‘What we need is more parking and not housing’
Residents concerned about plans to build 47 new homes at Union Street East car park have been offered concessions by Maidstone Borough Council.
Thirty-six residents attended a public meeting at the Maidstone Community Support Centre in Marsham Street on Tuesday.
They were joined by Clive English, borough councillor for High Street ward, John Foster, economic development manager, Stuart Clifton, housing advice manager and Jeff Kitson, parking services manager at the council.
People living near the car park are concerned about the impact of more homes on the area, which is already hit by a critical shortage in spaces.
It was initially believed Union Street short stay would not be replaced but the meeting heard the car park will be moved further up the road to the former NHS Woodside Clinic site and development would not begin until the new car park was completed.
A planning application was submitted last week for the Union Street site. There are understood to be plans for a sim- ilar development on the Brunswick Street car park but they are yet to be put in.
It was agreed residents of the new development would be excluded from the N4 permit area and the start time for evening parking in car parks in the area will be changed from 6.30pm to 5pm.
Weekend parking in the Sittingbourne Road car park will be changed to allow N4 residents to park for free from 5pm to 8am.
Fenella Jones, of Queen Anne Road, helped organise the meeting. She said: “While residents understand the financial constraints on the council we strongly feel that our quality of life should be paramount and while parking is at crisis levels in the N4 district what we need is more parking and not housing.
“I must say they were very fair and they did listen but it is clear we are getting these houses.”
Cllr English added: “I think these parking changes should happen regardless of whether or not this development happens.
“The meeting didn’t leave anyone feeling ecstatic but people did feel progress had been made.”