A SHORTLIST of three plans has been drawn up by councillors for the restoration and conversion of Mote House, in Maidstone's Mote Park.

But local residents and other members of the public have expressed anger that they were not allowed to voice concerns at a special meeting of Maidstone Borough Council's cabinet this week.

Five prospective bidders wanting to take on a 250-year lease of the Grade II listed building presented their proposals to the cabinet.

Several concerned members of the public, including residents of cottages bordering Mote House's walled garden, attended the meeting but left in frustration after they were told they were not allowed to ask questions.

The three companies short-listed by councillors are Try Homes, Palace Estates and the Raven Group. Try Homes wants to convert Mote House, its surrounding buildings and walled gardens into apartments and houses. Palace Estates hopes to convert the building into a four-star hotel with 120 rooms, alter the stables in to a new home for Maidstone's Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum, and build sheltered housing inside the walled garden.

The Raven Group proposes a mixture of residential and recreational use, with parts of the ground floor as a café, restaurant and exhibition area. The company also wants to create a new public garden, preserve the walled garden and possibly offer storage for carriages from the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum, as well as building new houses on the site.

Council leader Cllr Mick Stevens (Lib Dem) said all the plans needed amending for planning reasons ahead of a final decision by the cabinet in the New Year.

The public will be able to voice opposition to the chosen scheme when a formal planning application is submitted to the council.