Members of parish council seek judicial review over allocation of 2,000 homes in local plan

Campaigners have applied to the High Court to challenge Maidstone Borough Council’s proposed allocation of some 2,000 new homes to Lidsing in its local plan.

Vanessa Jones, a councillor in the area, said she and two members of Bredhurst Parish Council had asked the High Court to allow a judicial review of the proposed development

Ms Jones said in a statement: “Be in no doubt, the blame for the situation we are in lies firmly with every Conservative Maidstone borough councillor past and present from 2019 onwards.”

Maidstone’s local plan was approved in the final days of a Conservative administration and although not supported by the coalition of Greens, Independents, Liberal Democrats and Labour that succeeded it, the council cannot find a way to change it short of a full local plan review which would take some years.

Bredhurst Parish Council said it was being supported by Landmark Chambers and law firm Leigh Day.

A similar situation has arisen with a proposed development of a 5,000 homes settlement at nearby Lenham, which also forms part of the plan.

There though campaigners have dropped attempts to secure an oral hearing for a judicial review applications after failing to be granted a costs protection order.

Maidstone has been contacted for comment.

Mark Smulian