Don’t ruin Garden of England

It is a pity the Waterside Park application has become political.

I am old enough to remember the fuss when the planning application came in for the Hilton hotel at Junction 7.

It had to be only one story high so it did not obstruct the wonderful views to the North Downs.

How times have changed. Whatever happened to that wonderful view?

I also remember when the planning application for a football stadium at Hollingbourne was turned down, when Maidstone Borough Council said it was a totally unsuitable site.

We all want economic growth and development for our County Town, we want opportunities and jobs for young people, we want businesses to expand but not on open countryside.

Planners, members and council officers are doing their very best to ignore the Detling Aerodrome option, a brownfield site, with access to the M20 and M2.

This has been put forward by all the groups objecting to development at Junction 8.

The borough planners cannot explain their reasons for ignoring this obvious alternative, and the government tells us we must protect outstanding countryside.

Readers, look at junctions 5, 6 and 7. Do you want this urbanisation to continue through to Hollingbourne and then to Harrietsham?

To Maidstone council: Kent is