Marden Parish Council has continued to respond to Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) on the review of the Local Plan and this is now with the Planning Inspector to ascertain the soundness of the plan for future years.  Further details on the process and the current information is available at Local Plan Review - Examination - MBC Local Plan (maidstone.gov.uk)

 

Maidstone Local Plan Review

There is a lot of speculation within the village about a specific site that may be put forward for development in the future.  Until this, or any site, is put forward to Maidstone Borough Council for the Local Plan Review we are unable to comment further.  To date, no planning application has been submitted.   

Maidstone Borough Council has just issued this notice about the Local Plan Review:

“Maidstone Borough Council is starting its Local Plan Review, following the adoption of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan in 2017.  An important early step in the process is a ‘Call for Sites’.

The Call for Sites is an open request for information about land and sites which may have development potential in the future. It is particularly aimed at landowners, developers and their agents but it is open to anyone to submit a site.  A key proviso is that the person submitting the site can confirm that the landowner is willing to make the land available for development should it prove suitable.

We are asking for information about land which could be suitable for the following uses;

·         Housing, including specialist housing such as housing for the elderly

·         Employment uses – offices, research & development, industrial uses and storage & distribution

·         Retail

·         Leisure eg hotels, gyms, cinemas

·         Gypsy & Traveller/Travelling Showpeople accommodation

·         Nursing and care homes

Importantly, submitting a site through the Call for Sites does not mean that it will prove suitable for inclusion in the Local Plan Review or that it will get planning permission in the future.  Its important purpose is to give the council a starting list of candidate sites to consider.

More information about the Call for Sites is available through the following link on the council’s website https://maidstone.gov.uk/callforsites (please note this link will not be available until 28th February).  We have prepared an information pack which provides supporting information, including a dedicated New Garden Communities Prospectus as guidance for those wishing to promote large scale new neighbourhoods or settlements.  The dedicated submission form available on the website will give us the information we need to assess the site.

The Call for Sites closed on Friday 24th May 2019. 

Maidstone Borough Council are now spending time comprehensively assessing the planning merits of the submitted sites.  In due course the outcomes of the assessment will be compiled into a single report called a Strategic Land Availability Assessment which will be one of the evidence documents underpinning the Local Plan Review.

The current timetable sees the first public consultation on the evolving Local Plan Review document taking places in July-August 2019 with further consultations following in 2020 before the Local Plan Review is submitted for Examination in 2021.”

Marden Parish Council is committed to ensuring residents are kept informed when information about sites becomes available.  Once we have definite information from the Call for Sites process - this is hoped to be received in Autumn 2019.

If you have any queries please email the Parish Office at clerk@mardenkent-pc.gov.uk.