04 / 11 / 20
As you might already have heard Maidstone Borough Council have now published its spatial strategy for the Local Plan review and the bad news is that the council-led Heathlands Garden Community is included in the strategy. Unfortunately, this is not based on sound planning principles but is about politics. The Council have submitted the proposal in the full knowledge that the scheme is unviable, undeliverable, and unsustainable
This strategy will be discussed at the SPI Committee on 9 November. Both 10 and 18 November have been scheduled if councillors have not concluded the debate.
What happens next?
The spatial strategy will be considered at the SPI Committee on 9 November and the SOHL Committee are lobbying Councillors to challenge this decision.
The link to MBC’s documents supporting its Local Plan Review spatial strategy can be found here
Here is our lobbying letter to councillors and summary document – ‘Heathlands Garden Community, Unsustainable, Undeliverable, Unviable’.
You can also read our 3-minute speech to councillors and our Borough Councillors’ speeches here
Public consultation begins on 1 December on the preferred spatial strategy, when they will asking for residents’ views on the proposed approach to future development and whether it should be built close to existing towns or in more rural areas across the borough.
Look out for our residents’ email for further updates.