Plans rejected

will help. It is paying for these works, as this was never a condition of planning approval. They will be carried out by the developers.

Longer term KCC has secured government funding to improve the junctions connecting to Hermitage Lane, and help traffic heading for the M20.

Meanwhile at a public meeting on Barming Heath on Sunday, 50 residents from the area heard from Maidstone borough and county councillors the situation could get worse, because of new housing proposed at the northern end of the lane by Tonbridge and Malling in its draft Local Plan.

They fear 3,000 homes added to the homes Maidstone council has approved could cause gridlock.

The speakers urged residents to respond to Tonbridge and Malling’s public consultation at www.tmbc.gov.uk/localplan An application to build 41 homes on land off Headcorn Road, Lenham, has been thrown out by Maidstone Borough Council. Bellway Homes and Russell & Russell Roofing were proposing to build the homes on two whectares of land near the village but MBC ruled it would have an unacceptable impact on the countryside.