PLEASE NOTE: THIS PLAN HAS BEEN AMENDED TO SHOW DELETED POLICIES WITH A STRUCK THROUGH LINE. AS MORE OF THE LDF REPLACES THE 2000 LOCAL PLAN, MORE OF THE LOCAL PLAN TEXT WILL BE AMENDED THIS WAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ILLUSTRATE THE PLAN IN THIS MANNER SO THAT THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT OF THE POLICIES CAN STILL BE SEEN. FOREWORD This Local Plan has been prepared under the guidance of a small group of Councillors representing all political parties on the Council. It has now been adopted by the Council as a whole and sets out planning policies and proposals for protecting the environment and new development in the Borough of Maidstone until 2006. Its adoption follows a lengthy period of consultations and we would like to thank all those (Parish Councils, individual residents, local interest groups, landowners, developers and others) who have contributed through their representations during the consultation process. In preparing the Local Plan the Council has tried to strike a balance between protecting and improving the environment, whilst making provision for necessary development and encouraging a healthy economy. Whilst the Plan will not satisfy everyone, as different people have different interests, it sets the framework for development in the ‘public interest’. The Plan provides a statutory basis for planning decisions and the Council must determine planning applications in accordance with its provisions unless material factors indicate otherwise. The recent publication of Government advice that greenfield sites should be developed only if there is insufficient previously developed land to meet housing requirements, is a factor that the Council will need to take into account. Although the Plan has been prepared in accordance with this general principle, there is a need to reconsider in detail the ability of existing built-up areas to accommodate additional housing, particularly in the light of Government’s encouragement of higher housing densities. Consequently, the Borough Council is arranging for an urban capacity study to be carried out as a matter of urgency in order to review the housing allocations in the Plan. This study will also contribute towards a full review of the Local Plan allocations, rolling proposals forward as far as 2016. Cllr M Robertson Cllr Mrs P A Stockell Chairman and Liberal Democrats Group Immediate Past Conservative Group Spokesperson Spokesperson Cllr J Morrison Cllr Mrs P E Marshall Labour Group Spokesperson Independent Group Spokesperson i Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 : Saved / Unsaved PLEASE NOTE: THIS PLAN HAS BEEN AMENDED TO SHOW DELETED POLICIES WITH A STRUCK THROUGH LINE. AS MORE OF THE LDF REPLACES THE 2000 LOCAL PLAN, MORE OF THE LOCAL PLAN TEXT WILL BE AMENDED THIS WAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ILLUSTRATE THE PLAN IN THIS MANNER SO THAT THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT OF THE POLICIES CAN STILL BE SEEN. THE SCHEDULE OF POLICIES HAS BEEN AMENDED IN THIS MANNER TO SHOW WHICH POLICIES HAVE BEEN DELETED. CONTENTS Chapter Topic Page 1. Introduction 1 2. Strategic Objectives 5 3. Environment 9 4. Housing 47 5. Economic Development and Tourism 89 6. Transportation 119 7. Retailing 143 8. Community Facilities 167 9. Maidstone Town Centre 179 Appendix Topic 1. Conservation Areas 189 2. Scheduled Ancient Monuments 191 3. Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest 193 4. Sites of Special Scientific Interest 195 5. Sites of Nature Conservation Interest 197 6. Roadside Verges of Nature Conservation Interest 199 7. Glossary of Retailing Terms 201 Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 : Saved / Unsaved iii CONTENTS SCHEDULE OF POLICIES Chapter 3. Environment Number Title Page ENV1 Pollution (Air, Land and Water) 12 ENV2 Achieving Quality in New Development 12 ENV3 Planning Out Crime 13 ENV4 Noise 13 ENV5 Protection of Trees 14 ENV6 Landscaping, Surfacing and Boundary Treatment 15 ENV7 Riverside Zone of Special Townscape Importance 15 ENV8 Advertising and Retail Frontage 16 ENV9 Alterations and Extensions to Listed Buildings 17 ENV10 Demolition of Listed Buildings 17 ENV11 Changing the Use of Listed Buildings 17 ENV12 Setting of Listed Buildings 18 ENV13 Development in Conservation Areas 18 ENV14 Demolition of Unlisted Buildings in Conservation Areas 19 ENV15 Maintenance of the Appearance of Conservation Areas 19 ENV16 Archaeological Remains of National Importance 19 ENV17 Important Archaeological Sites 20 ENV18 Land with Archaeological Potential 20 ENV19 Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest 21 ENV20 Important Historic Parks and Gardens 21 ENV21 Strategic Transportation Corridors 21 ENV22 Urban Open Space 22 ENV23 Loss of Open Space and Recreation Facilities 23 ENV24 Site Specific Public Open Space Allocations 24 ENV25 Allotments 25 ENV26 