Lidsing Garden Community SPD

Comment

Representation ID: 685

Received: 10/12/2025

Respondent: Helen Whately

I have already raised my concerns with you about the Lidsing Garden Village, but I
would also like to raise the following with you as part of the SPD consultation.
The roads around Lidsing are heavily congested and many of the existing roads are
too narrow for buses. I am not convinced the SPD mitigates the impact this number
of new homes will have on the existing road network. This will be exacerbated further
if the Secretary of State approves the Highsted Park development further East on the
M2 which is nearly the size of Faversham Town.
I would like to see more details of a transport plan which would reduce rather than
increase the traffic on the existing road network. I would also like assurances that the
distinct identities of Lordswood, Hempstead and Wignore will be maintained and will
not merge into one large, urban conurbation.
Since Maidstone developed its local plan, Swale have nearly 13,000 extra homes in
the pipeline. If all these go ahead, they will create extra traffic movements which will
need mitigating against. I would appreciate Maidstone considering the impact of
these extra homes when you put together your detailed traffic plans.

Comment noted.
The SPD sets out additional guidance on the approach to transport assessment and mitigation (Chapter 7.3). The SPD takes forward the requirements of Policy LPRSP4(B) of the Local Plan Review which established the necessary scope of infrastructure, which confirms the spur being opening in phase 2 (2033-2038).
The detailed design of transport mitigation measures including addressing off site impacts will need to be set out as part of the formulation and consideration of future planning applications.