10 September 2007 - Green Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has weighed into the planning row over proposals to develop riverside moorings near Maidstone.

Dr Lucas has written to the Planning Inspector urging him to reject the plans to provide berths for 30 boats and a car park at Fant, arguing the proposals would undermine flood protection and cause serious environmental damage.

Kent’s Green MEP said: "I share Maidstone Borough Council’s concerns that the development would have a detrimental effect on the riverside environment, breaching a range of environmental policies contained within the Local Plan 2000 and the Kent Structure Plan 2006. The area is rich in wildlife in an unspoilt, peaceful haven that needs protecting.

"The existing river bank plays an important role in terms of flood protection. An urbanised development would undermine this role, as well as create new potential risks to public safety should flooding occur in the area."

Local planners at Maidstone Borough council have already rejected the scheme, but the proposals, which include the provision of a car park at the end of Unicumes Lane, requiring the destruction of an area of woodland and replacement with hard surfacing, are now subject to an appeal by the developer.

Dr Lucas added: "In short, this development is completely inappropriate for this site. It would detract from the character of the area and breach several environmental and planning policies.

"It would have a particularly severe impact on local wildlife. Unicumes Lane is currently little more than a footpath and bringing traffic onto it, and into close proximity with the river’s edge, will have a negative impact on biodiversity. Of particular concern is the threat posed to local bat and reptile populations.

"A further threat to wildlife is effluent from boats using the moorings. The planning proposals contain no measures for removing this from the site and disposal locally may result in the pollution of the river. Further, suggestions that users will remove effluent from the site by car and dispose of it elsewhere are impractical and virtually impossible to enforce.

"And the reality is there is no need for this development at all: there are extensive moorings just downstream of Maidstone, which already more than meet the demand for such facilities."

ENDS