No Precise Boundaries Have Been Identified.”

Damien Collins MP and SDC have seemingly shot themselves in the foot. SDC and Damien Collins have released a definitive boundary map of the alleged “chosen” site at Stanford West, or site 1. The map is utter tosh and a despicable act by both parties mentioned.

The map below

contradicts SDC’s own statement given out in their own document at the Community Overview Committee Meeting on the 4/01/16, where at page 3 it states:

“1.5 Highways England has assessed a number of locations for a lorry area of approximately 4,000 vehicles and have narrowed their choice down to two potential sites. The broad location of these two sites is shown in the consultation document but no precise boundaries have been identified.”

Click here and go to page 3 →  Community Overview

So why does the map above produced by SDC and put out by Damien Collins set out definitive boundaries. Do they know something the public doesn’t and if they do are they prepared to share it with us?

Highways England have stated for the record that they are still looking at various sites proposed by members of the public during the 1st consultation which lasts till midnight on the 25/01/16.

SDC meanwhile has received  £125,000 in 2015/16 from the Government towards the cost of activities relating to the M20 junction 11 project. This sum is recorded in Corporate Management until a decision is made about its use.

See page 6 of this SDC document →  SDC Cabinet Doc

What “Activities” have SDC undertaken in 2015/16 and when in 2015 did they receive the money? Prior to the Consultation?

Highways England set out in their document

“Should this scheme be progressed there will be further formal consultation on the detailed proposals..,”

They are not saying it WILL be progressed.

Now we know SDC have come out in favour of Site 1 before the consultation is even over. Why is that? Is it because they have “special projects” that they would like to develop in and around J11? Are they looking at a High End Business Park either on the corner of Stone Street opposite Site 2 or on the site where Cllr David Drury  Monk SDC Leader  and Cllr Paul Carter Leader KCC had a very public spat

“Shepway council was already drawing up plans to develop the site for “high-end” businesses, he added [Cllr David Drury Monk]. Shepway’s economic future has one place to go and that is to develop the site and land south of Junction 11 as a high quality business site for businesses and we are doing that now with money we have got from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.”

So again more probable development in an area which hardly needs it and will affect the residents in nearby Stanford, Westenhanger and Sandling.