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Local Plan


MP Helen Grant, second left, with residents and councillors


MPbacking fight to save farm site


MAIDSTONE and theWeald MP Helen Grant has backed opposi- tion to the inclusion of a develop- ment site in the emerging borough Local Plan. Mrs Grant signed a petition cre-


ated by Staplehurst residents, op- posing the inclusion of Henhurst Farm in Maidstone Borough Coun- cil’s housing policy document. This followed a letter Mrs Grant


sent to borough chief executive Al- ison Broom asking why the site had been added at the last minute. Staplehurst Parish Council had worked for months on securing a Neighbourhood Plan, which was voted for by 92% of residents and adopted in November 2016. The site, north of Henhurst


Farm,was not set out as an area for development by locals but was nevertheless included by the bor- ough. Mrs Grant has already been


vocal about the number of houses set out in Maidstone’s Local Plan and the impact of increased con- gestion and air pollution. She said: “I am very disap-


pointed by this move from Maid- stone Borough Council. The entire purpose of local communities put- ting together a neighbourhood plan is to involve them in the process of developing their area. “Staplehurst has taken a fair


share of new housing already and their approachwas accepted by the borough at the time of agreeing their neighbourhood plan. To then sneak in another application at the very last minute, seriously under- mines the democratic process and all of the hard work that was done.” In her letter, the MP has asked


that Alison Broom responds ur- gently on the points she has raised, although she recognises that it may be too late to remove the applica- tion from the Local Plan. She also stated that shewould be raising this matter with the Hous- ing and Planning Minister, Alok Sharma MP. She added: “The local commu-


nity now feels, ignored, powerless, disillusioned and frustrated with the planning process.”


‘No confidence’ vote passed


STAPLEHURST Parish Council passed a vote of no confidence in Maidstone Borough Council at a meeting on Monday, September 18. Members passed the motion overwhelmingly and one councillor, Cllr John Perry, pictured, warned it might trigger other parish councils to do the same in protest. But he said there are


inherent dangers of a local authority not hav- ing a housing policy in place. The allocation of homes at Hen-


hurst Farm was the final straw for many. Cllr Perry said: “Other parish coun-


cils mightwell do the same.We, as a council, are fed up about it all and people out there are just as fed up. “There was a petition of nearly 1,000 signatures which was effec-


tively ignored. “I would, however, just issue a


caveat. Opposing the Local Plan is one thing but without a Local Plan the borough is pretty de- fenceless.” Cllr Perry said support-


ing infrastructure re- mains the big worry about Maidstone bor- ough’s plans formassive expansion. He added: “The big,


big issues are the roads, the schools, the GP sur-


geries and so on.” The parish council has written to


Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Govern- ment, voicing dismay at the bor- ough council’s actions. It was due to make efforts to


have the Henhurst Farm site dropped from the Local Plan just as Downs Mail went to press.


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