Public meetings to be held on disputed housing plans

Consultation meetings are being held in part of Kent after the government ordered a council to continue progressing its plan for new homes amid concerns about water supply.

Three Kent MPs have called for a meeting with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, citing concerns over water infrastructure.

Their request comes after the government directed Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to proceed with its plan for new homes, despite councillors voting on 3 September not to approve the local plan for consultation.

A government spokesperson said all areas had to play their part in building new homes, and water companies also had a duty to plan and deliver infrastructure.

This year, South East Water was fined £30.5m for water supply failures which impacted more than 286,000 people.

A letter signed by Tonbridge MP Tom Tugendhat, Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone and Malling, and Tristan Osborne, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, said: "There remain significant concerns about our water infrastructure given the scale of development the government has mandated be included in the local plan."

It added that across their constituencies there had been "numerous water outages".

"Residents are extremely concerned about the vulnerability of our water supply," the letter said.

South East Water said its current plan was based on housing figures available when it was published in 2023 and did not reflect the increase in housing proposed in the draft local plan.

A spokesperson said: "The borough's projected housing growth will lead to demand exceeding available water supply without additional intervention."

Matt Boughton, leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said: "We're delighted that our local MPs are supporting us in what we believe is an attack on local democracy by the government."

With their support, he added, it was hoped that the minister would "see sense and let those of us that know and live in the area make the right decisions for our borough".

On Facebook, Tugendhat said the local authority had been right not to progress with the local plan, which sets out where and when homes will be built in an area.

He said: "Over the next few weeks, the council are holding public meetings to explain what you can do.

"Please head along to one if you're interested in learning more."

The Regulation 19 consultation opened on 11 September and runs until 25 October.

A series of public meetings will take place at town halls and parish councils until mid-October, with one event taking place online.

A government spokesperson said: "We will not hesitate to step in if councils are not getting on with the job to have an up-to-date plan in place.

"That's why we've instructed Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to progress their draft local plan at pace, ensuring they remain on track."

They added that water companies also had a "duty to plan and deliver the infrastructure needed for new homes".

"The government has been working with areas like Tonbridge and Malling to address challenges to water supply," they said.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.