Lidsing Development Declared Unsound

Planning Inspector David Spencer has declared that Lidsing Garden Village developmets plans as unsound reported KentOnLine on the 16th January 2023. Maidstone Borough Council will have to make substantial changes particularly around access via a fourth arm to Junction 4 of the M2.

The inspector further stated that he would want to see further evidence on mitigation of the development most of which affect Hempstead & Wigmore and how the North Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, could be protected including 17 hectares of lanscaping south of the M2.

Whilst this good news for the 1000s of Medway residents most affected by this proposal Maidstone Borough Council will continue to press for planning permission.

Hempstead & Wigmore Conservatives commented that they welcomed the Inspector's initial views but there is no mitigation that would make this development acceptable to us or residents. Lidsing is the wrong development in the wrong place and whilst political expedient for Maidstone Borough Councillors it will have a huge negative impact on residents of Medway particularly those living in Hempstead & Wigmore and villages in Maidstone Borough Council such as Bredhurst, Boxley and Lidsing.

Jim Gilbourne and Andrew Lawrence are both committed to the fight against Lidsing Garden Village with Cllrs Diane and Rodney Chambers and Rehman Chisthi MP.