The petition of residents of the constituency of Gillingham and Rainham,
Declares that the proposal in Maidstone Borough Council’s local plan review for up to 2,000 homes at Lidsing, which borders Hempstead in the constituency of Gillingham and Rainham, would negatively impact local infrastructure and green spaces; and further that the building of this proposal would be detrimental to road capacity, school place availability and local GP services for the local residents of Hempstead and the surrounding areas.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take into account the concerns of the petitioners and take action to ensure that the 2,000 home Lidsing proposal in Maidstone Borough Council’s plan does not go ahead.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Rehman Chishti, Official Report, 9 December 2020; Vol. 685, c. 946 .]
[P002638]
Observations from The Minister for Housing (Christopher Pincher):
The Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government has a quasi-judicial role in the planning system so the Government cannot comment on the detail of individual local plans for reasons of propriety. This includes the merits or otherwise of particular proposals in a draft plan. However, I am able to inform on factual elements such as the stage a local plan is at and provide general comments.
I understand that the Maidstone local plan review was open for consultation from 1 December 2020 until 8 January 2021. According to the Council’s timetable there will also be further opportunities to make representations on the plan in a Regulation 19 consultation scheduled for June 2021 prior to its submission for examination at the end of this year.
Councils can only adopt a plan that is sound, it must conform with national policy, be supported by evidence and take the views of local people into account. Each plan is subject to a public examination in front of an independent Inspector, who plays an important role in examining plans impartially to ensure that they are legally compliant and sound.
Anyone who has submitted a representation during the consultation on the draft plan may make a request to be heard by the inspector during the examination. It is for the inspector to decide who will be invited to appear at the hearing sessions.
The national planning policy framework is clear that a plan must include strategic policies to address each local planning authority’s priorities for the development and use of land in its area. Strategic policies should make sufficient provision for infrastructure for transport, waste management, water supply, and community facilities such as health and education.
Having an effective, up-to-date plan in place is essential to planning for and meeting housing requirements, in ways that make good use of land and result in well-designed and attractive places to live. The Government expect local authorities to work together to plan for and deliver the housing and infrastructure our communities need.