Development Affecting Public Footpaths and Public Rights of Way 25 ENV27 New Footpath, Cycleway and Bridleway Proposals 25 ENV28 Development in the Countryside 27 ENV29 Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land 28 ENV30 Metropolitan Green Belt 28 ENV31 Strategic Gap 29 ENV32 Southern Anti-Coalescence Belt 29 iv Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 : Saved / Unsaved CONTENTS ENV33 Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 29 ENV34 Special Landscape Areas 30 ENV35 Areas of Local Landscape Importance 32 ENV36 Rural Lanes 33 ENV37 River Corridors 33 ENV38 Sites of Special Scientific Interest 34 ENV39 Sites of Nature Conservation Interest and Local Nature Reserves 34 ENV40 Nature Conservation 34 ENV41 Ponds, Wetlands and Marshlands 35 ENV42 Roadside Verges 36 ENV43 Agricultural Buildings 36 ENV44 Conversion of Rural Buildings for Commercial, Industrial, 37 Recreation and Tourism Purposes ENV45 Conversion of Rural Buildings for Residential Purposes 38 ENV46 Equestrian Development 40 ENV47 Golf Courses 41 ENV48 Telecommunications 41 ENV49 External Lighting 42 ENV50 Protection of the Flood Plain 43 ENV51 Surface Water Run-Off 43 ENV52 Contaminated Land 44 Chapter 4. Housing Number Title Page H1 Housing Land Allocations 52 H2 Kent Garden Centre, London Road, Allington 54 H3 North of Sutton Road, Maidstone/Otham 55 H4 Furfield Quarry, Brishing Lane, Boughton Monchelsea 57 H5 Pested Bars Road, Boughton Monchelsea 58 H6 Oakwood Hospital, Queens Road, Maidstone 59 H7 North of Marden Road, Staplehurst 60 H8 Langley Park Farm West, Boughton Monchelsea/Langley 62 H9 Beaconsfield Road/Eccleston Road/Wharf Road, Tovil 63 H10 Hart Street, Lockmeadow, Maidstone 64 H11 Hook Lane, Harrietsham 65 H12 East of Hermitage Lane, Maidstone 67 Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 : Saved / Unsaved v CONTENTS H13 Bridge Nursery, Maidstone 69 H14 Hayle Place, Tovil 69 H15 West of Royal Engineers’ Road, Maidstone 70 H16 Oliver Road, Staplehurst 71 H17 Changes of Use from Housing 71 H18 Extensions to Residential Properties 72 H19 Backland or Tandem Development 72 H20 Housing in Built Up Areas 73 H21 Self-Contained Flats 74 H22 Houses in Multiple Occupation 74 H23 Conversions to Residential 75 H24 Affordable Housing 76 H25 Sheltered Accommodation 77 H26 Nursing and Residential Care Homes 77 H27 Rural Settlements (Minor Development) 78 H28 Rural Settlements (Allocations) 79 H29 Housing Outside of Built-Up Areas 80 H30 Local Needs Housing in Rural Areas 81 H31 Change of Use from Agriculture to Domestic Garden 82 H32 Replacement Dwellings in the Countryside 82 H33 Extensions to Dwellings in the Countryside 82 H34 Agricultural Dwellings 83 H35 Temporary Accommodation for Agricultural Workers 84 H36 Accommodation for Gypsies 85 H37 Provision of Open Playing Space 86 Chapter 5. Economic Development and Tourism Number Title Page ED1 Allocations of Employment Land 94 ED2 Retention of Employment Sites 95 ED3 Economic Development Outside of Designated Areas 96 ED4 Land Adjoining the Hilton Hotel, Sittingbourne Road 97 ED5 St. Michael’s Close, near Aylesford 98 ED6 West of Pattenden Lane, Marden 98 ED7 Lockmeadow 100 ED8 Maidstone East Railway Station 101 vi Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 : Saved / Unsaved CONTENTS ED9 Storage and Distribution Uses 101 ED10 Businesses in Residential Areas 102 ED11 Zeneca Works, Yalding 103 ED12 Detling Airfield Industrial Estate 104 ED13 Brake Bros, Rose Lane, Lenham Heath 105 ED14 Lenham Storage, Ham Lane, Lenham 105 ED15 Marley Works, Lenham 106 ED16 Open Storage of Private Caravans 107 ED17 Serviced and Self-Catering Tourist Accommodation 108 ED18 Town Centre Hotel Sites 109 ED19 Loss of Tourist Accommodation 109 ED20 Holiday Caravan and Camping Sites 110 ED21 Conference or Exhibition Centre 111 ED22 Tourist Attractions 112 ED23 Museum of Kent Life, Cobtree 113 ED24 New or Extended Tourist Attractions 113 ED25 Mooring Facilities 114 ED26 Detling Showground 116 Chapter 6. Transportation Number Title Page T1 Integrated Transport Strategy 122 T2 Public Transport Preference Measures 123 T3 Public Transport for Substantial Developments 124 T4 Railways 124 T5 Light Rail: Medway Metro 125 T6 Channel Tunnel Rail Link 126 T7 Safeguarding Railway Lines 126 T8 Provision for Cyclists 127 T9 Provision for Pedestrians 128 T10 Pedestrianisation of Earl Street 128 T11 Traffic Calming in New Development 129 T12 Traffic Regulation Orders 130 T13 Parking Standards 131 T14 Car Parking Strategy for Urban Maidstone 132 T15 Non-Residential Parking in the Town Centre 132 Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 : Saved / Unsaved vii CONTENTS T16 Residents’ Preference Parking 133 T17 Park-and-Ride 134 T18 Highways Construction, Widening and Junction Improvements 136 T19 Boat Yards 137 T20 Headcorn Airfield 137 T21 Accessibility of New Developments 138 T22 Access onto Primary and Secondary