News
‘Urban’ homes scheme is rejected by planners
MAIDSTONE Council's plan- ning committee has turned down a proposal that would have nar- rowed the rural gap between Lenham and Harrietsham. Despite the council's cabinet de-
cision in February to removeWest- wood, off Ham Lane, Lenham from the list of housing sites in its draft local plan, officers still rec- ommended that an application for 82 homes on this site should be given planning permission. After hearing that strong objec-
tions had been raised by the parish council, both localward members, CPRE Protect Kent, the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natu- ral Beauty (AONB) unit and 25 members of public, the committee overruled this recommendation. Objectors were concerned by
both the principle and content of the proposal. Its proximity to theAONB – bor- dering the other side of the A20 Ashford Road – was criticised, as was the precedent it could set to encourage further development
towards Harrietsham. Cllr Eddie Powell, a local ward member, said: “I spent 20 hours on the planning scrutiny committee and this site was discussed for about an hour and every single person decided it to should not go in the local plan. Not long after- wards on the 12th hour of a cabi- net meeting – after 32 hours – it was decided to remove this site by four votes to two. “Why arewe sitting here tonight talking about this application when everybody has already de- cided to kick it out?” According to Mr Buckwell, speaking on behalf of the appli- cant, “the scheme has been de- signed to minimise impact on neighbours and does not affect a great number of people”. However, Cllr Janetta Sams, the
other local ward member, pointed out that therewas a high number – as many as 70 – local residents at the meeting hoping for refusal. “If it won’t affect a lot of people, how comewe have a coach-load of peo-
ple here? she said. Cllr Mike Hogg, amember of the committee, said: “This site was taken off the local plan. “If we allow this application we
will be sending out messages to developers that they can build where they want. It would also make people think, 'who is run- ning the council: councillors or of- ficers?'” The scheme would have com-
prised 36 four-bedroom, 17 three- bedroom, 17 two-bedroom and 12 one-bedroom homes in a straight grid structure of roads. Cllr Richard Ash said: “The de-
sign is appalling. There are two north-south roads and three east- west roads, which is the kind of thing you see in urban areas. I am lucky to live in a road that twists and turns, which is nicer.” Every member of the committee
voted to refuse the application on the grounds of poor layout and scale, which would have harmed the AONB, as well as inadequate space for landscaping.
James shines
at squash FORMER Invicta head boy James Evans is making his name on the international squash circuit. The England Junior Interna-
tional, who competes for The Mote Squash Club, left Invicta Grammar School last year to join Trinity College in Connecticut. Since then he has won all 15 of
his team matches and helped the college beat arch rivals Harvard 6- 3. The team laterwent on to beat Princetown 7-2. Trinity College has developed a successful squash programme, aided by the fact that its head coach is the US national coach. James will return to Maidstone
this summer for the Select Gaming Kent Open at The Mote.
downsmail.co.uk
16
Maidstone East April 2015
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