Cllrs’ fury as debate on Local Plan is shut down
Residents will be able to have their say on controversial plans for thousands of new homes in spite of fierce opposition.
Maidstone councillors last week took part in a heated debate over the authority’s draft Local Plan Review, which directs development for the next 17 years.
Among the schemes are garden villages of 5,000 new homes at Heathlands at Lenham and 2,000 at Lidsing.
But councillors argued they did not have enough time to properly scrutinise the plans, having been asked to vote on a 700-page document they had only received four days before.
Cllr Bob Hinder (Con), who represents Boxley ward which covers part of Lidsing, said: “There are many flaws in this plan that have not been properly debated and we’re now told the time has run out.
“Time, effort, and more work must be put in before the situation becomes irreversible.”
Liberal Democrat councillors were furious when the mayor Cllr Fay Gooch refused to allow debate on their proposed amendment to the blueprint.
Cllr Clive English sought the removal of plans for Lidsing and Coxheath and re-allocation of a garden development north of Marden which could have seen 2,000 new homes built.
Cllr Janetta Sams’ (Ind) asked for a deferral on the council’s decision on the Local Plan Review until December, which was also shut down without discussion. Opposition members have since decided to call in the decision against allowing members to hold a debate.
Speaking following the meeting, Cllr David Naghi (Lib) described the way the session was run as a “loss of democracy.”
The recommendations to go ahead with the consultation, which will take place between October 29 and December 12, were voted for with a majority of just three votes.
The last round of consultations took place between December and January last year and received more than 3,000 responses.