Councillors likely to approve ‘unpopular’ local plan
Maidstone councillors will vote on Wednesday on whether to adopt the borough’s controversial Local Plan.
The plan has proved deeply unpopular, both for its high housing target, and for the proposed commercial development at Woodcut Farm at the M20’s Junction 8, which caused the borough’s two MPs to attempt unsuccessfully to have the plan called in by the Secretary of State.
However, the expectation is the plan will be approved for fear without it, something even worse might happen.
Four Lib Dem councillors have taken the unusual step of writ- ing to their electors in advance explaining why they were “mindful” to vote for the document.
South Ward councillors Derek Mortimer, Paul Wilby and Brian Clark, together with Loose councillor Sue Grigg said: “Councils without an adopted Local Plan will likely see significantly increased housing numbers in future based on a government housing consultation announced in September.
“We did not agree with the recent attempt to call in our Local Plan to the Secretary of State for reconsideration.”
The councillors said they had lobbied successfully to have two controversial housing sites in their area removed from the plan and had succeeded in having much of their area registered as a Landscape of Local Value.
They said without the plan, a tidal wave of speculative development could be ushered in.
“We understand how controversial any large housing plan can be, and that choosing to oppose the plan may seem a choice that could play out well in some quarters, but we are also mindful of the great risk in not having an adopted plan.”