Maidstone Local Plan Review - Main Modifications Consultation

Maidstone Local Plan Review – Main Modifications Consultation following Examination.

The Local Plan Review will provide the planning framework for development in the borough until 2038. The polices within the plan will be used to assess planning applications and guide future development in the borough.

Following the examination in public of the Local Plan Review, which was held by Planning Inspector David Spencer, Maidstone Borough Council is publishing his proposed Main Modifications, for consultation.

Consultation on Main Modifications

The consultation will only be on the Inspector’s proposed Main Modifications to the Local Plan Review and will take place alongside consultations on the associated Sustainability Appraisal Addendum and Habitats Regulations Assessment Addendum.

Additional Information

Alongside the consultation on the schedule of Main Modifications, the Council is publishing additional supporting evidence, for information.

Changes to the Policies Map along with minor modifications to provide factual updates and correct spelling error are also being published, for information. Any comments received on the policies map will be forwarded to the Planning Inspector for their consideration alongside the comments received on the main modifications schedule.

How to Comment

The consultations on the Main Modifications to the Local Plan Review, the Sustainability Appraisal Addendum and Habitats Regulations Assessment Addendum will run for a period of six weeks from 5pm on Friday 29 September 2023 until 5pm on Monday 13^th November 2023.

All consultation documents can be viewed and downloaded from the Council’s website at: https://localplan.maidstone.gov.uk/home/local-plan-review-examination The consultation documents will also be available for inspection at the following locations:

• Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ by appointment. Please contact the Strategic Planning Team, by email at: ldf@maidstone.gov.uk or by phone 01622 602000.
• All libraries in Maidstone Borough area during normal opening hours

Making representations: We encourage the use of the online Consultation Portal https://maidstone.objective.co.uk/kse/ to make a representation during the consultation period set out above. Guidance is available on the portal that will assist you.

If you are unable to use the online method of submitting comments, you may still submit comments, ideally using the downloadable representation form available on the Local Plan Review webpage. Please submit comments:

• By email to: ldf@maidstone.gov.uk

• By post to: Strategic Planning, Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, ME15 6JQ

All responses must contain your full name and postal address in order for your response to be processed as part of this consultation. Your name will be published alongside your representation on Maidstone’s consultation portal. All demographic and contact data will be removed. Please note if you are under 18 we will not publish your name, only your representation, please do specify your age if this is the case.

A paper response form can be requested by phoning 01622 602000. Posted response forms must be received by the Borough Council within the stated consultation period set out above.

If submitting by email or post, you should specify each Main Modification you wish to comment on, clearly stating in the title the reference number (.e.g. MM1).

What happens next?

Following the consultation, the council will submit all duly made comments to the Planning Inspector who will then consider them. All responses will also be made publicly available on the Council’s website.

If you have any queries please contact us at: ldf@maidstone.gov.uk or call us: 01622 602000 and ask for the Planning Policy team.