downsmail.co.uk


New blow to campaign for village bypass plan


BELEAGUERED villagers pray- ing for a relief road to ease traffic pressures on south Maidstone’s villages have suffered a setback. Kent County Council’s long-


awaited feasibility studies suggest a by-pass linking Leeds and Lang- ley would not pass the cost/benefit test threshold. Even with the expected growth


in traffic due to house-building, it might not deliver wider benefits to other communities. Relief road campaigner Cllr


Gary Cooke says Maidstone Bor- ough Council, controlled by the Liberal Democrats, must seize the opportunity to include a by-pass in the Local Plan review, currently in its preparatory stages. KCC Conservative Cllr Cooke added: “I believe there’s support for a relief road at MBC across all the parties, but we need MBC to grasp the opportunity and support it in the review of the Local Plan.” The by-pass could alleviate


“choc-a-bloc” Willington Street if an HGV weight restriction was im- posed there, he said. Vehicles which once used the


B2163 Leeds to Langley cut- through from the A20 to A274 now head for single-track back roads through Broomfield, Kingswood, Chegworth, Langley, Otham and Downswood, often causing havoc. Two years ago, when Cllr Cooke


held a public meeting to demon- strate support for a relief road link- ing the A274 and the A20, the MBC


leadership, KCC leader and the two local MPs all backed the idea. A planning consultancy docu-


ment for the MBC-proposed 5,000- home Lenham Heath project shows a willingness to progress the idea. A four-page leaflet dis- tributed to landowners cites “fu- ture wider road improvements to connect the areas to the south of Maidstone”. Asked if a relief road could be in- cluded in the Local Plan review, chairman of MBC’s planning com- mittee Cllr Clive English said: “It depends if KCC has done its preparatory work. If it has, we can put it in – but that’s the easy part!” When asked if the Lenham


Heath housing scheme could pay for a relief road, Cllr English said: “It could, potentially, yes.” The council is committed to


17,600 homes in the Local Plan, passed in autumn 2017, and up to 10,500 more in the review. So far, only 6,400 have been delivered.


News Bazaar date


THE Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Marion Ring, will open the Christ- mas Bazaar being held in aid of Otham and Langley Churches on Saturday, November 30. Father Christmas, gifts, food and


raffle prizes are promised at Downswood Community Centre from 2pm.


Entry is free. Rugby appeal


ENGLAND may have lost the Rugby world cup, but the com- petion has inspired a fresh appeal for players from the Weavering Warriors RFC. The club is looking for players of


all abilities and positions. Training is from 7pm on Thursday nights at The Pavilion, in Bicknor Road, Maidstone.


Crafty chats


FANCY a natter and learning something new? Leeds Craft and Natter Group


meets at the village hall on Wednesday, November 20. The group gathers from 11am to


1pm. More details from Jane New- some on 01622 862558.


Independent Award-winning Forward thinking Affordable


Maidstone East December 2019


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