DELIVERED TO 5,000 HOMES
JUNE 2016
Published by Kennington Community Forum
VANDALS have damaged the Memorial Shelter in Kennington’s Garden of Remembrance. Part of the baluster was kicked out and thrown in the shrub border. The Shelter was repaired in 2012, funded by residents, War Memorials Trust and grants from Ashford and Kent County Councils.
Thousands must protest if we’re to prevent 700 homes being built here
T
he battle to stop an estate of 700 homes being built in Kennington is approaching a critical stage. Details of the proposal to build on high grade agricultural land in Willesborough Road — opposite the Little Burton estate — are expected to appear in the Draft Local Plan which Ashford Borough Council will release in mid-June. There will then be an eight-week consultation period when everyone who opposes the plan must respond. If you have already sent letters to the Press or ABC these will not be taken into account. Only responses made to ABC during the consultation period will be recorded. The Draft Plan will eventually go before a Planning Inspector early next year. “At least 3,000 letters of objection are needed,” said Councillor Winston Michael (Boughton Aluph ward). A previous attempt to build on the land was dropped in 2010 after a huge protest and media campaign. The development would stretch from the Conningbrook Hotel to the bridge over the
railway on the Willesborough Road and north to Orchard Lane. “Despite the hundreds of emails and letters of opposition the planners at Ashford council are insistent Kennington needs a new estate of 700 executive homes,” said ward councillor Phil Sims. “An estate with only ONE road accessing it, and no thought to the chaos the extra vehicles will cause on the already congested Canterbury Road, Willesborough Road and Faversham Road. “There is a backlog of hundreds of unbuilt houses on land already earmarked for development in the borough. So what is the point of allocating more land for building when we cannot motivate developers to build on land already allocated? “I shall be delivering flyers containing details of how we can ensure this insane and unnecessary proposal can be effectively opposed, and how to phrase your opposition. Anyone willing to help distribute these flyers, please email me at philip.sims@ashford.gov.uk or call 627603.” Councillor Michael said: “It is imperative objections are based on national planning policy if it is to carry weight with the In-
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spectorate.” He suggests pointing out high grade arable land is crucial to increasing food production for a rising population; there would be significant intrusion into open countryside that will seriously damage the rural/urban edge; it would create a massive impact upon biodiversity and geodiversity as the site is close to the River Stour and open countryside; road infrastructure makes development here unsustainable; houses will be in the path of the prevailing smell from the near-by sewerage works which at times is obnoxious. Kennington Forum’s Planning Workshops, which looked at all local sites put forward for consideration showed the strength of local concern at the prospect of further large scale housing developments. Chris Morley, KCF’s chair, said: “There is a real risk of Ashford becoming a dormitory town, dominated by mundane housing estates but lacking in other key aspects such as high-skilled employment opportunities. “It is vitally important all residents read the plan when it is published and respond formally during the consultation period, even if they have already made their views known to the council.”
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