When it opened in the summer of 2012, there were high hopes that Jubilee Square, Maidstone’s newly created public space, would bring a new string of cultural happenings to the town.

Two years later, the area in front of the Town Hall in the High Street has played host to food markets, Christmas fairs and jazz festivals, but most agree the overall result has been disappointing.

“There’s just too much red tape involved,” said Cllr David Pickett (Lib Dem). “If an outside body wants to put on an event in the square, there are so many forms they must fill in. It’s a real rigmarole.”

In the first instance, applicants must fill in an application form, provide a risk assessment, fill out a 15-page plan and provide proof of £5m Public Liability Insurance. But it doesn’t stop there:

If the occasion is likely to attract more than 500 people, the organisers must attend a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group.

If it includes a play, film, live or recorded music, a dance performance or even a public address system, applicants need to apply for a town centre premises licence.

If they intend to erect a stage or grandstand, they fill out another form

To sell items, they need to apply for a street trading licence.

If they are proposing to hold buckets for charity, a street collection licence is needed.

A parking waiver must be applied for if they intend to take a vehicle on to the square.

Now to top it all, some applicants are being told they need to apply for planning permission.

The existing planning classification of the square is as a pedestrian walkway, which allows just 14 days a year when events that require a different planning use can be held. This year all these days have been used up. So anyone wanting to hold a street market or exhibition now has to apply for planning permission for a change of use.

Maidstone council’s planning department is in such chaos, following a merger with Swale Borough Council, that it is taking up to five weeks just to validate an application, let alone determine it.

Some of the application forms can be done online, but specific problems with the programming hardware have scuppered some attempts.

Another difficulty lies in the confusion about who is responsible for organising events: the borough council, the Town Centre Management, the Town Team and the Maidstone Area Arts Council all have a look in.

The Town Centre Management itself was recently forced to cancel two applications because of delays in securing planning permission.

Cllr Fran Wilson (Lib Dem) said: “We need to look at how we can radically simplify how the public makes applications, if we are ever to make the maximum use of the square.”

Cllr Pickett went further. He said: “If we are not going to use the square for public events, we might as well return it to a taxi rank.”

Zena Cooke, Maidstone council’s director of regeneration and communities, defended the process.

She said the plan is to continue to use Jubilee Square as the original high street regeneration project intended – as a “vibrant and attractive” space for activities.

This vision, she said, would be reflected in the council’s festival and events strategy.

She added: “The application process has been updated over time to simplify it and most applicants have no trouble. We can’t recall rejecting anyone who has submitted the correct paperwork on time and obtained the necessary consents, be it a road closure order, planning consent or street trading licence.

“Support through the application process is also provided. Most events don’t need planning permission. Street markets do, however, if they take place over a certain number of days per year.”