A selfish tactic just to win votes

Editor It seems laughable the comments being made by Lib Dem councillors on Junction 8 Waterside Park who also oppose losing jobs. Furthermore, Cllr Fran Wilson claims the planning committee had faced a dreadful dilemma.

For many months, Lib Dems claimed they have created jobs on their leaflets but over the last few months they have managed to refuse two planning applications set to create approximately 7,753 new jobs for Maidstone.

These locations were Notcutts and the medical campus, and Junction 8 ADL and Scarab, just to win votes to gain power to run the council, regardless of the livelihood of local residents. This just shows how selfish they are.

It was not hard to approve Junction 8 as this site was a sandpit with grass and could be quarried at any time. Not only would it have secured jobs for ADL and Scarabs but it would also improve the traffic problem we have in Maidstone especially heading towards the south side.

This would have seen 1,200 less lorry movements heading out of the town centre towards Loose Road, and helped to reduce the traffic problem at The Wheatsheaf, which is above the EU target, as lorries would be able to stay on the M20.

Furthermore, the contributions from the developer would have helped to kick-start the Leeds and Langley bypass which is much needed in the south side of Maidstone.

If Lib Dems have their way, Maidstone will be closed for business so they can protect a green field. Mike Hogg (Con), councillor for Maidstone South for ‘out of town’ retail because of the inevitable impact upon existing jobs in the town centre.

However, I think that he is being rather frugal with the detail about the council’s report by saying the amount of land being proposed for employment use is in excess.

In terms of size of allocation the current draft Local Plan does allocate enough, but the report clearly highlights that it is the wrong type.

Simply expressed, businesses that have regular movements of large HGVs need to be nearest to the motorways.

The draft site allocations are placed mainly in rural areas. Do we really want more of these large lorries passing through our town to reach their village destinations?

Over the last couple of years we have been losing jobs in Maidstone. Cuts in public spending have been part of the reason why. We must take this very seriously and start to plan positively to change this trend. We must ensure there are sufficient jobs to support the ‘growing larger, working until we are older’ population of Maidstone.

Our draft ‘Economic Development Strategy’ is about to go out to public consultation. It suggests a multipronged approach to solving this problem. I hope the public will consider the options within the report and respond to the consultation.

The fate of the Waterside Park application now lies with the Planning Inspector when the appeal is considered. Cllr David Burton Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport Maidstone Borough Council Marden and Yalding Ward (Conservative) eras, vowing to save. This time it was Bridge Nursery, almost two years after Liberal Democrats began campaigning to save it.

But who exactly was Helen Grant trying to save it from? Not local people, not local Liberal Democrat ward councillors, not Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner Jasper Gerard – all of whom have these last two years gone door-to-door with petitions calling for the site’s protection.

No, the only people who wanted it built on were Helen Grant’s Conservative colleagues on the council – who have just voted through its destruction, thus concreting over the last green wedge between Maidstone and Tonbridge and Malling.

Rather than posing for a photo opportunity, why didn’t she simply pick up the phone?

If Helen Grant cannot even persuade her own Conservative councillors, what chance is there of her achieving anything for this town? James Willis Lib Dem member for Heath Ward problem we also addressed the matter of inadequate drainage infrastructure for future housing developments, something many people are deeply concerned about. To that end we have secured a strategic review to be undertaken by Southern Water’s director of infrastructure, to be presented to me before Christmas. I will then convene another meeting to progress any actions arising.

Partnership Working….is working in Maidstone and the Weald, and I am proud of everyone involved in tackling these serious issues.