Stones Farm

WITH regard to Councillor Bowies' letter, I'm still waiting for a response to the questions I've asked the council. As he knows, planning consent on the Stones Farm development is conditional on 15 hectares being set aside in perpetuity as recorded in the planning inspector's report, which is binding.

COUNCILLOR Bowies' rebuke of the views expressed by Mrs Kay Murphy talks at length about being responsive, weighing up arguments and following legal requirements before reaching planning decisions.

COUNCILLOR Bowles may be happy with the consultation procedures regarding planning proposals, but I feel that he is suffering from self-delusion.

I am bewildered with the views expressed by Mrs Kay Murphy’s suggesting that Swale Borough Council does not listen to objectors in relation to planning matters. The Council is exemplary in ensuring all views and representations are made available and taken into account when making planning decisions.

Many people have told me they've given up objecting to planning matters because Swale Council ignores their comments. I had no idea how bad the situation was until I became involved in the Stones Farm consultation process.

A CONTROVERSIAL development of farmland could be adopted by the council early next year. The borough's Local Plan allocates land at Stones Farm in Bapchild for about 600 homes and 15 hectares (about 37 acres) for public open space.

Despite housing targets being scrapped by the Government, the council has been ploughing ahead with a document that will pave the way for hundreds of new homes at Stones Farm, Bapchild.

The recent meeting of the Local Development Framework Panel on Thursday 25th November provided us with an insight into why the Council is refusing to address the Government’s own guidance on housing numbers.

Unsurprisingly the Borough Council’s planning department have totally ignored the vast majority of comments made during the Stones Farm consultation including the fundamental objections ...

We understand from a number of residents that they are very unhappy with the way in which the Council has conducted itself during the course of the Stones Farm consultation.