News MBC working with Councillors on public consultation of LPR
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC), is working with its Councillors to discuss the commencement of and agree a programme of work to lead to the next major public consultation of the Local Plan Review (LPR).
As the Maidstone Local Plan approaches the second stage of the review process MBC has provided a report to the Council’s Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee outlining the progress on delivering the plan on the timescale agreed and to consider approaches to future development across the borough.
The MBC Committee report provides updates and seeks agreement to an Elected Member Engagement Protocol in advance of a recommendation to undertake a major public consultation exercise on the LPR scheduled for October.
The LPR undergoes several stages including several public consultations to allow all interested parties to comment. The Maidstone Local Plan Review is currently approaching the second stage of the review with the second public consultation (Preferred Approaches – Regulation 18B) due to begin in October 2020, and a further public consultation anticipated in February 2021.
Philip Coyne, MBC Interim Director for the Local Plan Review said:
“It is vital that we work closely with our Councillors throughout the Local Plan Review process which is pivotal to the Borough’s ongoing ambitions for growth and Maidstone’s role as the County Town of Kent.“This work with elected members will help inform the next major public consultation in relation to what future development in Maidstone Borough will look like.”
The plan aims to attract investment in jobs, housing, and other facilities to the borough with a 15 year forward look. The second stage consultation will take place in October 2020 and will seek to set out the main components of future growth associated with the Local Plan Review, including growth in housing, employment, and retail and where this would occur. It will also consider the main matters that impact on that growth, including transport and other forms of infrastructure as well as environmental designations.
Mr Coyne continued:
“Maidstone Borough Council has always been and remains fully committed to consulting with all interested parties and allowing everyone to ‘have their say,’ and therefore would encourage all to consider the scheduled public consultations.“MBC also works in close collaboration with infrastructure and transport providers - including Kent County Council and utility companies to ensure that the necessary requirements are fully considered to meet the needs of future development.”
The Council’s Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 9 June 2020, when discussions regarding the second stage consultation will be included in the meeting agenda.