News


Council calls for ‘garden city’ schemes in review


ACALLfor sites tobe includedin the review of the Local Plan has included a request for "garden city" developments. Themove has sparked fears that


Otham Valley might be targeted for a 5,000-home scheme. One observer said Maidstone


Borough Council (MBC) may be looking to reach the target with “a few big projects”, one of which might be the resurrection of the GoldingHomesplanfor thousands of affordable homes inOtham. TheMBCcallwent out to attract


potential schemes to satisfy an 8,000-home demand by central government over and above the 17,600 units in the Local Plan. One planwhichmay be submit-


ted is a 900-plus scheme for an eco village called Broomfield Park, near Kingswood, which backers claim could generate millions of pounds towards a relief road. Rob Schroeder, who is behind the project, said: “This will proba-


Rob Schroeder, left, and his business partner Keith Cook are behind the Broomfield Park development


bly be the last chance of a relief road or a by-pass.We can help fi- nance it.” County councillor Gary Cooke,


whosepatchcoversOtham, said: “I just hope that they are not plan- ning to resurrect the earlier Gold- ingHomes proposals frombefore. “Maidstone south east has taken


more than its fair share of addi- tional housing and we are cur- rently suffering the consequences of what’s already gone in with in- creased traffic and air pollution.” Other sites which may come up


are a 2,000-home site nearMarden, which villagers bitterly oppose, and a large mixed-use develop- ment atDetling aswell as specula- tive A20 developments near LenhamorHarrietsham. MBCis “asking landowners, de-


velopers and interested parties to propose sites for all types of devel- opment in the borough”. It adds: “Innovative approaches


may be required, such as planning brand new settlements or neigh- bourhoods following ‘garden city’ principles.”


Runningtotal


LOCAL runners raised money for the multiple sclerosis charity KentMS Therapy Centre. Grove Green's Danny Bastone


finished the Vitality Big Half Marathon in London on March 10 in 2hr 7mins while Bearsted’s Ady Poursain got round in 2hrs 25mins. The charity raised £2,000 from


runners fromall over Kent. Anyone interested in a running


challenge for KMSTC should con- tactMoira onmmitchell@kentm- stc.org.uk or 01227 470876.


downsmail.co.uk


T. 01622 433163 M. 07854 529 434 16 Maidstone East April 2019


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