News | Housing update Government’s


datais ‘flawed’ JOHN Horne lives in Bearsted, is a member of Thurnham Parish Council and the KentAssociation for Local Councils. He says the Government’s


housing calculations are “flawed” and Maidstone Borough Coun- cil’s approach to dealing with in- creased demands lacks vision. He is urging the public to hold


the council to account for itsmis- takes in the Local Plan review consultation. He said: “Unfortunately, the


borough council simply didn’t want to listen to anyone able to tell themabout the issues its plans would cause. “If the borough council isn’t just


a cipher for government policy, it must pause and determine a ro- bust way forward. The borough council was very assertive about what itwanted to achieve fromits Local Plan and suddenly it’s not in its power to deliver it.”


MBC ‘unsure’


on final figure MAIDSTONE BoroughCouncil is unsure exactly how many extra homes will be needed to satisfy the Government’s demands, and how long its revised plan will ac- commodate the appetite formore properties in the south east. It is looking to provide the extra


homes on top of those in the Local Plan either by focused develop- ment in Maidstone, making all villages across the borough take a share of the extra homes or build- ing garden communities in the countryside. In the autumn, it will release


details of the building plots sug- gested in its latest “call for sites”, which itwill not consult the pub- lic on, instead announcing in Feb- ruary or March its preferred approach to satisfying the devel- opment shortfall. To comment on the Local Plan,


go to www.maidstone.gov.uk/ localplanreview.


Villagers ‘didn’tmove here to live in a town’


INMARDEN, residents are angry…the village has seen 570 newhomes built since 2013, and there are plans for 2,000more.


A“garden community” is being


suggested on Maidstone Road to meet the latest Government re- quirement in one hit. Farmer TristanRussell (pictured


above with wife Claudine and childrenGeorge and Elvie) agrees new homes are needed, but says building massive new communi- ties is a different matter. He is angry that community benefits promised by the borough council have also notmaterialised. “All we’ve had is a fall in water


pressure and an increase in traf- fic,” he said: “The newestates de- cant on to existing rural roads and developers’ money sits in the bank becauseMBCandKCChave been unable to take forward the promised extension to the school andmedical centre.” The sixth generation farmer adds: “It seems the borough coun-


cil is suggesting it is going ‘to save Marden’, and give it all newfacil- ities, by building a 2,000-home garden community. But it is ig- noring the fact that people who move here do notwant to live in a town. “Those affected by new devel- opments need to be aware that


whatever community benefits are promised, it doesn’t mean they will get them and if S106 money isn’t spent, it goes back to the de- veloper and benefits no one. “The borough council needs to


tell Government – like Sevenoaks has – that the area simply cannot accommodate all these extra houses.” Asked about the £146,000 held


for healthcare improvements in Marden, a spokesman for MBC said the money had yet to be drawn down by NHS West Kent CCG. “We understand this is to be


spent atMardenMedical Practice, including an extension. Education payments go to Kent County Council and it is understood this will be spent at Marden Primary School and Maidstone Grammar School for Boys.”


Residents’ fears as Lenhamgrows and grows


LENHAM is preparing to dou- ble in size, with 500 homes ap- proved and a further 1,000 in the pipeline by 2031. But on the horizon a much


larger threat looms -Maidstone Borough Council’s own hush- hush application for up to 5,000 houses at Lenham Heath. With


18


itmight come schools, amedical clinic, shops and even a new motorway junction. Parish council


chairman


Richard Greenwood said he spends three days a week in talks relating to development in the area. He added: “We are at the mercy of the borough coun-


Maidstone Weald August 2019


cil – only our Neighbourhood Plan will give us some control over where these extra homes might go.” Trafiic has increased, he says,


bringing noise, litter and in- considerate parking. The recre- ation ground and village school will have to expand to accom-


modate the growing population, while parking in the village square is “becoming impossi- ble”. He blames high-priced


homes, a lack of local jobs for creating a “commuter neigh- bourhood” which has little benefit to villagers.


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