People are being asked for their views on how to shape two controversial developments for thousands of homes.

Prior to the adoption of its Local Plan Review, there was extensive opposition to proposals to create two new garden villages near the county town - and the mood doesn’t seem to have changed much.

Nevertheless, schemes for both a Heathlands garden village of 5,000 homes at Lenham Heath and a 2,000-home garden village at Lidsing were included in the final draft of the Maidstone Local Plan Review which was adopted by Maidstone Borough Council in March.

Now the council is getting down to the detail of how these communities should be advanced.

It has started work on what is known as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for each site and also one for the Invicta Park barracks in the centre of Maidstone, which is also earmarked in the Local Plan for 1,300 homes.

The council said that beginning in the spring it will begin consulting the public, local businesses and other organisations, inviting them to help shape the future of these sites.

The cabinet member for planning policy, Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem), said: “The recent Local Plan Review was a very difficult experience for many residents whose communities and local landscapes will be changed forever by these plans.

“The council acknowledges the gravity of these impacts and pledges to work positively with residents to ensure the delivery of attractive, high quality and sustainable new settlements that make space for nature.

“The Supplementary Planning Documents and consultations give everyone the opportunity to have their say and get involved in influencing these new growth areas for the better.”

But moves so far have already brought upset.

Kate Hammond, chairman of the Save Our Heathlands Group (SOHL), which had vigorously opposed the Lenham development, said: “In fact, the borough held its first discussion on how the SPDs would be developed last week.

“Parish councils were invited, but the residents’ groups - both us at Lenham and the Lidsing group - were excluded.

“The council said the meeting was for elected representatives only.”

“I don’t think that is the way for Maidstone to sell these plans to their local communities.”

Ms Hammond said: “The SPDs should have been ready at the time of the planning inquiry - they weren’t.

“The inspector allowed the schemes to be included in the Plan on the proviso that certain specifics were included in the SPDs.

“One of the chief ones was the provision of a new railway station to serve Heathlands.

“We shall be keeping a close watch on these policies and if it turns out that they don’t include all that the inspector wanted, we shall jump on them. That would be grounds for a judicial review.”

She said: “The fight is not done. There is still a long way to go.”

The Invicta Park barracks site is one that Cllr Harwood himself had previously - when in opposition - expressed doubts over.

He had campaigned - unsuccessfully - for tree preservation orders (TPOs) to be placed on the woodland within the barracks.

Historically, the barracks formed part of the parkland estate of Park House, once owned by Henry VIII and later visited by poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Cllr Harwood said: “Last week’s meeting was a briefing for invited councillors representing Kent County Council, Medway Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Ashford Borough Council and the parish councils of Boxley, Bredhurst and Lenham.

“In the New Year, the relevant residents’ groups, other amenity organisations and individuals will have an opportunity to get involved in the development of the three SPDs.

“As far as the Invicta Park Barracks is concerned, and my long campaign to protect the trees there, I can confirm that a Tree Evaluation Method for Preservation Orders (TEMPO) assessment to inform the making of Tree Preservation Orders across the parkland of the Invicta site will now be progressed.”

The council will launch a new webpage on the council website in 2025 giving details of how to get involved and recording the progress achieved.