Maidstone Council Plans Lidsing Garden Village Consultation Events

People are talking about a big housing plan. It involves building 2,000 homes in Kent. This would create a village called Lidsing Garden Village near the hamlet of Lidsing, north of the M2 motorway, between Maidstone and Medway.

Maidstone Borough Council wants feedback and is holding two events for locals to share their thoughts on the plan. The meetings are at Blacksmith’s Barn in Bredhurst on March 6, 3pm to 9pm, and March 10, 11am to 1pm.

Bredhurst Parish Council disagreed with the plan. They took their case to a High Court judge, who denied their review request in September, concerning Maidstone’s Local Plan Review adoption.

The council expects completion by 2042. The village will have 2,000 new homes, with forty percent being “affordable.” It will also include a primary school, a medical center, and create 2,000 jobs.

Councilor Stuart Jeffery wants public input. He invites people to the community sessions, stating their contributions will shape future expectations, which the council uses for planning.

The planning document guides the site’s future, and people can drop in for a short time. They encourage locals to guide future development.

Lidsing is one of three big housing plans. Another is Healthlands with 5,000 homes at Lenham Heath, while Invicta Park Barracks has 1,300 planned homes in Springfield, Maidstone.

The Parish Council raised funds for their fight. Villagers donated almost £100,000. Vanessa Jones helped lead the opposition and expressed disappointment after the court ruling, thanking supporters for their generosity.