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A business park in the centre of Fant can be redeveloped for housing, Maidstone’ council’s planning committee has ruled.
Only Labour Councillor Paul Harper spoke against the proposal, arguing that it was crazy to lose employment land when the council’s own draft Employment Policy had identified a need to create 16,000 more jobs in the borough by 2031. But as a visiting member, Cllr Harper did not have a vote.
The application by General Asset Management to create 22 homes on the Acorn Business Park between Milton Street and Hartnup Street was approved by 11 votes to zero.
The scheme proposes a three-storey block of six two-bedroom flats, to be accessed from Milton Street, and one detached house, two semi-detached and two terraces of five and eight houses, totalling 16 homes, all to be accessed from Hartnup Street.
There was a debate about whether the access road at 2.9 metres would be wide enough to allow emergency vehicles to enter the site. KCC’s Highways officer Peter Rosevear declared that it was, but expressed doubt that fire engines would be able to turn around once inside. Nevertheless he did not object to the scheme.
Neighbour Christopher Pack told the committee to refuse the plans, saying Fant was already “becoming saturated and taking on an oppressive air.”
However, Cllr Stephen Paine (Con) said the scheme had many positives: it was using a brownfield site, it would introduce an element of greenery where there was none and it would result in a reduction in traffic compared with the existing commercial movements to the business park.
Cllr Malcolm Greer (Con) said: “I don’ think business will be rushing to move in there.”
After the meeting, Cllr Harper expressed his dismay at the decision. He said: “This will result in the loss of local jobs, and at least one thriving local garage business, and what has been, until the tenants were forced out, a good local business centre.
“More houses in this area will make an over-developed environment even worse. Both streets are dangerous for residents due to the awful parking conditions, which this will only add to.”
Fant resident Elliot Dean said: “People in Hartnup and Milton Streets are shocked that the council is so short-sighted as to ignore their views.”