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Government policy requires local authorities to provide land suitable for gypsies, travellers and travelling Show people. Maidstone Borough Council has produced a Development Plan Document which includes details of policy and of the sites put forward for consideration and this is currently out for public consultation. Bearsted Parish Council has been contacted by concerned residents about a site at The Lodge, Water Lane, which has been submitted by the landowner for consideration as a potential site.

Whilst the proposed site is in the Parish of Thurnham, Bearsted Parish council will respond to the consultation with its views and concerns. In doing so, it will liaise and work with Thurnham Parish Council to co-ordinate a response setting out planning and highway concerns as detailed below. Residents are strongly advised to comment, as all responses will carry equal weight. Residents should be aware that the Borough Council will only take planning related matters into consideration, and these include but are not limited to, site access, highway safety, impact on the landscape and environmental harm, such as impact on the nearby Kent Downs National Landscape.

Bearsted Parish Council will be commenting specifically on;

• Limited site and highway access via Water Lane which is a narrow country lane.
• Visual impact on the Kent Downs National Landscape.
• The potential site has several important Oak trees which have tree preservation orders.

Respondents are welcome to use this note to guide their responses and should note that comments made are identifiable and publicised.

Residents can comment through the Maidstone Borough Council consultation or by email ldf@maidstone.gov.uk. The closing date for comments is 7^th January 2026.

CLICK HERE FOR THE CONSULTATION

Resident guidance on how to respond to the consultation.

It is not that clear how parishioners can respond to the consultation document as the questions are spread throughout the different sections of the lengthy consultation document.

There are twelve questions in total with Q1 in the Plan, Vision and Objectives section, and Q’s 2 – 5 in the Strategic Policies section, the idea being that you read the section and then comment on the proposals within it.

Question 6 covers the eight sites already in the adopted Local Plan Review together with a further nineteen sites put forward for consideration.

This may be too time consuming for many residents and so the alternative option is to raise your comments in an email to ldf@maidstone.gov.uk, making it clear that you are referring to the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Show people DPD.  Remember to put your name and address in your email or your comments will not be accepted. It will be expected that your comments only relate to items within the proposed policy, and they will be made public.

If your comments relate to a particular site put forward for consideration, you will need to give the site policy reference which can be found at the end of the Strategic Policies section of the consultation document. For example, the site in Water Lane, Thurnham that has been causing some concerns to residents is reference C4S (008) The Lodge.

My Family, Our Needs (MFON) is excited to announce our new publication — the South East Guide for Parent Carers of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and the e-book is now live.

This brand-new, free resource is designed specifically for parent carers across the South East of England. It provides clear, accessible information to help families navigate support for children and young people with additional needs, from birth to 25 years.

• Legal processes and rights
• Targeted and early years support
• Education and learning
• Preparing for adulthood
• Financial help and benefits, and more.

Click HERE to access this FREE resource