Agenda item

(Local Members – Mr G Cooke, Mr D Daley and Mrs J Whittle; Maidstone Borough Council – Cllr C Garland, Leader; and Mr R Jarman, Head of Planning, were in attendance for this item and took part in the debate)

(1)       The report proposed a response by KCC to Maidstone Borough Council’s public consultations on Strategic Site Allocations. The main strategic developments proposed by the Borough Council were employment land at Junction 8 of the M20, retail and employment uses at Junction 7 of M20, and residential land at Allington and on the Sutton Road.

(2)       Maidstone Borough Council consulted on their draft local plan Core Strategy in September 2011. The County Council supported the proposed number and distribution of dwellings, but objected to the proposal for a new site for warehousing and other employment uses near to Junction 8 of the M20.  The consultation gave rise to requests that new strategic development sites, such as Junction 8, should be clearly identified. The Council therefore invited proposals for development sites (a ‘call for sites’) in June of this year. The call for sites asked for information about sites specifically at three strategic development locations: housing sites in North West and South East Maidstone, and employment sites at Junction 8 of the M20. 

(3)       The Borough Council was now consulting on the sites and policies that it proposed to allocate in the Core Strategy. The consultation was taking place for 6 weeks from 17 August 2012, and closed on 1 October.  The allocations would become part of the Maidstone local plan Core Strategy which the Borough Council intended to publish in December 2012 before it was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination in 2013 (the Examination in Public).

(4)     The Borough Council were also consulting on an Integrated Transport Strategy for Maidstone (ITS) prepared jointly with KCC as the highways authority.  The draft ITS had been agreed for consultation by an informal group of Members from both authorities. It would then be referred to the Joint Transport Board for Maidstone in October, and would be considered by the Committee in November for subsequent adoption by both authorities.

(5)       The decisions to be taken by the Borough Council might have long term financial implications for KCC as the provider of infrastructure and services to support development.  The proposed response by KCC to the consultation supported the County Council’s ambition to grow the economy.

(6)       The report summarised:- (a) KCC’s views on the main proposals in the draft Core Strategy – Housing, Town Centre, and Employment; (b) the proposed  KCC Response to the current Strategic Sites Allocations Consultation – Housing, Housing land in North West Maidstone, Housing land in South East Maidstone, Housing at Rural Services Centres, Strategic employment locations, Strategic employment location at Junction 8 of M20, Strategic employment site at Junction 7 of M20, Retail Policy, Medical campus and employment uses. 

(7)       The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) introduced a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ that should be reflected in local plans. The Planning Inspectorate had published a ‘model policy’ to show how local plans could comply with the requirement.  Maidstone Borough Council proposed to incorporate it as Policy NPPF1 ‘Presumption in favour of sustainable development’.

(8)       Resolved that the Cabinet Member be recommended to approve KCC’s response to the consultation as follows:-

(a)       the Borough Council’s target of 10,080 new dwellings by 2026, and the allocation of the strategic housing sites to meet the target, be supported;

(b)       the allocation of the three strategic housing sites identified in Policy SS1, be supported, and the provision for junction improvements, be welcomed; 

(c)        the recognition of the need for a new primary school in the area be welcomed, and the provision in Policy SS1b (4) for the transfer of land for primary education at the site East of Hermitage Lane be noted.  KCC would confirm the location of the school with the Borough Council, and the provision for financial contributions to education and other community facilities in Policies SS1a-c for each site, be welcomed;

(d)       the allocation of the three strategic housing sites identified in Policy SS2, be supported, and the provision for transport improvements, and land or funding for a two form entry primary school be welcomed.  However, KCC would request that the green wedge, shown on the Key Diagram in the consultation of September 2011, be extended to contain development in the south east sector of Maidstone to that now proposed;

(e)       the provision for financial contributions to education in Policies SS2a and SS2c be welcomed, subject to the confirmation of education needs, requests amendments to Policy SS2a (Langley Park) to provide for the transfer of land for primary education, and to Policy SS2b (North of Sutton Road) to provide for contributions to education;

(f)         the clarification of the distribution of dwellings among the rural service centres provided by the additional text to Policy CS1, be welcomed;

(g)       the Borough Council be requested to include a policy be included in the Core Strategy that recognised the need for a positive response to development proposals from existing businesses for their own expansion and occupation;  

(h)        the principle of a strategic location for employment at Junction 8 of M20 for the reasons expressed in the report be opposed, and that KCC did not express a preference among the three sites described but would require any highway improvements to be fully funded by a developer.  KCC’s objection applied to all sites, and would not be overcome by the allocation of a small site such as site   EMP-01-J8;

Mrs Law abstained

(i)         the allocation of an employment site at Junction 7 of M20 as defined on the map accompanying Policy SS4 be supported, subject to the provisions for highway, public transport and cycle/pedestrian access as set out in the policy, and the attention to be paid to the design and landscape of the site, be welcomed; 

(j)         the allocation of part of the site at Junction 7 for prime office and similar business uses be sought, in place of a new site at Junction 8 of M20, and that it be promoted by Policy SS4 as the location in Maidstone for business uses to complement the town centre, together with a medical hub;

(k)        that Policy SS4 specify the area of land and the amount of retail and related floorspace that would be provided at Junction 7 of M20, and should be limited to the replacement of the existing retail and service floorspace (excluding the open area of the garden centre). The policy to state the nature of the retail centre proposed and clearly prevent future encroachment of retail uses into the remainder of this large allocation; and

(l)         the incorporation of text into Policy NPPF1 in favour of sustainable development be supported.