Maidstone Borough Council (“MBC”) has proposed a new Garden Community on the doorstep of Lenham which will blight the area and see the loss of our precious countryside forever (900+ acres). If you live in Lenham’s neighbouring communities including the Stour Valley and think this development does not affect you, then you should think again.
The demand on our already creaking infrastructure will be irreversible. Our roads, public transport, doctors’ surgeries, hospitals, waterways, sewerage, internet, parking availability and other basic services will be impacted and the delays will significantly disrupt how we all go about our daily lives.
If the Council forces this proposal through, the essential infrastructure needed to support an additional 12,000 people, such as the M20 junction, wouldn’t be built until 2035 at the earliest. As things stand the proposals will commence with our current roads and infrastructure and this can only lead to further traffic and increased pressure on our local amenities and public services. The Council has been so secretive about this development, you cannot help but ask why?
MBC’s recent “call for sites” invited landowners to submit sites for possible development consideration. 334 sites were submitted. In the parish of Lenham 19 sites were submitted which could result in a possible 7,000 new homes being built in the area. In neighbouring Harrietsham, 15 sites were submitted with a possibility of over 800 new homes. Lenham will feel like a ‘Dormitory Town’ compared to its current size. Our beautiful surrounding villages such as Egerton, Platts Heath, Boughton Malherbe, Charing Heath, Charing, Harrietsham and the Stour Valley will be severely affected. Eventually, after the development floodgates have opened, some villages will in effect merge together as one.
If this proposal goes ahead then we will face a further 20 years of construction (or should that be destruction?) Our lives and properties will be blighted. Lorries will pound our roads day in, day out. Diggers will be moving earth with a constant drone of noise and vibrations reverberating across our villages.
Maidstone Borough Council say they are required to increase housebuilding according to a formula produced by National Government. This relies on an outdated population growth estimate from 2014. Why are our elected representatives not challenging this?
Please join us by putting pressure on our elected Borough Councillors to:
- Lobby National Government and ask them to revise their housing calculation to a level that is sustainable. Housebuilding needs to be in the right place for the people that require it. The countryside should not be turned into a dormitory town for London.
- Rectify infrastructure issues currently blighting Maidstone Borough residents, to enable it to cope with the housing increases which have already been accepted. Only when this is achieved should new housing be considered.
It is our intention to unite our local communities and speak as one ‘voice’ to oppose the Council’s plans to develop the Garden Community in the parish of Lenham and challenge its housing strategy.
We would like to thank all those residents who have provided their support so far.
We would also like to thank Cllrs Tom and Janetta Sams for all their hard work and support.
