NO deal was concluded with any housing developer before the decision to close the Coombe Quarry Park and Ride, Maidstone council says.

The controversial decision taken on June 16 by the cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem), to end the service at the start of this month had sparked speculation from Park and Ride users and residents that the council had a hidden agenda.

It was said that the council had already committed itself to selling the land to a housing developer, since that had been the council’s intention when it submitted a bid for Growth Point Status to the Government in March last year.

But responding to a Freedom of Information request fromt he Kent Messenger the council said it had not agreed to sell the land nor granted any option on it