AFTER months of speculation, Ashford council has distanced itself from the row over major development at Imperial College at Wye.

The Task group considering the borough’s local development framework on Monday night agreed there would be no specific policy relating to the Wye campus proposals.

Chairman Cllr Michael Burgess said: "The Task Group was aware of the competing views on the merits of having such a policy and reached its decision after careful consideration and discussion of the pros and cons and advice from officers."

Following that decision council leader Paul Clokie issued a statement.

In it he said that while in principal he continued to support Imperial College in working up proposals for redevelopment of their brownfield land at Wye, he wanted to place on record that it was never his intention in signing the concordats with Kent county council and Imperial to support residential development on greenfield land.

He stressed: "I am most concerned that the intention of the Concordats has been widely misunderstood and misinterpreted.

"I therefore seriously question their worth and credibility and I intend to have urgent discussions with Imperial on this issue."

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S KENTISH EXPRESS