Fine words but profit comes first
Political editor Supplements editor Business editor I read your story about how the U+I property developer made a £4.9m profit on the sale of two proposed housing sites in Kent.
It sold land next to Royal Engineers Road, in Sandling, after securing planning permission for a £65m development in February. It has not revealed details of the buyer, other than it is a regional housebuilder, which will have approval to build an 18-storey block of flats on the former home of Kent County Council offices.
I have listened to the archive webcast of the Maidstone Borough Council Planning Committee when approval was given.
This is what a U+I spokesman had to say: “We really believe in the site. We believe in Maidstone as a town. We believe in your aspirations for the town going forward.
“So it’s been a big investment for us. We want to show to you that we are serious, we want to deliver something. We are committed to investing in Maidstone not only for now but the longer term.
“This will be a term long asset that we will hold, so it is very much in our interest to deliver something What’s On reporter KoL editor sustainable and long lasting.” So should this public statement now be edited down to one truncated line. KoL news editor KoL assistant news editor “We are not looking to build this.” Rob Illingworth Monckton’s Lane, Maidstone