Joke is on development boss at local plan inquiry
A suggestion by Maidstone council’s head of planning and development that improved bus services on Hermitage Lane would solve traffic chaos was met with laughter at the Local Plan inquiry hearing.
Rob Jarman was responding to parish council representative Peter Couling’s position that more development on the stretch connecting the borough with Tonbridge and Malling was unsustainable.
Mr Couling said the opening of a new retail park at the junction with London Road – including an Aldi, a Poundstretcher and a McDonald’s drive-thru – had had a crippling effect on the road network.
Mr Jarman responded: “I am not aware of any Section 106 monies being dedicated to highways from the new retail park and Preston Hall, whereas obviously one of our main uses of 106 funds is improving highways.
“More than £450,000 from the Croudace development to the east of Hermitage Lane is with KCC. KCC must have proposals for improving bus transport on the road, which I think will appease Mr Couling’s concerns.”
Mr Couling countered: “I must respond. I’m sorry: if anyone thinks a bus lane or any kind of bus transport will solve problems on Hermitage Lane, they really do not know the area.
“I appreciate Mr Jarman is saying MBC is better at planning these things than Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, and I really want to believe that, but credibility is flawed given the behaviour of the last six months to a year.”
He went on to welcome Mr Jarman’s claim that a substantial amount of money will also be used to improve junctions.
Mr Couling, speaking on behalf of the Kent Association of Local Councils, also called MBC’s track record of communicating with other authorities during the Local Plan process “extremely disturbing”, and said the statement of common ground with Kent County Council was “a fig leaf.”
He added: “We do not see how this plan can be sound given the disparity of views between MBC and KCC.”