like to see this reduced (after identifying current potential) to 17,100. Not all development allocations around the borough will be popular in the communities.We are all NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard), but that argument will be given short shrift, as will the principle of not using green fields, given there are so few brownfield sites remaining. Both Maidstone’s Conservative leader, Cllr Chris Garland, and Lib Dem leader Cllr FranWilson know some greenfield sites will be built on. Their political task now is making the right choices – tough enough without silly electioneering. When shewas given recently a huge vote of confidence as Lib Dem leader, CllrWilsonwarned a few of her more militant colleagues that campaigning against greenfield usewas dishonest. I am not sure the message has got through fully to prospective parliamentary candidate Jasper Gerard, who likes to see himself as our omnipresent saviour. She has alreadywarned him “he should understand local people and local politics”.
Getting planning right I agonised with other England
cricket supporters for two Ashes Tests while enjoying Australia – but also trying towork out why their large communities operate better than many of ours. Two features stood out: Many towns havewell-defined large housing areas linked to the centre by excellent public transport (buses, trams, trains) and good roads. Free regular buses and trams run the length of town centres and so many use them. Iwas a convert for three weeks.
24 Maidstone South February 2014 Tree killer needs aention
Dear Sir – I hope the Government, councils and highways agencies have taken notice of the damage that has been done to our countryside by the winter storms. I have phoned and wrien leers to different agencies over the last three to four years about the rapid growth of the tree ivy. It has taken hold of our trees and hedgerows, and is killing the oak trees. The fir trees at the end ofWillington Street out on to the A20 must be dangerous, because fir roots run shallow in the ground and these trees are really tall. I ama pensioner in my 70s, and can remember oak trees in Mote Park with no ivy growing, but now it’s sad to say they may not be there much longer unless something is done. There has always been ivy growing on walls – the small dark green leaf ivy – but the tree ivy has bigger leaves, is more bushy and grows much faster. Driving around aer Christmas, the roads were a mess, with big clumps of ivy that had blown off trees and had brought trees down. It’s about time someone realised the dangers it’s causing, and did something about it before all the trees and habitat have disappeared. Having been born and grown up in the countryside, it’s sad to see it slowly dying. A Goodwin, Mangravet Avenue, Maidstone
The rough weather has certainly exposed the tireless march of ivy around our roadside trees, with long loops of the stuff creating huge swathes, like curtains, hanging loosely across our country lanes. Not only do these pose a hazard to motorists, oen hiding a solid tree trunk behind them, which the highways’ authority should be concerned about, but le unchecked, this ferocious climber will kill – our trees, that is, by strangulation – a horrid way to go, by anyone’s standards. By its very nature, its tough leaves resist sprays and shrug off pesticides, but what is also certain is that once it gets its feet in the ground it doesn’t know when to stop and the only successful way I have found of removing it is by hand – roots and all. Hopefully, the powers that be will know of a more skilled – and quicker – way of removing this rampant demon, which needs stopping before it takes over. Response by Dawn
Lile faith in planners
Dear Sir – Regarding the proposal to build 124 homes on the site of Marden Cricket and Hockey Club, I have started to approach planning applications within Marden parish with a certain amount of scepticism these days. I have heard many comments to the effect that it does not maer how much the public comment on planning applications, as they are akin to a “juggernaut” over which the community has no control or say over. Maidstone Council is giving every impression that events are overtaking it. This does not really give people faith, or encourage them to engage, in local democracy. There is a concern that Marden is moving from a village to a town, by stealth, with no planning as to how it should grow and
what facilities it will require. According to the 2011 census, the existing ward population for Marden is 7,808. Neighbouring PaddockWood classes itself as a town and has only a slighter higher ward population than Marden at 8,253 – but it also has many more facilities (including a supermarket) and it is in a far more accessible location – as are the communities of Staplehurst at a population of 5,947 and Cranbrook and Benenden ward at 7,799. The analysis that led to Marden being classed as a rural service centre (RSC) and thus targeted for housing growth needs to be open to scrutiny. For example, the existence of the railway station belies the fact that the village is not as accessible via the road network compared to the other communities referenced, and also that many of the people who use the station do not actually live in the village, and come from the hinterland and other communities. The railway primarily serves commuters in to London, the bus service is poor and it is a requirement to own a car in a rural community like Marden. There needs to be an impact assessment and infrastructure study on village growth, and what facilities particular growthwould require prior to new development taking place. Edward Thomas, by email
Homes a threat to village
Dear Sir – I see a planning application has been submied for 124 homes on the present site of Marden Cricket and Hockey Club in Stanley Road, that will enable it to sell off the land to a developer. This is to fund the building of another sports field in Maidstone Road, Marden, whichwas accepted, despite widespread opposition. On the two open days, when parishioners were invited to express their views in respect of the potential sites for new housing development related to the neighbourhood plan, the cricket and hockey club sitewas notably unique in receiving no support at all. It exists in a semi-urbanised location just on the outside boundary of the village envelope and is easily and safely accessible to villagers on foot. There is enough unexploited land available at the ground to enable the expansion and upgrading apparently required. The Sport England fund protecting playing fields would be an ideal possible funder. Onewould hope that any planning applicationwould be assessed on a local basis in the best interests of ourwell- delineated village lying to the south alongside the railway line, rather than in the interests of, if in conflict, the successful sports club or powerful landowners. The aspiration maywell be impossible to achieve because of the prolonged absence of Maidstone Council’s core strategy and of a Marden neighbourhood plan, not due for adoption until this has been accepted. Thiswould suggest that the inundation of planning applications, including the unpopular application for 130 homes on the MAPsite in Goudhurst Road already agreed, will be judged on basic planning principles and not in line with guidelines that would help prioritise the most suitable and acceptable sites for the expected 350
Comment
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