Land North of Marden – Environmental Impact Assessment

Residents may be aware that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Opinion has just been submitted to Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) for a large site on land north of Marden.

This is an early step in the planning process and could potentially lead to a planning application in due course.

However, residents will probably recall that a similar process was started – but then abandoned – several years ago, so it cannot be assumed that a planning application will actually be submitted.

The only definite information available to the parish council at this stage is given via this link on the MBC website: 26/500615/EIASCO | EIA Scoping Opinion – Proposed construction of up to 1,100 homes together with land reserved for education, later living accommodation and local commercial/community uses, access, landscaping and other works. | Land North Of Marden Kent

Of course, the parish council is urgently trying to find out further details, and these will be publicised via our website (Land North of Marden – Marden Parish Council – Marden Parish Council, Marden, Tonbridge), Facebook page ((1) Facebook), Weekly Village Round Up e-mails (contact deputyclerk@mardenkent-pc.gov.uk to sign up), printed Newsletter (distributed in Spring, Summer and Autumn) and notice boards, as appropriate. Unfortunately, the latest newsletter is currently being distributed at the moment and went to press before this latest information became available.

In the meantime, the parish council cannot take a stance on the proposal at this stage because this could prevent us responding formally if a planning application is eventually submitted.  We appreciate that this may be frustrating, but it will preserve our ability to act in the best interests of the community when the time is right.