Local Lib Dems lead Council fight against urban cramming and "garden grabbers"

9.03.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 30th Sep 2009

Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration at Maidstone Council Tony Harwood has successfully persuaded Maidstone Council to introduce a new policy to help protect existing gardens from destruction by "garden grabber" developers and set a minimum size for gardens within new residential developments. A similar garden protection policy in the London Borough of Bromley has proved successful in protecting residential neighbourhoods from the worst excesses of urban cramming.

Tony stated on hearing the news that Maidstone Council was running with his idea: "It is vital that a garden protection policy is put in place quickly. Too many of our finest residential neighbourhoods are seeing their historic leafy character and wildlife disappear under high density and inappropriate development."