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downsmail.co.uk Planners ‘ignoring public concern’
MAIDSTONE Council has been accused of snubbing local views with its approach to planning. Cllr John Horne, chairman of Maidstone’s Joint Parishes Group, spoke out after the council wrote to 241 landowners asking if they would consider making their suggested housing sites available for gypsies. The sites, submitted in response to
the council’s call for more develop- ment land for its draft local plan, but rejected for housing, could help re- duce the council’s need to find an- other 92 permanent gypsy pitches. But with national planning guid-
ance allowing for traveller sites in more rural locations than housing,
Cllr Horne says Maidstone Council’s letter has raised fears among resi- dents in areas including Headcorn, Ulcombe, Lenham and Yalding that they may get more sites. Maidstone Council has to provide
187 permanent traveller pitches within 16 years, but has so far given planning consent for just 75, with 23 sites identified in its draft local plan. A spokesman said: “Many of the
same planning considerations will apply to proposals for gypsy and traveller accommodation as apply to proposals for conventional housing. “It is the case, however, that na-
tional planning guidance draws a distinction between gypsy and trav-
eller accommodation and conven- tional bricks and mortar housing.” Cllr Horne, who is also a member
of Thurnham Parish Council, says this latest move by the borough council is one in a long line of plan- ning decisions that have caused upset. He believes only an inde- pendent inquiry will restore the public’s faith in Maidstone Council’s planning policy, which he says is un- responsive to public concerns. Cllr Horne added: “If sites are not suitable for bricks and mortar hous- ing,howcan they be appropriate for caravan settlements that also have bricks and mortar buildings? “As parish councillors we are
Footballer Ben off toworld cup contest
A FOOTBALL-mad schoolboy from Maidstone will be taking part in the World Youth Cup. Ben Findlay (10) from Chartway
Street, Sutton Valence, who attends Sutton Valence Prep School, trialled for the Independent School Football Association (ISFA) South East squad at Ardingly, Sussex, last year. Hewas put forward by the school’s head of boys’ games Tom Davey,
himself a keen footballer. He said: “Ben captained our unbeaten Colts A team last term. Despite playing for Maidstone United and the Maid- stone District side, I felt the trials would give him the opportunity to be stretched at a higher level.” Ben’s selection for the 16-strong
squad means he gets to play against the likes of Crystal Palace FC and Brighton and Hove Albion FC, and will
also compete against teams from more than 80 countries in theWorld Youth Cup, in Sweden this summer. More than 1600 teams are ex-
pected to take part. Mr Davey said: “Throughout the season, Ben was definitely our best player. He is a very good leader and has the ability to use both feet. He works incredibly hard for his team and I’m sure hewill be a great asset to the ISFA side.”
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elected members of local govern- ment, with a valid point of view to put forward on behalf of our local communities. During the local plan deliberationswe have played by the rules;we have jointly put forward a reasoned response to consultations and for this we engaged a planning consultant. All this has cost money. “We sought to take forward neigh- bourhood plans.We held local meet- ings with council leaders and planning officers. “In the end,we feelwe have been consistently snubbed
byMBC.There has been no dialogue. The time has now come for a public inquiry, with full privilege.”
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