What next for site as industrial estate plan turned down?
Councillors have rejected plans to build a large commercial complex near Junction 8 of the M20 – a site that has seen numerous attempts at development.
Members of the planning committee meeting last Thursday night went against their officers’ advice by refusing a bid from Roxhill Developments for warehousing, light industrial units and offices at Woodcut Farm off the A20 at Hollingbourne.
The 19-hectare plot formed part of the site selected for a large freight depot called Kent International Gateway, on which the council spent £1.7m opposing at a protracted appeal.
It has prompted the question what next for the site – as Roxhill said it was ‘reviewing its options’ after the decision.
Visiting councillor Mike Cuming (Con) said the fact officers recommended approval was “mind-boggling” considering it was so close to the Waterside Park development on the opposite side of the A20, which was refused by a planning inspector at appeal, due to its proximity to the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Roxhill Developments argued the scheme would bring £47m of investment to Maidstone and could create 1,400 jobs, but visiting councillor Valerie Springett (Con) described it as: “an ugly blot on the landscape,” saying it was premature to consider the proposal before it had been tested by an inspector’s examination of the Local Plan.
Cllr Eddie Powell (Ukip) warned of traffic chaos on the single-lane A20.
Cllr John Perry (Con) pointed to a discrepancy in advice given by the borough’s conservation officer – that harm to nearby listed buildings would be only “serious” which was not considered grounds for refusal, but KCC’s officer had recommended refusal describing the harm as “significant.”
Planning officers repeatedly pressed the committee to accept the scheme, to the point chairman, Cllr Perry, eventually said: “I’m sorry, it is the members who make the decisions.”
The vote was close, with seven members for refusing the application and six voting against refusal.
Charles Blake, Roxhill’s development director said: “Given the council allocated the site for employment in its emerging Local Plan and our proposals are consistent with the policy, we are perplexed and disappointed the committee voted to refuse the application.”