Kent Developers Group (KDG), the organisation championing the cause of commercial and residential property companies in the county, welcomed the Rt Hon Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Department of Communities and Local Government, to its recent meeting.
Attended by more than 40 members of KDG, including representatives from the county and district councils, the meeting focused on the major issues around the need to build more commercial and residential property.
Communities Secretary and Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark said: “We’re determined to pull out all the stops to keep the country building, with a clear ambition to deliver one million new homes by 2020.
“So I was pleased to meet with the Kent Developers Group and hear how they are working to deliver the homes and business premises that communities across Kent want and need.”
During the meeting, the Secretary of State took the opportunity to discuss the Government’s recent announcements on the National Infrastructure Commission, the extension of Permitted Development Rights; the move to build 200,000 starter homes by the end of the Parliament; releasing government owned land for development; the role of Housing Associations, the need to ensure employment land was made available and the brownfield land register.
Nick Fenton, Chairman of Kent Developers Group, said: “Getting planning permission and the necessary finance to develop new homes and commercial property remains challenging, and all at a time when demand has never been higher.
“The meeting was an excellent opportunity for us to highlight how recent changes to Government policy such as permitted development rights are impacting on the work we do to deliver more homes and commercial properties across the county.
“We look forward to further meetings with the Secretary of State and working more closely with his ministerial colleagues and officials.”
Paul Wookey, Chief Executive of Locate in Kent added: “We have seen a marked increase in demand for commercial property over the past 12 months across the county.
“We now urgently need new commercial space to come to the market so we can play our part in maintaining Kent’s economic upturn.”
The meeting was co-hosted by DHA Planning, at its offices at Eclipse Park, Maidstone.
