It is in this historic setting that the proposed Heathlands Garden Community would sit, bringing forward up to 5,000 new homes, a new district centre, community facilities, schools, a new railway station, open space and employment opportunities.
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) recently published the final Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which is intended to provide the framework for how these elements will be coordinated and delivered.
In its current form, KCC is of the view that the Heathlands SPD does not provide the level of information that is needed to inform the development. It does not show or secure how this development would meet essential public service and infrastructure needs for residents now, or in the future.
Here, KCC’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport explains why.
1. Infrastructure
“There are no secured plans for several key pieces of infrastructure that the scheme depends on.
“Healthcare provision is not described in enough detail. Evidence about wastewater and water supply – in a county already under significant water stress - is not explored to the extent it needs to be, especially given recent water supply issues in parts of Kent. School provision still isn’t clear, and more information is needed on how the needs of older residents, a growing part of our population, would be supported.
“In addition, household waste recycling centres in the area are already at capacity but there is no mitigation set out in the SPD.
“The plan doesn’t explain whether the minerals under the site will be properly dealt with before building begins, or why not, and it doesn’t set out a clear timetable for how this would happen.
2. Funding and viability
“At this stage, the SPD does not give KCC assurance that the development is financially viable or sustainable in the long term.
“There is no detailed cost breakdown, no clear explanation of developer contributions, and no certainty over how much land is genuinely available for housing.
“For a scheme expected to cost around £100 million, it is essential that the financial basics and funding plans are properly set out.
3. Governance
“Where a council, such as Maidstone Borough Council in this instance, is both the promoter of a scheme and the planning authority, it is especially important that decisions and evidence are fully transparent. The SPD would benefit from clear governance information to support proper scrutiny.
“Stakeholders (including KCC) will not see the final SPD until it is published (it was published on 27 January).
“There is no opportunity to comment further before the SPD goes to committee.
4. Design and sustainability
“A development of this scale should be led by a clear ‘Design Code’ and a full sustainability plan. Neither is included. There is little or no detail on density, open space, or how the development will fit into the surrounding landscape.
“Without all this, there is uncertainty about the overall quality of the scheme, increasing the potential risk that the final development could feel piecemeal and incoherent.
5. Roads and transport
“Transport remains a significant are of focus for KCC. The traffic assessment does not provide enough information about the wider impact on the local road network.
“The current modelling focuses on the immediate area and relies on data from 2019. Updated strategic modelling – including impacts on the A20 and rural lanes – is needed before this document can progress.
“KCC requested the SPD explicitly reinforce the need for timely delivery of transport infrastructure. This was not taken forward by Maidstone Borough Council in the modifications before the final publication of the SPD.
6. Rail
“The proposed Lenham Heathlands station is described as essential to the development. But there is no approval in place, no funding agreement, and no confirmed rail service. Without these guarantees, there is no certainty that a reliable and viable rail option could be delivered.
“The plan doesn’t say what would happen if the new railway station can’t be built on time – or at all – and it doesn’t set any rules about how much building can take place before the station is in place.
“This creates major uncertainty for the transport case for this development.
7. Employment
“Finally, the document claims that Heathlands will create 5,000 jobs but no evidence has been provided to support this. Without clear information about how those jobs will be created, it is difficult to show how the development would balance homes, services and infrastructure in a sustainable way.
Conclusion
“At this point, the SPD does not provide the Council, our partners or residents with the necessary evidence they need to fully understand and assess the impacts of the proposal. It also does not give residents the level of assurance they should reasonably expect for a development of this scale.
“This area is environmentally and historically sensitive. It is right that any major development here must be backed by thorough, reliable evidence so residents can be confident that it is both viable and sustainable.”
Stakeholders will not see the final version before publication on 27 January, after which it will be considered by:
- Planning and Healthier Stronger Communities Policy Advisory Committee on 4 February, and
- MBC Cabinet on 11 February.
KCC intends to attend both committees and prepare correspondence based on the published SPDs.
