Maidstone Greens have welcomed many of the comments from the Planning Inspector following his inspection of the Local Plan but have warned that housing targets are politically and economically driven rather than being based on need and the entire plan is ecologically unsustainable.
Cllr Stuart Jeffery (Green Party): “While I was pleased to see the serious criticism of the Heathlands, Lidsing and Leeds/Langley plans, the inspector has frustratingly agreed that work can continue rather than dismissing the plan completely. This is a mistake in our opinion as this is a truly awful Local Plan and the entire plan is ecologically unsustainable.
“Even just building this number of homes will emit a phenomenal amount of carbon at time when we should be drastically reducing these emissions. When you add in the damage to water courses and the traffic that will be generated, the plan is simply destroying the future.
“This is made worse by the continued ramping up of politically and economically driven housing targets rather than being based on need. We need sustainable affordable homes, we don’t need mansions on farm and woodland.”
