Time and again, members of the public objecting to planning applications because of increased traffic congestion have been told by Maidstone council's planning committee that it could not object on those grounds because Kent Highways - the highways authority - had not objected.

But it doesn't seem to work the other way round.

Kent Highways has objected to an application from Redrow Homes to build 302 homes at Bicknor Farm off Sutton Road in Langley on the basis that it will have "an unacceptably severe traffic impact on the A274" - yet Maidstone's planning officers are still recommending approval.

The site is one of six adjacent plots on the Sutton Road that the council has already allocated in its Local Plan for delivering a total of 2,651 homes.

The Redrow application is actually for 33 fewer homes than the borough had the site earmarked for.

The 26-acre site has an area of ancient woodland to the north and has already gained planning permission for 271 homes back in January 2017.

Access would be from the recently created roundabout on Sutton Road.

Otham Parish Council has objected saying the A274 was already overloaded causing rat-running through village roads.

Bearsted Parish Council agreed saying that junctions were already at over-capacity resulting in poor air quality and queuing.

KCC said that Redrow had failed to demonstrate that there were any mitigation measures that could counter the increase in traffic and said it "strongly objected".

However, Maidstone 's planners argue that the Local Plan already contains measures that will alleviate the extra congestion: they included bus prioritisation measures on the A274, improvements to the junction with Willington Street, more frequent bus services, and enhancing the cycle network.

The application is due be determined by the planning committee at a meeting in the Town Hall this Thursday, starting at 6pm.

Planning application 19/503912 refers.

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