The Future of Maidstone Special supplement, October 2020
Improving key services
PROVIDERS of key services to residents of Maidstone have been pressed by Maidstone Borough Council for their proposals to meet the town’s growing needs.
Responses include: Health: New garden communi- ties have potential to provide GP facilities or expand nearby facili- ties. Harrietsham has poor quality provision and it is an opportunity to upgrade.
Lenham, Staplehurst and Cox- heath all have potential to grow. Marden has land secured and S106 money to accommodate growth of up to 750 patients, but there is a need for a new building to accom- modate a garden settlement. Leeds/Langley could accommo- date in existing practices up to 2037. Headcorn surgery has space to expand. Beltring development could affect Yalding/Marden un- less connectivity with Paddock Wood is achieved.
A new central Maidstone surgery is required over the Local Plan period.
The spread of Maidstone along
the A274 towards Sutton Valence is being felt. The local practice is looking to grow, with about 4,000 extra patients, ideally on the A274. Education: There is no room to increase capacity in existing town centre primary and secondary pro- vision, and there are constraints to bringing forward a new school. A two-form entry primary school at both the centre and south of the urban area may be appropriate.
Keeping homes affordable
THE need for affordable housing in Maidstone is now 464 a year, say consultants. MBC has not been hit- ting targets in recent years. The greatest need (89%) is for rented housing. The other 11% is for low-cost home ownership. The affordable percentage of Maidstone’s total annual housing need is calculated at 38%. The consultants advise: “It is im- portant housing is costed to be gen- uinely affordable for local people.” They recommend rents are set not exceeding Local Housing Al- lowance levels.
The Glebe Medical Centre – an upgrade plan for Harrietsham
Big issues for the borough l The highways network is severely congested, including town centre;
l Maidstone has experienced one of the largest net inflows of internal (UK) migration for 2011/2016;
l Health care provision is struggling to keep up with growth;
l Deficiencies in early years, primary and secondary education, especially in areas of growth.
Lenham would require a new two-form entry primary school. Potential growth at Staplehurst, Headcorn, Coxheath and Sutton Valence justifies a new school, but this would mean significant travel. Four new garden settlements would require at least four new primary schools.
Of the secondary schools, only Lenham has capacity to expand to accommodate need to 2037 with other settlements reliant on longer- term strategies.
Road network: Transport mod- elling continues. KCC has con- firmed, theoretically, all green sites can be covered, but it cannot yet provide a robust assessment of de- velopments.
KCC notes concern with current congestion on the network and in Maidstone. It supports modal shift and reducing the need to travel. There is potential for significant impact on M20 (J7 and J8) from de- velopment across all parts of the borough. It recognised potential
for a new M20 junction at Lenham. Assessment of the impact of devel- opment at Marden and Staplehurst on the A21 is needed. Government has flagged contri- butions towards upgrades of M20 (junctions 5,6,7,8 and 9) to mitigate development in Maidstone urban area, Harrietsham, Sutton Valence, Headcorn, Langley Heath. Devel- opment at Lenham and Heath- lands should contribute towards a new M20 J9a junction. (See also: Tackling jams on our roads, p7). Gas: Policy focuses on less use of fossil fuels and this may impact on the need for new properties to con- nect to gas. There is a potential need for reinforcement of gas mains, focusing on Marden and land north of the M2. Rail: There is little Network Rail support for a new station on either line at Lenham Heath. A review is recommended of the Maidstone- Ashford branch line to identify if any interventions are appropriate. Thameslink has potential to in-
crease capacity for Maidstone trips to and from London. Water: Southern Water says there
is a need for new development to connect to the current network. Sport: Strategies for sports facil- ities are being developed by MBC, which will calculate need to meet population growth up to 2031.
Housing for the old and young
MBC is looking ahead to housing need over the next 17 years and faces a major increase in require- ments of those aged over 65. They represent about 19% of
the borough’s current population but numbers are expected to in- crease by 18,000, including a sub- stantial growth of 11,200 in over 75 year olds. This is driven by im- provements in life expectancy. Many will have long-term health problems or disability. More than 5,000 extra are ex- pected to have mobility problems with growth of 1,600 with de- mentia.
Ledian Farm retirement village is being built in Leeds
The council says: “While many older households will continue to live in general housing stock, some may require or choose re- tirement or specialist housing.” A need is shown for 1,558 living in support units such as sheltered
housing or retirement living. There is also a need for 882 in care units, both market value and af- fordable, which can be met by providing extra care housing. A need for 1,421 care or nursing home bedspaces is also predicted. l The younger generation is ex- pected to grow by about 20% up to 2037, with house prices pre- venting many young people buy- ing a home. A range of measures should be progressed through planning with options to buy. This includes delivery of rented and low-cost home ownership and rent-to-buy homes.
0333 3449192
www.mbksolicitors.co.uk 6
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
