Conservatives Admit: Residents Paid For Developers' Damage To Roads'

10.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 16th Oct 2008

After a tour of damaged roads in Maidstone, Kent County Council has finally admitted that under the Conservative controlled, taxpayers have been paying for years when developers damage roads.

Ian Chittenden, Liberal Democrat Councillor, challenged the County because developers were not being held responsible for streetlights and kerb stones broken during construction work in his Maidstone North East Division but he soon realised it was a countywide problem. Cllr Ferrin, County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, and Senior Highways officers agreed to join Ian on a tour of roads damaged by developers' vehicles and they finally agreed that those who did the damage should pay, not residents.

Ian said, "I am delighted at the outcome. From now on, when developers damage roads or paths, they will pay for the repairs. Regulations have been in place for many years, it's just that Kent County Council haven't enforced it. This is the culmination of an 18 month campaign by Liberal Democrats to get Kent County Council to enforce the law and hold developers to account, and I am delighted at the outcome.

Lib Dem Leader Trudy Dean found one West Malling resident's house had been surrounded by a moat of water several inches deep after heavy vehicles broke drains during nearby construction work. There are examples across Kent where roads and kerbs have been cracked and broken and streetlights bent by clumsy builders.

Trudy said "When I asked them, Officers admitted they hadn't inspected Police Station Road in West Malling before construction began as the Kent Design Guide says they should it and so it can't be proven who was responsible. I am pleased to hear they will do so for future building projects; but I just wish they'd started years ago and saved Kent taxpayers from footing the bill for road repairs which should have been paid for by builders."