A planning inquiry into the future of Fant Farm opened today, with Maidstone council immediately giving ground to the developers.

The borough council had refused permission for Gleeson Homes to build 225 homes on fields off Gatland Lane back in March on three grounds.

But this morning, the borough’s advocate Mark Beard said that two of the grounds for refusal had “fallen away” after Gleeson and the borough reached agreement on “section 106” payments to support local services and on the provision of affordable homes.

Mr Beard also said he did not intend to raise any highways issues, because the highways authority, KCC, had not objected,

For Mr Beard that left only the question as to whether the development would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape, which, he said, it would.

Fortunately for the 40-plus members of the public present, the planning inspector, Olivia Spencer, took a wider view.

She said that for her, the key issues were the effect on the landscape, the effect on highways, whether the council could prove it had a five-year land supply, and what would be the effect on local services and infrastructure.

Pressed by the Save Fant Farm group, who are also appearing at the inquiry, she added whether the application was sustainable in its process to her list.

John Litton, QC, speaking for Gleeson, argued first that Local Plan policies to protect the countryside did not apply because the council could not prove a five-year land supply because of the councils’s “ill-fated optimism.”

He said many of the sites the council had identified for housing were “not deliverable”, and even if they were, he said, the harm to the landscape had been acceptable in the view of the council’s planning officers previously, with permission only refused by council members.

Gareth Owen, for the Save Fant Farm group, reminded the inquiry that it was the councillors who spoke for the public in the democratic process, not officers. Save Fant Farm was not speaking from a position of greed like the developers, but with sincerity to represent the views of residents.

The inquiry also heard read out a letter from Helen Grant MP, which described Fant Farm as a “rare gem” that was “at the heart of the community.” She said local residents were already dealing daily with the frustration of delays caused by traffic congestion and she said the effect on congestion was a valid constraint to development.

The inquiry is scheduled to hear from three witnesses each for the borough and developers, and eight from Save Fant Farm

It is likely to continue for the rest of this week and run again on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

*Members of the public attending the hearing should not be put off by the Hilton's parking charges. If they report to the reception, explaining they are attending the hearing, their ticket can be validated for free - otherwise a full day's parking costs £10.