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Agenda item

Question and Answer Session for Members of the Public

Minutes:

There were seven questions from members of the public.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Mr Peter Titchener

 

What are the main criteria by which sustainability is judged - for example, does the absence of shops, doctors and regular public transport make significant planned housing in small villages unsustainable?’

 

The Chairman responded to the question.

 

Mr Peter Titchener asked the following supplementary question:

 

‘Can I ask whether the same conditions on sustainability will apply to the Gypsy and Traveller Community as much as to the settled Community?’

 

The Chairman responded to the supplementary question.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Ms Anna Wight

 

The Chairman noted how Ms Wight was not available to ask her question in person and as such he would ask it on her behalf and answer it in conjunction with the next public member question, due to their overlap.

 

‘October 2022 has been noted as the deadline for the final plan submission for the Local Development Scheme. Will there be a first round of initial sifting of those sites definitely likely or definitely unlikely to be considered, so that some of the applicants will receive information sooner than October 2022?’

 

The Chairman responded to the question.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Mr Peter Coulling

 

‘We understand that sites submitted as a result of the Call for Sites have been classified into green, amber and red, with red initially thought very unlikely to be selected. Apparently, the results of detailed appraisal for all sites will be released simultaneously; that is red sites at the same time as green and amber. Why, therefore, cannot the detailed analysis for the red sites been done first so that, if they fail to meet necessary selection criteria, they can be declared as such, with clear evidence having been accumulated to support such declaration and to defend at any appeal?’

 

Mr Peter Coulling asked the following supplementary question:

 

‘Why cannot the Officers be instructed to start with the red and knocking out those which clearly fail any reasonable criteria?’

 

The Chairman responded to the supplementary question.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Mr Steve Heeley

 

‘Question 11 of your Scoping Themes & Issues public consultation last year asked residents’ for their views on preferred options for future patterns of housing growth. 

 

Based on the summary of responses, a focus on Maidstone town centre and/or a dispersal approach across the borough were most favoured. Garden communities was the least favoured option. In light of this, why is this Council pursuing its own council-led garden community at the expense of focusing greater efforts and resource on regenerating and densifying Maidstone town centre as requested by residents in your consultation?’

The Chairman responded to the question.

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Ms Claudine Russell

‘During our campaign we have sought advice from the Government and the then Housing Minister Esther McVey, along with Andrea Hall from development plans who responded saying, and I quote…

 

“I understand Maidstone Borough Council are currently carrying out a Local Plan Review, Scoping Themes and Issues Consultation.  I would encourage you to engage with this process to ensure local views are heard.”

 

The officers state in their report that MBC received a “substantial response” to this regulation 18 public consultation and that many of them were from Marden residents.  People took time and care to respond to this consultation, responding in many different ways but with the overarching theme that they did not want Option C (garden communities).

 

Given this substantial response and the now elongated timescale for the Local Plan Review, I would like to ask this committee how you will ensure that these views of local people will continue to be taken into account in this review process and how will they inform your options for the spatial strategy for Maidstone Borough?’

 

The Chairman responded to the question.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Ms Donna Greenan

‘Could you tell me what steps Maidstone Borough Council have taken over the past year and intend to take over the next year to increase the proportion of affordable housing in the borough to meet the needs of local residents?’

 

The Chairman responded to the question.

 

Ms Donna Greenan asked the following supplementary question:

 

‘With a large number of families like my own, earning local wages, living in private rentals faced with increasing rental costs, do the Council believe that making 85 affordable homes available in quarter three really addresses the local need?’.

 

The Chairman responded to the Supplementary Question.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee from Mr Robert Adkin

 

‘Could you tell us how the Call for Sites assessment will remain politically objective?’

 

The Chairman responded to the Question.

 

Mr Robert Adkin asked the following supplementary question:

 

‘So as this Committee is independent of the process, a Member of this Committee has recently been in communication with a number of our neighbours saying that Lenham is an obvious target for development, and refers to the fact that that is partly due to the independent nature of ouir ward Councillors and that no other political party sees much to lose in our ward, so I wonder in light of those comments that have been made to our neighbours in public documents, how do you feel about the independence of this group?’.

 

The Chairman responded to the Supplementary Question.

 

Councillor English, on behalf of the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, responded to the question.

 

Councillor Perry, Leader of the Conservative Group, responded to the question.

 

The full responses were recorded on the webcast and were made available to view on the Maidstone Borough Council Website.

 

To access the webcast recording, please use the below link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIUYATcsznk