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downsmail.co.uk Housing sites thrown out
COUNCILLORS have bowed to public pressure and wiped several suggested housing sites off the future map for Maidstone. But development could still go
ahead on other controversial sites as part of the Maidstone Council’s pledge to provide 18,600newhomes between now and 2031. Local pressure played its part in Bearsted, with council leader Annabelle Blackmoreusing her cast- ing vote to reject land at Little Meadow, Roundwell (pictured), al- ready the subject of a planning ap- plication for 50 homes, where residents had repeatedly warned councillors that the landwas subject to flooding. Cllr Richard Ash said: “This par-
ticular piece of land is above the flood level but impacts on an area the local people refer to as ‘the bogs’. It is very damp and any further de- velopment would exacerbate exist- ing problems on the flood plain and have an effect right down the Len Valley.” Cllr SteveMcLoughlin said hewas reassured that the Environment
imously rejected after hearing how the infrastructure could not cope with yetmore development. Cllr Eddie Powell said: “We need
to listen to the people who live there.” Whena call for sites last year failed
Agency was proposing flood miti- gating measures but Cllr John Perry said: “I am always more persuaded by local knowledge than the agen- cies and expert authorities. “Time and time again, the Envi- ronmentAgency raises no objection. They say ‘no problem’when the site is underwater!” With three members voting for the
site to go out to public consultation and three opposed, including the council leader, Roundwellwas duly rejected as suitable for development. The same argument applied to a
site at Bell Farm, Harrietsham, which the scrutiny committee unan-
to produce enough land for new housing, the council cast its net for a second time. But, of the 162 sites which came
forward – including 42 re-submis- sions – officers put forward only 24 for consideration by the council. These could, between them, have provided some 1,143 homes – leav- ing a shortfall of 420 homes on the total need of 18,600. However the cabinet concurred
that local knowledge was a key fac- tor when considering sites. The council’s planning and devel- opment scrutiny committee spent 19 hours considering the various sites before submitting its recommenda- tion to the council.
Project ‘could not finance services’
THE remaining sites will now go forward to a further public consul- tation along with all those already included in the draft local plan. Although members agreed that
traffic problems in Loosewere crip- pling, they approved a site in Boughton Lane, where 75 new homes are proposed, to go forward to public consultation, as therewas already a public enquiry pending
against the council’s refusal of allow 220 homes in Boughton Lane. As KCC has not objected to this
larger scheme on traffic grounds, Mr Jarman said it would be incon- sistent at this stage to refuse a smaller scheme for the same rea- son.
Other additional sites accepted as appropriate for possible future de- velopment include 180-188 Union
Street (30 homes); Tovil Working Men's Club, Tovil (20); Bridge In- dustrial Centre, Wharf Road, Tovil (15); TheDunning Hall, off Fremlin Walk, Maidstone (14); The Russell Hotel, Boxley Road, Maidstone (14); Slencrest House, Tonbridge Road, Maidstone (10); Brandy's Bay, Wren’s Cross, Upper Stone Street, Maidstone (six); 18-21 Foster Street, Maidstone, (five).
Garden city concept impresses businesses
THE business community is said to be “won over” by the concept of garden cities, according to a Maid- stone law firm. Gullands, based in Mill Street,
held a garden city event at the Gal- lagher Stadium where one of the speakers was Chris Blundell, who was last year shortlisted for the Wolfson Economics Prize for his vi- sion to create a 15,000-home garden city in south-east Maidstone. The Downs Mail reported thatMr
Thief in court
A SHEPWAY man who stole twice from the same storewas given a 28- day suspended prison sentence at Mid Kent Magistrates Court. Gary Jackson (49), of Westmor-
land Close, admitted stealing meat valued at £36 from a shop in Castle Road,Allington and four days later two bottles of whisky valued at £67.50. He was ordered to pay full compensation.
28 Maidstone East March 2015
Blundell, director of development at the housing association, produced a 152-page document supporting a garden city fringing Otham, Lang- ley and Leeds. It is an extension of a much-criti-
cised proposal aired in 2013 by Golding Homes for a 5,000-home garden suburb in the Otham area. The event was attended by more
than 60 business leaders from Maid- stone and surrounding areas. A re- port in Gullands’ winter magazine
said: “The business communitywas won over by the concept of garden cities but there is still a long way to go to tackle the cost, planning and infrastructure hurdles.” Maidstone Council twice rejected Golding Homes’ 5,000-home proposal after it was submitted for its “call for sites” to help develop the local plan. Mr Blundell, working on the 15,000-home project in a personal capacity, has not yet formally sub- mitted his scheme to the council.
Police house to be converted THE Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes was given plan- ning permission to convert a former police house for vulnerable victims into a semi-detached home at 93 Sutton Road, Maidstone. Asupporting statement said the propertywas originally a regular res- idential dwelling.
Restaurant plan BISON Print, at 56 Earl Street, could
be replaced by a restaurant if a plan- ning application gets the go-ahead.
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No objections
ONE of the difficulties faced by Maidstone Council when consid- ering the sites was that neither KCC (responsible for highways and education) nor the Environ- ment Agency (sewage) had ob- jected.
Schools in all areas of the bor-
ough are already at capacity, al- though Cllr David Burton said he had spoken to KCC about future provision and felt reassured that possible overcrowding was being addressed. NHS Property Services says all
GP surgeries inMaidstone have ca- pacity although some would ben- efit from an upgrade in facilities. The surgery in Harrietsham
would require extending, based on the number of new homes pro- posed in the draft local plan The remaining sites will now go
forward to a further public consul- tation along with all those already included in the draft local plan. Other additional sites accepted
for possible future development in- clude Bearsted Station goods yard (20) and behind The Windmill, Ey- horne Street, Hollingbourne (15).
Traffic congestion
TRAFFIC fumes in Sutton Road are now so bad that residents cannot open their windows. Cllr Marion
Ring, pictured, told the cabinet that traffic along the A274 was unbearable and the number of vehicles using the Shepway es-
tate as a rat run was phenomenal. She said an alternative route was now an essential part of planning.
School site out
THE cabinet threw out land which could accommodate 60 homes on the old farm site of the former Astor of Hever Community School, because it was an educa- tional campus with poor access. KCC had put the site forward,
but members agreed allowing it could set a dangerous precedent.
Homes planned
SIX new homes could be built at The Forstal, Bull Hill, Lenham Heath.
A planning application requests the demolition of five buildings on a site occupied by Westmount Packaging, which would move to premises with better access. Three of the homes would have four bedrooms, with the other three having five bedrooms.
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