Maidstone Borough Council’s Housing Land Supply Shortfall

Following the news that Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has fallen below it's five-year land supply, Downswood Parish Council wrote to Helen Whately MP to request her assistance in understanding why the situation had arisen.

The response from Maidstone Borough Council dated 6 October, 2025 is published below:

'Why the borough has fallen below the five-year threshold, despite recent Local Plan reviews and major site allocations.

There are various reasons as to why the borough is currently unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, these include:

Changes to National Planning Policy Framework – in December 2024 the government altered the requirements relating to five-year housing land supply. This reinstated the requirement for all local authorities to updated and produce a five-year land supply annually, regardless of Local Plan status[1]. It also introduced a minimum mandatory 5% ‘buffer’ to be added to an authority’s housing land supply requirement – meaning authorities need a demonstrable supply over and above the requirement contained in the adopted Local Plan.

Macro-uncertainties/issues – there are a number of broader factors that are also affecting housing land supply, including economic pressures on house builders and purchasers. This includes cost of materials and labour and cost of living. These factors have resulted in a slowdown in new housing completions, for example. This is a trend seen nationally, not just within Maidstone borough.

What specific measures are being proposed to restore the required housing supply, including any new calls for sites or revisions to the Local Plan;

Policy LPRSP10 – Housing Delivery from the adopted Local Plan Review (2021-2038) sets out the steps the Council will take to seek to restore a five-year housing land supply. Broadly speaking, proposals for additional residential development in the borough will be supported on sites that are:

“a. Broadly consistent with, not prejudicial to and contributing towards the positive achievement of the plan’s overall spatial vision and spatial strategy; and

b. In a sustainable location and of a scale and nature commensurate to the deficit in required housing and the Plan’s spatial strategy; and

c. Able to demonstrate the ability to contribute in a timely and proportionate manner to addressing the deficit in housing supply; and

d. In all other respects in accordance with other Local Plan policies, in so far as they apply.”

Further, as set out on the Council’s published Forward Plan, a report detailing ‘Emerging proposals for a new Local Plan’ is due to go to Cabinet for decision on 22 October 2025.

The Forward Plan can be viewed here: https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/council-and-democracy/primary-areas/your-councillors?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGbWVldGluZ3MubWFpZHN0b25lLmdvdi51ayUyRm1nTGlzdFBsYW5JdGVtcy5hc3B4JTNGUGxhbklkJTNENDI2JTI2UlAlM0Q3NDgmYWxsPTE%3D (Item 22).

How the Council intends to ensure that future development remains consistent with local priorities, infrastructure capacity, and environmental protections especially nature.

Development proposals are assessed against the policies in the Development Plan as a whole. Whilst the Council may not currently be able to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, this alone does not automatically outweigh all other planning considerations. Decisions on development will be made having regard to all material planning matters including infrastructure capacity and environmental policies. Where appropriate, reference is also made to the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) in terms of development-related infrastructure priorities.'

Downswood Parish Council will remain vigilant and closely monitor the situation.  However, no formal action can be taken unless - and hopefully this will not occur - a planning application is submitted.