Fight to raise £26k legal fees
A fundraising campaign has been set up to pay for hefty legal fees to fight against the controversial plan to build 2,000 homes in a hamlet.
Bredhurst Parish Council has launched a GoFundMe page to meet the £26,000 bill for the case when the Planning Inspectorate will consider the Lidsing Garden Village plan.
In just days, their campaign has already topped £4,000 to oppose the scheme which is included in Maidstone Borough Council’s (MBC) submitted Local Plan.
The parish council has been protesting against the proposal which it says will “concrete” over the rural area which falls under the jurisdiction of Medway Council.
It has hired a London barris
ter who specialises in planning matters to represent members at the inquiry earmarked for later this year.
Vanessa Jones, parish council chairman, said : “This shows the strength of feeling residents have against Maidstone’s proposals. Yes, we need more housing but in the right place and with the right infrastructure. Lidsing has neither.
“We must now hire legal and professional experts to argue our case. Our barrister feels there are fundamental flaws with Maidstone’s plan.”
Mrs Jones said: “Despite thousands of objections, Maidstone submitted its Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate for approval and an Examination in Public (EiP) will be held later this year.
“If approved, work could start within two years and will bring havoc to all communities from Rainham, Hempstead, Lordswood, Bredhurst, Boxley.”
Details of the GoFundMe campaign can be found at: gofund. me/d7101e4e