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Development goes against neighbourhood plan
Trudi backs Race for Life
A MARDEN mum is calling on ladies to join her in Cancer Re- search UK’s Race for Life. Trudi Westhrop will be repre- senting the Pretty Muddy charity race in support of cancer research at Mote Park in Maidstone on Sat- urday, July 11. The 47-year-old, who runs the
Green Door beauty salon in Mar- den, says it is thanks to research that she is receiving the treatment she needs for a breast tumour. The 5k obstacle course looks set
to be a sell-out, but there are spaces on a 5k or 10k challenge on Sunday, July 12. For details visit
raceforlife.can-
cerresearchuk.org.
THE strength of neighbourhood plans hascomeinto question after a site in Coxheath was given plan- ning permission for 110 homes. Neighbourhood planswere intro-
duced in 2011, as part of the Gov- ernment's localism act, to give local communities the power to influence new developments. Coxheath Parish Council was the
first parish council in the Maidstone borough to produce a neighbour- hood plan, and this stipulates that land to the east of Aspian Drive, north of Heath Road should remain countryside. Yet Maidstone Council's planning committee accepted an application by Countryside for the development of 27 four-bedroom houses, 47 three- bedroom houses, 26 two-bedroom houses, two two-bedroom flats and eight one-bedroom flats on this land. Cllr Richard Ash, one of five com-
mittee members who voted against the plan, said: “Coxheath Parish Councilwanted development on the west side of Coxheath – we turned that
down.Nowwe have this site to
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26 Maidstone South June 2015
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the east that they don't want to be developed andwewant to accept it. “I can imagine being involved in
their neighbourhood plan and think- ing: 'I don't know why I bothered.' They have spent so much time on their neighbourhood plan and what dowe do? Ignore them.” Therewere also 42 objections from residents as well as Loose Parish Council, which was concerned that the scheme would compromise the space between the Loose and Cox- heath parishes. Amajor concernwas the impact of additional traffic on already con- gested roads. A Section 106 devel- oper contribution of £110,000 to improve the Linton crossroads was considered inadequate. Mrs McDermind, who repre-
sented those who had signed a peti- tion, told the committee: “Coxheath would become an urban sprawl and this is unacceptable. The council should listen to the Coxheath Neigh- bourhood Plan and not build on this land. Surely residents’ views count for something.”
However, the land had been ear- marked for development in the bor- ough council's emerging local plan, and without a five-year land supply, the scheme could only have been re- fused if councillors had demon- strated that it would cause harm. Cllr TonyHarwoodsaid: “The site
is an extension of an existing urban area, which makes it difficult to re- fuse on the grounds of development in the countryside. “I have concerns about growth
being foisted on Coxheath because it does not have a railway station and the area south of Maidstone is taking a considerable amount of develop- ment. However, KCC is raising no objection so we can't use a trans- portation ground. Ifwe are going to have a development on this site this is the bestwe will get.” Cllr Harwood proposed a motion
to accept the scheme, which was voted through by seven members, with one abstention. The development – a reduction of
20 homes from the original proposal – will provide 111 parking spaces.
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