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Home Sittingbourne News Article
Developer Mark Quinn will not get the chance to discuss his plans for a new junction on the M2 with transport minister Grant Shapps.
Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson had asked the Department for Transport to fix up a meeting . But special advisors to the minister have rejected the move.
In a briefing note to Mr Shapps they say there is no point because the scheme is not in Swale council’s Local Plan.
It admits Quinn Estates had put forward the idea before but says: “The local authority has never put it in its Local Plan. For DfT to consider granting a new access onto the strategic road network the first step would be for the proposal to have recognition in the Local Plan.”
The note says Mr Quinn met the Department about this in 2017 when it was suggested Quinn Estates work with Highways England “to ensure a junction could be designed which would meet safety and operational standards - both difficult at the suggested location.”
It adds: “We have not heard further from Mr Quinn since, though he may have had discussions with Highways England.”
The unnamed advisor concluded: “It would not be appropriate to grant a meeting with the developer on this specific proposal at this time.”
Quinn Estates has linked the junction, billed as M2 5A, and a southern relief road for Sittingbourne from the A2 at Bapchild to the M2 with its housing plans. These are for a £4bn Highsted Park ‘garden village’ with up to 11,250 homes near the Kent Science Park.
Mr Henderson says he supports a new junction on the M2 but does not back Mr Quinn’s development.
Cllr Mike Baldock, deputy leader of Swale council, said it was “not likely” the new administration would add the link to its own Local Plan and said the Local Plan Panel had already rejected it.
Conservatives had tried to add it to their Local Plan when they were in control but it was removed on the advice of a Government planning inspector.
Cllr Baldock said: “If Mr Henderson thinks Quinns are going to provide a road without any housing he is in cloud cuckoo land. Luckily Grant Shapps’ office recognised this for the piffle it is.”
