Maidstone planning news
Maidstone planning news, newest first: applications, appeals and committee decisions, each story linked back to the council file.
Top story
Grange Moor Hotel Maidstone: 42-Room HMO Plan Refused
Maidstone council has refused the 42-room HMO at the Grange Moor Hotel, citing noise and pressure on services from 66 residents. Six months to appeal.
More stories
Planning
Staplehurst Lodge Road: 81 Homes Win Appeal, None Affordable
An inspector has overturned Maidstone's refusal of 81 homes at Lodge Road, Staplehurst, with no affordable homes on site. Councillors had gone against officers.
Planning
Staplehurst Henhurst Farm: Up to 300 Homes on a 60-Home Site
Wates wants up to 300 homes at Henhurst Farm, Staplehurst, where the Local Plan allows about 60 on 2.5 hectares. Access would move to Pinnock Lane.
Planning
Invicta Grammar 3G Pitch Plan: Six 15m Floodlights
A second full-size 3G pitch is planned on the Huntsman Lane school campus, with six 15m floodlight masts and 24 parking spaces. The council decides by January.
Planning
Staplehurst 62, Sutton Valence 41 Homes: Committee Says Yes
Maidstone's Planning Committee backed 62 homes at Marden Road, Staplehurst (9-3) and 41 at South Lane, Sutton Valence (8-4). Jewson yard trade units passed 12-0.
Planning
Grange Moor Hotel HMO Plan: Refused After 331 Comments
The Grange Moor Hotel plan for 42 co-living rooms on St Michael's Road was refused on 30 October after 331 comments on file. The scheme and objections in full.
Planning
Maidstone Planning Call-In Ends 31 October: Who Decides Now
Parish and councillor call-in to Maidstone's Planning Committee ends on 31 October. Two people will decide in private which applications get a public hearing.
Planning
Loose Neighbourhood Plan: 51 Green Spaces, Comment by 23 Oct
Loose Parish Council's draft plan to 2038 protects 51 green spaces and 18 views and sets terms for 300 homes at Pested Bars. Comments close 23 October.
Planning
Invicta House Maidstone: Flats Need Permission From 30 Oct
The Article 4 direction on five town centre office sites is signed. From 30 October, turning any into flats needs planning permission. Comments close then.
Planning
Heathlands: Updated 5,000-Home Plans Shown 9 and 10 October
Homes England will show the revised Heathlands masterplan at three drop-ins on 9 and 10 October, then a webinar on 12 October, before the planning bid lands.
Planning
Archbishop's Palace Maidstone: 250 Weddings a Year Plan
Maidstone's Grade I palace would host up to 250 weddings a year and 180 guests under a council plan, with 59 Mill Street car park spaces reserved.
Planning
Maidstone Padel: 13 Courts Approved, 3 More Await a Ruling
Sport England objects again to padel courts replacing the YMCA astro pitch used by 16 football teams. Every padel scheme in the borough, counted.
Maidstone
Maidstone Call for Sites: 183 Sites, 153 of Them Housing
Landowners put 183 sites to Maidstone council by 23 August. We read all 184 published records: 153 name housing, and the largest is 100 hectares at Leeds.
Planning
Chart Sutton Plan: Council Says 2 Policies Fail the Test
Maidstone says nine of the 11 policies in Chart Sutton's plan pass the test, but its tree and community rules are too restrictive. Comments close 21 September.
Planning
Swale's 17,024 Homes: Maidstone Calls the Plan Unsound
Swale wants 17,024 homes by 2042. Maidstone says the plan is unsound because no fix is modelled for M20 Junction 7. Comments close 21 September.
Planning
Marley Works Lenham: Kent Downs Objects to 18m Warehouses
The Kent Downs National Landscape says Panattoni's plan for the former Marley Works fails national policy. Comments close 3 October. Reference 26/502880/EIHYB.
Planning
Heathlands 5,000 Homes: Council Demands No-Station Plan
Maidstone's scoping opinion of 28 August orders the Heathlands team to model what happens if the promised new railway station is delayed or never built.
Planning
Oaken Wood: Maidstone Council Calls Quarry Plan Unsound
Maidstone's own planners say Kent's case for quarrying Oaken Wood misapplies national policy and is unjustified, and want the site dropped. Comments close 5 October.
Planning
Oaken Wood: 41 Hectares at Risk, Deadline Now 5 October
Kent's draft minerals plan would allow quarrying on up to 49 hectares beside Hermitage Quarry, costing 41 hectares of ancient woodland. Comments now close 5 October.
Council
Maidstone Developer Money: Where the £13m Is Going
Cabinet split £13,017,345 of developer levy across eight projects on 22 July. The hospice takes £3.53m, a new town park £3.9m, and a village cricket pavilion nothing.
Planning
Maidstone Article 4 Direction: Five Office Blocks Named
Invicta House and four other town centre blocks would lose the right to become flats without a planning application. Cabinet agreed to proceed on 22 July.
Planning
Marley Works Lenham: 1.04m sq ft warehouse plan filed
Panattoni has filed plans for 1.04 million sq ft of industrial space at the former Marley Works, Lenham. It is not on the council register yet.