Contact your Parish Council


Agenda item

Notice of Motion - Housing Numbers

Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillor J Sams, seconded by Councillor Powell:

 

This Council has been informed that between 2017 and 2037 it must accept upwards of 30,000 new homes. We firmly believe that this is untenable for our communities.

 

If we continue with the proposed housing plans, it will have a detrimental effect upon the living environment for Maidstone residents in the following ways:

 

  • A serious impact upon the health of local people with additional demands being put on medical services, which are already stretched to breaking point
  • Adverse impact on air quality as a consequence of a substantial increase in the number of vehicles on the roads directly as a result of increased housing numbers. More traffic congestion on local roads in the Borough which are already frequently gridlocked with a knock on effect to our public transport system
  • Poor infrastructure is already having a choking effect and restricting the movement of residents impacting on employment, education and social mobility. And this will get worse
  • Our open spaces, the green lungs of our community, being reduced as housing encroaches upon them
  • These proposals fly in the face of the Climate Change Crisis by damaging our environment, ecology and our future sustainability.

 

We call upon this Council to as a matter of urgency

 

  1. Temporarily suspend its analysis of the more than 300 sites that have come forward in the call for sites process.
  2. Allow residents, residents’ groups, Parish Councils to make representation to this Council directly, particularly on the overall effect on the Borough’s health and its future sustainability.
  3. Promote and resource a review based upon this information, and our own investigations, to positively demonstrate and evidence that the Borough's housing numbers are impossible to deliver.

 

Minutes:

Councillor J Sams had given notice of a motion relating to housing numbers.  When moving the motion, Councillor Sams altered it with the consent of the meeting and Councillor Powell, the other signatory and seconder, as follows:

 

This Council, because of the Government's housing policy, has been told that between 2017 and 2037 it must accept upwards of 30,000 new homes.  We firmly believe that this is untenable for our communities.

 

If we continue with the Council's proposed housing plans, it will have a detrimental effect upon the living environment for Maidstone residents in the following ways:

 

·  A serious impact upon the health of local people with additional demands being put on medical services, which are already stretched to breaking point

 

·  Adverse impact on air quality as a consequence of a substantial increase in the number of vehicles on the roads directly as a result of increased housing numbers.  More traffic congestion on local roads in the Borough which are already frequently gridlocked with a knock on effect to our public transport system

 

·  Poor infrastructure is already having a choking effect and restricting the movement of residents impacting on employment, education and social mobility.  And this will get worse

 

·  Our open spaces, the green lungs of our community, being reduced as housing encroaches upon them

 

·  These proposals fly in the face of the Climate Change Crisis by damaging our environment, ecology and our future sustainability.

 

We call upon this Council to as a matter of urgency

 

1.  Temporarily suspend its analysis of the more than 300 sites that have come forward in the call for sites process.

 

2.  Allow residents, residents groups, Parish Councils to make representation to this Council directly, particularly on the overall effect on the Borough’s health and its future sustainability.

 

3.  Promote and resource a review based upon this information, and our own investigations, to positively demonstrate and evidence to the Government that the Borough's housing numbers are impossible to deliver.

 

4.  Finally, giving our newly re-elected MPs the opportunity to challenge the Government's position on housing numbers, for this Borough as a matter of urgency, representing the people of Maidstone wishes.

 

The Mayor said that she considered it to be convenient and conducive to the despatch of business that the motion be dealt with at the meeting and a factual briefing note had been circulated.

 

Amendment, moved by Councillor Perry, seconded by Councillor Cox, that the motion be amended as follows:

 

Maidstone Borough Council recognises that housing targets are set by Government through the establishment of a standard methodology.  And notes that through its current Local Plan adopted in 2017 Maidstone has already made a significant contribution.  Maidstone is in a strong position because it has an agreed Local Plan and has met its target of a five year housing supply; and it is essential that this is maintained.

 

Maidstone Borough Council recognises that homes are needed to meet the needs of future residents.  But, without the investment in supporting infrastructure, these targets cannot be met without adversely affecting the residents of this Borough.

 

The Council also recognises that the time-scale for adopting a Revised Local Plan is very demanding and any delay to this timetable could lead to the Borough being without an adopted Revised Local Plan; this would result in the Council having little or no control over future development including housing.

 

Therefore the Council agrees to:

 

1.  Expedite the review of all the sites submitted in the “call for sites” process to identify those that appear prima facie unsuitable;

 

2.  Acknowledge that there has already been consultation on the key issues for the Local Plan review to address, and ensure that residents, community groups and Parish Councils continue to make use of the current consultation process and are given every opportunity through this consultation process to express their views;

 

3.  Work with Kent County Council, other Kent Councils and our  Members of Parliament in lobbying the relevant Government departments and Ministers to revise the standardised methodology for calculating housing requirements that has resulted in a 40% uplift  which based on current local conditions and constraints, would be impossible to deliver;

 

4.  Request that our newly elected MPs support the Maidstone Borough Council in challenging the Government’s position on housing numbers for this Borough as a matter of urgency; and

 

5.  Invite the Leaders of all Political Groups to send a joint letter, by 17th January 2020, to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government setting out the Council’s concerns regarding the size of the housing target and the lack of appropriate investment in infrastructure needed to support it.  In addition, together with our Members of Parliament, seek face to face meetings with Ministers to explain the Borough’s position and reinforce its concerns.

 

AMENDMENT CARRIED

 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote.

 

SUBSTANTIVE MOTION CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:  That this Council agrees to:

 

1.  Expedite the review of all the sites submitted in the “call for sites” process to identify those that appear prima facie unsuitable;

 

2.  Acknowledge that there has already been consultation on the key issues for the Local Plan review to address, and ensure that residents, community groups and Parish Councils continue to make use of the current consultation process and are given every opportunity through this consultation process to express their views;

 

3.  Work with Kent County Council, other Kent Councils and our Members of Parliament in lobbying the relevant Government departments and Ministers to revise the standardised methodology for calculating housing requirements that has resulted in a 40% uplift which based on current local conditions and constraints, would be impossible to deliver;

 

4.  Request that our newly elected MPs support the Maidstone Borough Council in challenging the Government’s position on housing numbers for this Borough as a matter of urgency; and

 

5.  Invite the Leaders of all Political Groups to send a joint letter, by 17th January 2020, to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government setting out the Council’s concerns regarding the size of the housing target and the lack of appropriate investment in infrastructure needed to support it.  In addition, together with our Members of Parliament, seek face to face meetings with Ministers to explain the Borough’s position and reinforce its concerns.

 

Councillors J and T Sams left the meeting after consideration of this item (9.25 p.m.).