Councillors look set to reduce the height of a proposed tower block and end speculation over a war memorial's future.

There has been outrage in Maidstone since designs revealed a 15-storey tower block could replace the Broadway Shopping Centre.

The design is one of five sites listed by Maidstone Borough Council as a site where there is opportunity for development.

It has created the design to inform future planning applications from developers.

Next week the council's Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee will meet to approve proposals for each opportunity site.

The Broadway development is earmarked for approval, but with new recommendations, including: " No element shall be illustrated as over 10 storeys and text shall be incorporated stating that this element would have to be slender in form and mass, and of a high architectural quality."

Another recommendation looks to end concerns that Maidstone War Memorial could move to Brenchley Gardens.

Documents released in September suggested the memorial could be moved to improve the junction of Station Approach and the A26, to accommodate an increase in traffic.

But papers for next week's meeting suggest: "Any reference to the relocation of the war memorial is deleted."

It follows recommendations from a number of councillors on the committee who say a move would be a "desecration" of the memorial.

Cllr Clive English said Broadway Shopping Centre proposals were "too high and overpowering".

Cllr Jonathan Purle, who represents Bridge ward but is not on the committee, said: "It’s barely a mild improvement.

"It’s still the same number of flats, 281 of them and far too many, being rushed at the cost of the existing amenity, before other local services can be improved, and crammed into a place with poor air quality.

"Of course it’s good that they’re no longer openly talking about desecrating the War Memorial. But the fundamental pressures that led them to suggest the idea will still be there with all these flats."

More than 4,000 people have signed a petition to "stop Maidstone Borough Council from developing Broadway Shopping Centre site into housing".

Graham Jarvis' name is among the signatures. He said: "It's already a busy area, building 281 flats is simply going to increase the amount of traffic and with traffic comes more pollution."

MBC's Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee will make a decision on the recommendations on Tuesday, November 5.

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