Bryan Geake

Minerals and Waste Planning Policy

1st Floor

Invicta House

Maidstone

ME14 1XX

 

 

By email to: mwlp@kent.gov.uk

 

Date: 12/12/2022

 

Dear Mr Geake

Kent Minerals and Waste local Plan 2013-30; Regulation 18 Consultation Draft

Thank you for consulting Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) on the draft refresh of the Kent Minerals and Waste Plan (2013-30).  Maidstone Borough Council’s comments on the draft plan are detailed below.

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) places a legal duty on planning authorities to engage constructively, actively, and on an ongoing basis, to ensure the effectiveness of Local Plan preparation in relation to strategic issues. Effective and on-going joint working between strategic policy-making authorities is integral to the production of a positively prepared and justified strategy. MBC and KCC have consistently and positively engaged on their respective plan making processes and MBC therefore considers that the duty to cooperate in plan-making between the two authorities has been satisfied to date and that cooperation is ongoing.

MBC have reviewed the additional changes and are supportive of the plan as a whole and the overall aims of the policy refresh, and welcome the updated position in respect to soft sand extraction at Chapel Farm which forms part of an allocation in the Maidstone Local Plan Review.

However, as highlighted in its previous response, MBC are of the view that Policy CSW 3 (Waste Reduction) requires further consideration. The proposed new wording of the policy requires that for applications submitted to Maidstone Borough Council additional information be supplied at application stage.  This will likely mean that MBC is required to add to their Local List a requirement for a Circular Economy Statement to accompany major applications and we would welcome the opportunity to work with KCC officers to ensure resource implications for MBC are minimised.

 

In respect to the requirement of 20% Biodiversity Net Gain on restored sites as set out in Policy DM3, Maidstone welcomes this aspiration as it aligns with emerging policies in its LPR.

I hope these comments are helpful and look forward to continuing, constructive dialogue on strategic issues as part of the duty to cooperate as our respective Local Plans progress.

Yours sincerely,

 

Philip Coyne

Interim Local Plan Review Director

Maidstone Borough Council, King Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6JQ