We’re going to Downing Street…

This coming Friday, Marden Planning Opposition Group (MPOG) are going to 10 Downing Street! Join us for the handover of the petition on Friday 12th July, as well as a photocall around London. Yes, that’s this Friday!

Although it’s short notice, summer recess in Westminster is only a few weeks away, so we were extremely fortunate to have our application to hand in the petition accepted. Following the handover of the petition, there will be a photocall around major landmarks in the capital city – make sure to bring your yellow t-shirts, bags and banners from the March For Marden (if you still have them!)

If you can make it, we’d love to see you there; you can go direct from Marden railway station – the last train to reach London with ample time left to get to Downing Street, leaves Marden at 10:25am.

Finally, MPOG wishes to thank everyone who signed the petition – either online or on paper – your support is really helping us to #savemarden. The petition to object to plans for 2,000 more houses in Marden has been signed by over 2,900 residents, representing 66% of households in the area. Out of 1,979 households contacted, 1,310 responded. Only 3.2% of the 1,310 who responded refused to sign.

Update: We are in the Downs Mail – again!

https://www.downsmail.co.uk/news_sport/News/MARDEN_Protestors_take_petition_to_Downing_Street/

“The village does not want this development and has not been involved in its creation or planning: the petition demonstrates this. We are making sure all levels of government are aware of villagers’ views.”

The plan would include a school, nursery, healthcare and other facilities and was submitted during Maidstone Borough Council’s Call for Sites, which closed on 24th May 2019 ahead of the Local Plan Review later in the year. Concerns centre around infrastructure constraints, environmental and ecological issues, loss of greenfield land, as well as pressure on local services and the road network in a village that has already seen over 500 new houses built in the past five years..

MBC has its own plan for 2,500-5,000 houses at Lenham Heath which was discussed in secret at a committee meeting on May 22.

A leak of information from that meeting has prompted an internal inquiry by MBC’s legal team to identify the source.