A date has been set for Maidstone council's planning committee to consider the KIG proposals.

The committee will discuss the plan for a road rail interchange on 250 acres of open

land at Bearsted on Thursday, May 7, even though the decision has been taken out of its hands.

Hazel Blears, Secretary of e State for Communities and Local Government, has already announced that she will make the final decision.

The planning committee meeting will take place at the Maidstone Studios in New Cut Road at 6pm.

Alison Broom, director of prosperity and regeneration, said the venue had been chosen to accommodate as many people as possible.

The meeting will be webcast live on the council’s website.

Residents have now been given more time to send in comments to the planning inspectorate.

Maidstone council was initially given six weeks until April 6 to submitis case to the inspectorate. That has now been extended until May 29 .

The deadline for comments for all other interested parties has also been extended to that date.