Feria Urbanism worked with Loose Parish Council to prepare a neighbourhood plan shaped by local consultation and focused on landscape protection and design guidance.

In October 2014, we ran a successful three-day design forum with residents and businesses, during which our team developed new ideas for traffic management and the location of community facilities. Between 2015 and 2018, the work was refined further as draft planning policies were published for consultation.

The examiner’s report concluded, “it is clear that the Loose Neighbourhood Plan is the product of much hard work since 2014 by the Parish Council, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and the many individuals and stakeholders who have contributed to the development of the Plan. There is no doubt in my view that the Plan reflects the aspirations and objectives of the Loose community for the future development of their community up to 2031.

“The output is a Plan which should help guide the Parish’s development over that period in a positive way and it should inform good decision-making on planning applications by Maidstone Borough Council”

The final plan was approved at referendum in August 2019 with an 94% yes vote on a turnout of 22%.