Policy information sourced from the Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021-2038

LPRSP2: Maidstone Urban Area.

1. As a sustainable location, Maidstone Urban Area, as defined on the Policies Map, will be a key focus for new development.

2. Within Maidstone Urban Area and outside of the town centre boundary identified in policy LPRSP1, Maidstone will continue to be a good place to live and work. This will be achieved by:

  • Allocating sites at the edge of the town for housing and business development;
  • The development and redevelopment or infilling of appropriate urban sites in a way that contributes positively to the locality’s distinctive character;
  • Retaining well located business areas;
  • Maintaining the network of district and local centres, supporting enhancements to these centres in accordance with the overall hierarchy of centres;
  • Retaining the town’s greenspaces and ensuring that development positively contributes to the setting, accessibility, biodiversity and amenity value of these areas as well as the River Medway and the River Len;
  • Supporting development that improves the health, social, environmental and employment well- being of those living in identified areas of deprivation; and
  • The planned redevelopment of the Invicta Park Barracks as a strategic development location to the north of the town centre as identified in policy LPRSP5(B) for approximately 1,300 new homes, community infrastructure and publicly accessible open space.

3. Strategic policy LPRSP3 sets out the requirements for development around the edge of the urban area. Elsewhere in the urban area, land is allocated for housing, retail and employment development together with supporting infrastructure.

  • Approximately 1,846 new dwellings will be delivered on 23 existing Local Plan sites in accordance with policies H1(11) to H1(30).
  • Approximately 178 additional units will be delivered in the urban area on sites LPRSA366, LPRSA152 and LPRSA303.
  • Fourteen existing sites at Aylesford Industrial Estate, Tovil Green Business Park, Viewpoint (Boxley), Hart Street Commercial Centre, The Old Forge, The Old Brewery, South Park Business Village, Turkey Mill Court, Eclipse Park, County Gate, Medway Bridge House, Albion Place, Victoria Court and Lower Stone Street(Gail House, Link House, Kestrel House and Chaucer House) are designated Economic Development Areas in order to maintain employment opportunities in the urban area (policy LPRSP11(A)).
  • Key infrastructure requirements to be delivered either through Section 106 obligations or via CIL include:
    • Improvements to highway and transport infrastructure, including junction improvements, capacity improvements to part of Bearsted Road, A274 Sutton Road, A229 (Royal Engineers Way), and Hermitage Lane, and Hermitage Lane, improved pedestrian/cycle access and bus prioritisation measures, in accordance with individual site criteria set out in policies H1(11) to H1(30);
    • Additional secondary school capacity including one form entry expansions of the Maplesden Noakes School and Maidstone Grammar School;
    • Additional primary school provision through one form entry expansion of South Borough Primary School;
    • Provision of new publicly accessible open space; and
    • Improvements to health infrastructure including extensions and/or improvements at Brewer Street Surgery, Bower Mount Medical Centre, The Vine Medical Centre, New Grove Green Medical Centre, Bearsted Medical Practice and Boughton Lane Surgery.

For more information, please visit Maidstone’s Local Council Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021-2038