Councillors and campaigners clashed with a developer over highways safety concerns at the first day of a public inquiry, which could overturn a decision to reject plans for more than 400 homes in Otham.

Maidstone Borough Council refused permission for developer Bellway to build homes on land west of Church Road, next to the Grade 1 listed church of St Nicholas in the summer.

The decision went against the advice of planning officers, who warned that a lost appeal could cost the authority up to £165,000.

The refusal was based on the grounds of highways safety issues on Church Road, with the backing of Kent County Council (KCC), the highways authority. Increased congestion on Willington Street was also a reason.

Hostility and concerns over the scheme has been widespread, with 1,600 people signing a petition against it.

The public inquiry, run by government agency the planning inspectorate began yesterdayand will run for a week.

It is looking at two applications, both by Bellway and on the same land, but one is a more detailed plan for 421 homes, which was rejected in the summer.

The other is an outline application for 440 homes, and Bellway lodged an appeal over Maidstone council's non-determination of this scheme.

Borough councillors, the Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum (MCCF) and the Maidstone District Committee of the Countryside Charity Kent prepared opening statements as did Bellway and the council itself.

A submission by the borough council's labour group reads: "Church Road is little more than a lane. The addition of two entry and exit points will inevitably lead to highways safety issues.

"Without major road improvements, i.e widening along all of Church Road being designed and implemented this site cannot be considered for housing."

The MCCF argued the application would adversely effect cycling and active travel in the area. They said that developers will not reduce car use by 10% for residents, as was their aim, without an active travel infrastructure which covered all areas.

This would add an "unacceptable congestion and safety burden" to existing and future residents.

The Countryside Charity argued that conditions applied by the inspector when the site was approved for development in the authority's 2017 local plan have not been met.

This includes the widening of Gore Court Road and a package of measures to relieve congestions on Sutton Road and Willington Street.

They said: "It is extremely hard to understand how any further development could possibly be approved under such conditions."

However, Bellway's opening statement said it will argue there is no "reasonable reason" to refuse planning permission on highway grounds.

The house builder intends to draw attention to the "suitability of the access off Church Road", the "limited impact on capacity" and the "limited extent of the highways objection on which the councils rely."

The statement reads: "During the course of the inquiry, the appellant will draw attention to the delays which has been caused by the council's refusals of planning permission" and KCC's "poor reasoning underpinning it."

A decision by the inspector is not expected for several weeks.

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