Fears over school and studio plans
Assistant news editor Senior reporter Senior reporter I write further to the recent planning committee deferral of the application for a new Science, Technical, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, School within the designated area of local landscape importance at Vinters Park, Maidstone (KM August 31).
This application was deferred to enable negotiation of a revised scheme with a less profound negative impact upon protected veteran trees, and to address the committee’s serious concerns over pedestrian safety and congestion on New Cut Road.
The STEM school story was linked with coverage of the recent felling of a stand of magnificent English oaks and a giant sequoia at nearby Maidstone Studios to clear the way for yet another new housing estate.
There was an inference within this narrative of an inconsistency at Senior reporter Senior reporter the variance of treatment between these two sites, both located within historic Vinters Park.
I can only state from my perspective, that I personally both spoke and voted against the 2014 Maidstone Studios residential application.
Indeed, so concerned was I at the Senior reporter Reporter then planning committee’s decision to allow this ‘non-policy compliant’ housing scheme I took the very unusual step of ensuring that my dissent from their majority vote was formally recorded. Tony Harwood Maidstone Borough councillor for North ward