News
A249 meeting A NEW date has been confirmed
for a public inquiry into plans for a major change to Stockbury roundabout.
Backed by Swale Borough Council, Highways England plans a flyover at the A249 junc- tion with the M2, serving Maid- stone. The original inquiry was sched-
uled for April, but was suspended due to the Covid-19 crisis. A pre-inquiry meeting will be held virtually at 10am on Tues- day, September 29, followed by a full hearing to start at 10am on November 9 . It will also be held online with members of the pub- lic invited to join.
Stalls return THE Lenham Country Market
has returned.
The market is now open to the public between 9am and 1pm at Square. There a variety of local food, drink, and crafts available. There is wheelchair access and free parking nearby.
The next market will take place on Sunday, October 11. Entry is free.
downsmail.co.uk
Councillors win vote to reform planning system
ELECTED borough councillors have joined forces once again to thwart town hall officers’ increas- ing influence in the planning pro- cess.
They united from all parties to
remove powers from unelected Maidstone Borough Council staffers to refer applications onto other committees, after they have been rejected by members. The move follows a wrangle be-
tween councillors and Maidstone Borough Council officials over the controversial 421 homes applica- tion by Bellways Homes at Otham. Officers pushed for it to be ap-
proved, but members turned it down after it was referred through several committee stages. Bellway is appealing the refusal. The proposal by Conservative
Bridge ward member Cllr Jonathan Purle, pictured, was seconded by Cllr Michelle Hastie of the ruling Liberal Democrats at MBC.
Members of the Democracy and General Purposes
Committee
unanimously voted in favour of curbing planners’ powers. Cllr Purle said: “The planning system is already fairly stacked against those who want to oppose a development proposal …We ag- gravate this at MBC by making it more difficult for our planning committee to refuse an application
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than possibly any other local au- thority in the area.
“I don’t think a lot of people re- alise the planning committee is the only part of the whole planning system where local residents can turn up and speak.” Cllr Hastie added: “I think this is
very important with the public perception of how planning appli- cations are handled…I would like to see Maidstone working the same way as most other local councils. “That means that the initiative with controversial planning appli- cations should always sit with the planning committee, because they have to answer to local voters.” The proposal removed the
power of planning officers to refer matters to the policy and resources committee where they might find a more favourable outcome. The decision will be formally ap-
proved at a meeting of full council on September 30.
www.gboxkent.com 01233 660 099
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