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Big times as borough plans future MailMarks
THESE are very signicant times, with so many new developments proposed for Maidstone as our Local Plan is revised. Much is driven by Government demand for huge increases in housing numbers – out of local control. And with another demand simmering in the pot, Maidstone is moving very quickly on its plan to benet from transitional arrangements to delay the impact. The big challenge for Maidstone Borough Council, under re for appalling congestion and other serious consequences of massive urban development, is how to plan for a much- improved future.
It now has a draft blueprint of its revised Local Plan in the public domain (on its website) and an important opportunity for our views arises in a public consultation period from December 1-22. There is much to see and consider – and some exciting but challenging new thinking.
The town centre and surrounds, with all their services and infrastructure, are seen as the most sustainable area and set to take much more housing (well over 2,000) and new employment sites – mostly replacing high-prole buildings or activities. The redeveloped Powerhub stays on
the riverside, but retail warehouses could give way to 650 residences, employment and retail: Maidstone East/ex-Royal Mail (210), Granada House/Gala Bingo (71), Len House (29), Maidstone West (130), Mote Road tower block (84), Kent Police HQ and land (496), Abbey Farm, Tovil (240).
A cycle lane but no bikes?
AM I alone in suspecting the same people who installed Madginford Road/ Willington Street traffic lights, have designed the cycle lane abhorrence at the eastern end of King Street?
And why, in the name of common sense, can’t the Madginford lights now be replaced with a mini-roundabout? Please don’t even let them think of
putting lights at the bottom of Deringwood Drive/Willington Street. So, how much hard-earned public money has the monstrosity in King Street costs the tax-payer? Have they considered the loss to the town centre businesses by their destruction of convenient parking/access, against the obvious lack of bicycles? I had to wait outside Nationwide days after the cycle lanes were rst marked. The other day, I was outside for just over 50 minutes and counted the passing “traffic”. This consisted of seven dogs, all accompanied; nine prams and their pushers; three disabled people in
DENNIS FOWLE President
dennisfowle28@gmail.com
Much development is scheduled for rural areas, but many larger villages will be relieved they get away with less than expected. There were more than 300 responses (potentially 60,000 houses) in 2019 when the council put out a Call for Sites. But with so much now in its pipeline the council needs currently to allocate just 5,700 up to 2037 and has named the 49 sites (see last Downs Mail). Garden villages – The key reason for this, in addition to town centre housing, is the drive for new garden villages. Government and Maidstone Borough Council are sold on them – and I must agree.
These villages need to be large (2,000 houses seem a minimum) to fund a well- designed largely self-sufficient community with employment, primary school, GP surgery and other infrastructure to ensure much-reduced reliance on cars. Seven areas were put forward for Maidstone, and consultants have just recommended Lenham Heathlands (4,000 houses), Lidsing (2,400), Marden (2,000) and Leeds/Langley corridor for consideration. The council has now selected Heathlands and Lidsing for public consultation and is preserving the Leeds/Langley route. But it has surprised many with a downgrading of Marden.
wheelchairs and, wait for it, not a single bicycle in either direction. A week later I counted one bike in 25 minutes of waiting.
So why would anyone severely constrict 24 hour easterly access into Maidstone town centre?
Who exactly is responsible? Can we
have a name please? Is he/she/they an escaped extremist faction of the Green Party from Brighton? Are/were they seriously thinking of
getting rid of the taxi rank as well? Perhaps motorists should equalise the playing eld and refuse to pay car tax and insurance. After all, if there are goint to be so many cyclists on the road, should we not be equal in all ways? Peter N Smith, Downswood
Spot the cyclist
HAS anyone seen a cyclist in the cycle lanes in King Street, Maidstone? Meanwhile traffic queues at the pinch point in the road at the traffic signals, for no apparent reason. Brilliant. David Hackett, Maidstone
Lenham Heath has long been a council favourite, with strong communications (A20,M20, railway line) and proximity to facilities of Lenham and is leading this development/nances itself. There is strong local opposition (including ward borough councillors and MP Helen Whately) to the proposal and the way the council and officers are handling it. But the majority of Maidstone councillors on the decision-making committee still seem rmly behind both the project and their officers and press for speed and resolution of problems. The ve villages chosen as expanding rural service centres – Headcorn, Staplehurst, Marden, Lenham and Harrietsham – together with the ve selected larger villages: Coxheath, Boughton Monchelsea, Yalding, Hollingbourne/Eyhorne Street and Sutton Valence – will be watching progress on Heathlands and Lidsing. If the 6,000 or so houses do not create two garden villages, where will they go to meet current Government demands? Residents of these 10 villages know the painful answer. Now the council wants to see the draft
Plan polished during consultation, but know it must be approved by a Government inspector, as rejection could lead to developers having a largely free hand across the borough.
As one councillor said: “The plan now needs a lot of TLC and much oil.” Another added: “We must press on – it gets much worse if we fail.” And a third: “This is our least worse option.” Yes, we are in very big times.
Such childish behaviour
A FRIEND who complained to Kent Highways about road changes made almost overnight without consultation in King Street and Earl Street, Maidstone, received an unsatisfactory response and was told “not to write again on this matter”.
The schemes are so poor and dangerous they seem childish. This response seems puerile. This all reects badly on Kent Highways and its partner Maidstone Borough Council. Jenny Flowers, Maidstone
HGV chaos on hill
POLICE are recommending urgent HGVs bound for Europe to use Detling Hill for the M20, not Blue Bell Hill. Livestock and salmon on board could be in for a hairy journey down this twisting, narrow road. And when lorries come to grief in the hands of drivers unused to this adventure we will all pay a price in long delays. P J Jones, Maidstone
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