Don’t build more homes on ‘ugliest road in the world’

Maidstone’s Sutton Road has been named as the ugliest in the world as councillors tried to decide on three more housing plans.

The borough council was due to consider three applications off the A274, totalling 1,321 homes, but members spent so long debating the first, they did not have time for the others.

Cllr Martin Round (Con) told Maidstone council’s planning committee on Thursday last week: “We need to follow ‘pride’ not [planning] policies.

“We are building something that looks incredibly ugly along the Sutton Road at the moment. It’s a sham. It’s disgusting. It’s awful.

“It’s the most ugly, uninviting place in the world!”

Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem) had similar views, saying: “Progressing up Sutton Road is so depressing. It is not this council’s finest hour.”

All three were recommended for approval and are allocated in the emerging Local Plan, despite it not being approved itself.

The only application considered was for 271 homes at Bicknor Farm.

Officers were criticised for presenting a half-baked report with insufficient conditions attached.

Cllr Harwood listed a raft of measures to control ecology, drainage, landscaping and open space that were not included.

The committee was given contradictory advice on traffic. Maidstone council’s consultants agreed junctions were over capacity but insisted mitigation measures proposed by the developer would help ease congestion.

That was disputed by the highways authority, with Kent County Council’s strategic transport planner Brendan Wright saying: “We are not satisfied the mitigation will work.

“Our view is that congestion will get worse.”

Cllr Eddie Powell (Ukip) said he could not see how any condition could negate highways issues.

Pointing out the borough was on course to deliver 765 more homes than needed, he said: “If ever there were 765 homes that we needed to take out the Local Plan, it is those along the Sutton Road.”

The council’s head of planning, Rob Jarman, suggested deferring to Thursday next week to allow revised conditions to be put together.

The two applications not considered last week were due to be heard last night (Thursday). They are for 800 homes on land south of Sutton Road, and for 250 homes north of Bicknor Road.

‘Progressing up Sutton Road is so depressing. It is not this council’s finest hour’