News


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.”


Detached homes planned


NINE detached homes could be built at The Lodge in London Road, Allington. The scheme would include a shared open space and access from Beaver Road. A supporting statement says the


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


KENT’S 2014 poppy appealwas 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, 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,was due to run through to Remembrance Day, November 11, with people encouraged to donate or to buy items such as paper poppies, jewellery and clothing. Buying a poppy goes towards the


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


Vandals smash bus stops


TWENTY bus stops were smashed in Malling and Maidstone when vandals went on an overnight rampage. The glass shelters were all damaged along an 11-mile route be-


tween Bower Mount Road, Maidstone and Town Hill, West Malling. Thirteen of them were within a four-mile stretch of the London Road. Bus stops in Royal Engineers Road, Maidstone and near the Running Horse roundabout at Sandling were targeted, as well as others in Aylesford, Ditton, Ringlestone and Allington. Repairs would be done by bus stop providers JCDecaux in Maidstone and Clear Channel in Tonbridge and Malling at no extra cost to the two borough councils. Police said itwas possible, given the widespread locations, that the culprit was travelling in a vehicle.


30 Maidstone Town December 2014


land is brownfield – partly an un- occupied house and garden – and borders further brownfield land to the south, where two separate planning permissions allow a total of 51 new homes on the site of stor- age buildings, a former transport and haulage yard and a carwash. The statement said: “The pro-


posed housing is two-storey on the northern, western and southern sides adjacent to the proposed housing and will sit well down in the site in relation to the surround- ing area. The remaining three three-storey buildings are adjacent to the Beaver Road boundary where they will be two-storey on the Beaver Road side and have less visual impact. “To the west the shared open


space allows for the planting of lo- cally native trees.” Maidstone Council will deter- mine the planning application.


Supported living scheme


MCCH wants to create nine sup- ported living units and one train- ing unit for adults with mental health issues at 1 St Andrew’s Road, Maidstone. The Maidstone-based charity,


which supports people with learn- ing disabilities, autism and men- tal health needs, has applied for listed building consent. Asupporting statement said the building had been empty for years


and vandals had broken sanitary- ware and stolen lead flashing and copper pipes. It continued: “The fabric of the building is of a quality clearly worthy of retention. However, the internal spaces require a signifi- cant amount of work to bring them back up to a habitable stan- dard.”


Maidstone Council will deter- mine the scheme.


Sycamore trees face the axe


FOUR protected sycamore trees could be removed at 14 Oakwood Court, Maidstone. A planning application, which


will be decided by Maidstone Council, said: “The sycamore near- est Tonbridge Road is pushing against the boundary wall which belongs to 130 Tonbridge Road. The next sycamore nearer the shed in a group of three is crowding the


other two sycamores and the lime tree.


“The sycamore on the north side


of the shed is probably too young to have been included in the origi- nal tree preservation order. The small sycamore at the north end of the garden is crowding the larger tree, preventing new growth.” The proposal also includes work to a protected lime tree.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48