Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Disagree

I wish to formally object to the proposed Traveller site on Water Lane, Bearsted. Kent. Water Lane is a narrow, poorly maintained rural road with no street lighting. It is unsuitable for increased traffic and does not provide safe access for residents, visitors, or emergency services. The proposal therefore fails to meet Maidstone Borough Council’s highway safety and access requirements for Traveller sites. The lane is also subject to surface water flooding. The application provides no clear evidence that flood risk has been adequately assessed or mitigated, contrary to national planning policy and the Maidstone Local Plan. Development in such circumstances is neither safe nor sustainable. The location is fundamentally unsustainable. National Planning Policy for Traveller Sites and local policy require sites to be located near existing settlements with access to services and facilities. Water Lane is remote, lacks public transport, and would place additional pressure on already overstretched schools, healthcare services, and the local road network. The proposal would also harm the character of the area through increased noise, lighting, and air pollution, adversely affecting nearby residents and the rural environment. The surrounding area supports wildlife and local habitats, yet no sufficient ecological assessment or mitigation has been demonstrated. Finally, there is no clear evidence that essential infrastructure, including drainage, water supply, and sanitation, can be delivered sustainably to the site, as required by Maidstone planning policy. For all of these reasons, the proposal conflicts with the National Planning Policy Framework, the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, the Maidstone Local Plan Review (March 2024), and the emerging Traveller DPD. I respectfully request that the Council refuses this application.