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downsmail.co.uk Groupwarns on homes figures


A CAMPAIGN group has warned that under current guidelines, more than 75,000 new homes could be built in the Maidstone borough by the year 2071.


Protect Kent, the local arm of Campaign to Protect Rural Eng- land (CPRE), has based its calcula- tions on the same methodology used by consultant GL Hearn when it advised Maidstone Council that its housing need for 2011-2031 was 19,600, although this has since been reduced to 18,600. GL Hearn assessed this figure on


a projection by the Department of Communities and Local Govern- ment, which was based on Maid- stone’s current population being higher than was predicted at the beginning of the millennium. Gary Thomas, chairman of the Maidstone branch of Protect Kent, believes the target sets a dangerous precedent for the future. He said: “The consultant has included fig- ures which show that Maidstone


has had just over 30% more com- pletions over the last 13 years than the planned number – 8,091 com- pared to 6,178, ac- cording to the GL Hearn report. “The current projected need has consequently in- creased, whereas logically it should have actually re- duced. The new


Gary Thomas


revision to 18,600 still means a 29% increase over the current borough housing stock. “Housebuilding would not stop


in 2031. Continuing to use the same methodology, between 2031 and 2051 the requirement would be for 25,500 more dwellings and 32,500 homes between 2051 to 2071 be-


cause the more you build the more you ‘need’. “GL Hearn’s report should be re-


jected and another report made, possibly with input from KCC, which takes a wider and more re- sponsible view.” Mr Thomas also told the branch meeting that he was considering making a push for a judicial review about officer reports that are pre- sented to the planning committee. He believes it is unfair that objec- tions from residents are summed up in a general list of bullet points, yet comments from councillors and statutory consultees such as utility companies are published in depth. He said: “The reports are not rep- resentative and disregard the views of the local people the council is elected to serve.”


Maidstone Council says it


needs to find locations for about 13,000 new homes. Of the 18,600 figure, about 2,000 are already built, and planning permission has been granted for more than 3,000. Before the council publishes its


next draft local plan it will consult on the results of the further call for sites held earlier this year. More than 100 housing sites and one gypsy and traveller site were sub- mitted by landowners for inclusion in the plan. A council spokesman said: “Not


all of them will end up in the re- vised local plan. “Each site will be rigorously judged against a range of national and local planning criteria, includ- ing factors such as landscape, flooding and ecology.”


‘Bigger school needed before village homes’


The first poppy is presented to Nicholas Bennion at County Hall Poppy appeal launched


KENT’S 2014 poppy appeal has been launched at County Hall. Dignitaries fromacross the


county joined Royal British Legion members to hear The Kohima Epitaph read by KCC chairman Cllr Peter Homewood. Cllr Leyland Ridings MBE, the president of the Kent County Royal British Legion, recited the exhortation. A presentation on the work of the


Royal British Legionwas given by its Kent vice-chairman Richard Cast. Brompton Military Wives Choir and the Gads Hill cadets presented


Kent’s first poppy to Nicholas Bennion, who served with the 1st Battalion Princess ofWales Regiment for seven years. The poppy campaign in Kent,


which last year raised £1.3m, will run through to Remembrance Day, November 11, with people encouraged to donate or to buy poppy appeal such as paper poppies to jewellery and clothing. Buying a poppy goes towards the


Royal British Legion’s £40m target to support armed forces families, past and present.


Murder suspect in court


A HOMELESS man has been charged with the murder of a well-known rough sleeper in the village of Headcorn. The body of Trevor Hillman


(57)was found in the porch of St Peter’s and St Paul's Church, in ChurchWalk, shortly before 9am on October 22. MrHillmanwaswellknownin


the village, having lived there for many years, and more than 100 people attended a remembrance service and candlelit vigil, con-


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ducted by the Rev David Trustram, in the parish church where his bodywas discovered. Ruslan Piktorov (40) of no


fixed address was arrested in London the same day. A second man, arrested in Headcorn, was released without charge. Piktorov, originally from Uzbekistan, was remanded in custody at Elmley prison, to ap- pear at a plea and case manage- ment hearing on January 21, with a trial set for April 20.


Maidstone South November 2014


COUNTY councillor Jenny Whittle is pressing for the expansion of Headcorn School ahead of any de- velopment in the village. She says with 420 new properties proposed for the area in the bor- ough council’s draft local plan, not a single brick should be laid until the council has resolved how and how much developers will pay to improve the village infrastructure. Cllr Whittle, cabinet member for education, was speaking after bringing parish, county and bor- ough councillors together with ed- ucation chiefs and development agent DHA. She said: “The number of homes proposed in the draft plan is far too many for a village of this size. But whether or not I agree with the fig- ure, it is vital the county council isn’t caught out. We have to make sure Headcorn has a phased devel-


opment plan to ensure there will be enough places for children to attend their local school.” She says Headcorn’s 210-place primary school is already under pressure, with four local children failing to gain places in the recep- tion class this year. Cllr Whittle be- lieves the school will have to double in size to cope with development. She said: “There are issues of ac-


cess and flooding and these need to be addressed with developers now. These improvements to the village infrastructure, such as the school and sewerage system, need to be negotiated with developers before any work starts.” She described the meeting as pro-


ductive, withDHAwilling to listen, and the county council making clear that funding will need to be made available by builders for serv- ice improvements.


Objections to gypsy scheme


STAPLEHURST Parish Council has objected to a resubmitted proposal to establish a gypsy site in Staplehurst. In September last year, Maidstone Council refused James and Kath-


leen Penfold’s application to site two static caravans and two touring caravans at Home Farm in Sweetlands Lane. The council felt the scheme would have contained excessive hard- standing and caused harm to the character of the countryside. In the new proposal, the number of static caravans has been reduced to one, but parish council clerk Deborah Jenkins reported that councillors felt “little else had changed”. She added: “They remained concerned about development outside


the village envelope, proximity of the proposed development to the flood plain, consequent drainage issues, sustainability and accessibil- ity.”


Maidstone Council will again determine the proposal.


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