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Thank you for signing up for our Neighbourhood Plan newsletter.
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We are a small group of volunteers working with the Parish Council on a Neighbourhood Plan for Boughton Aluph, Eastwell and Goat Lees. Neighbourhood Plans are a new way for local people to influence the planning and development of the area in which they live or work. Together, we will shape the future of our community.
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Since our last newsletter we have started writing the Neighbourhood Plan. In common with Ashford Borough Council's Local Plan 2030, our Neighbourhood Plan will support sustainable development. It will set out how residents have told us they want to see our community change and grow. Our draft Plan will be ready at the end of the year when we will ask for your feedback. In the meantime, there are a number of planning applications to tell you about including a major new development which will represent the largest change in our parish since the housing developments around Trinity Road were built in Goat Lees in the 1990s.
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Major new housing development at Lenacre Hall Farm
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Millwood Designer Homes Ltd have submitted a hybrid planning application (17/01613/AS) to Ashford Borough Council for 89 new residential dwellings at Lenacre Hall Farm, Sandyhurst Lane comprising two parts:
- a full planning application for 21 new dwellings, access, drainage and landscaping to the south of the site with new road access next to the entrance to Sandyacres; and
- an outline planning application with all matters reserved except for access for the development of up to 68 new dwellings with associated access, landscaping, open space and community orchard on land to the north and west of the site (behind Sandyhurst Lane and Lenacre Street) with new road access to the rear of gardens on Lenacre Street.
The whole site is shown on the map below as BAE1.
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The Parish Council considers this development is problematic in a number of important respects:
- This site is not included in Ashford Borough Council's Local Plan, the strategic blueprint which sets out the land requirement to accommodate new homes and jobs in the Borough up to 2030.
- This site is not included in the Parish Council's emerging Neighbourhood Plan developed in close consultation with residents. Your overwhelming feedback was to protect and preserve our countryside and important green spaces.
- 75% of 482 respondents (close to half of parish households) to a survey held by the Parish Council in 2016 said this site is unsuitable for development.
- Development on this site constitutes urban sprawl. It will breach a historical settlement boundary and set an unwelcome precedent for future development.
- Loss of a special character landscape and land rich for biodiversity. Impact on adjacent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and ancient woodland. Wildlife corridors will be lost or disrupted.
- This development is not needed. 375 new homes are already planned for Eureka Park which will more than meet the local housing need identified by an independent survey in 2015. 2,000 new homes are planned or proposed adjacent to our parish at Kennington and Hothfield. Ashford Borough Council's Local Plan 2030 makes provision for 16,600 new homes.
- Insufficient local infrastructure and amenities. Places at the primary school are restricted with no room on site for expansion. There is no GP surgery in our parish. The nearest surgery has a restricted intake of new patients. Increased pressure on the local hospital.
- Ashford Borough Council calculate 7 vehicle movements per household per day when assessing new developments. This equates to an extra 623 vehicle movements every day on Sandyhurst Lane which already experiences congestion at junctions at peak times.
- A range of environmental concerns including light pollution. Concreting over the site could likely exacerbate the longstanding flooding problem on Sandyhurst Lane.
- Housing density and layout conflicts with the rural nature of Sandyhurst Lane and Lenacre Street.
With our Ward Councillor the Parish Council is preparing a full statement of its objections for submission to Ashford Borough Council.
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After canvassing their members, both the Sandyhurst Lane Residents' Committee and the Boughton Aluph and Eastwell Residents' Association will be lodging objections to the planning application with Ashford Borough Council. Residents have formed the Lenacre Action Group to campaign against the development.
Have Your Say
Ashford Borough Council invites views on every planning application it receives. Your opinion matters. If you have a view on this application, either in support or against, we encourage you to give your comments via the Council's website. It will only take a few minutes. Search for application number 17/01613/AS. The closing date is Thursday 23 November. You can also email your comments to planning.help@ashford.gov.uk.
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Views of the Lenacre Hall Farm site
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Other planning applications in our parish
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A second smaller planning application (17/01636/AS) has been made to Ashford Borough Council for outline planning permission for 18 new homes at the Former Sandpit on Sandyhurst Lane which is located south of 200 and east of 198 Sandyhurst Lane (shown on the map below as BAE2).
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The application is for developer-led custom-build residential development of up to 18 dwellings, open space and landscaping, wildlife habitat reserve, new access to Sandyhurst Lane, parking, engineering (including ground modelling) works and infrastructure, with appearance, landscaping and scale reserved for future determination.
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View of the former sandpit site
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While the Parish Council has strong reservations about access to the site from Sandyhurst Lane, after discussion it was agreed that it would not lodge an objection to the planning application.
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Have Your Say
If you have a view on this planning application, whether in support or against, we encourage you to submit your comments via Ashford Borough Council's website. Your views matter. Search for application number 17/01636/AS. The closing date is Thursday 23 November. You can also email your comments to planning.help@ashford.gov.uk.
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A planning application (17/00999/AS) to build a cul-de-sac of 6 dwellings on Wye Road at Kempes Corner has been revised to 3 detached homes fronting onto the road. The Parish Council has lodged an objection to the application which has been referred to Ashford Borough Council’s Planning Committee on 15 November. The Committee meeting papers show that the Council’s officers recommend the smaller scheme is permitted. Members of the public can attend the Planning Committee meeting at the Council's offices in the Civic Centre at 7.00pm.
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View across the proposed site looking towards Wye Road.
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Once finalised, our Neighbourhood Plan will be scrutinised by Ashford Borough Council and by an Independent Examiner, before being put to a Parish Referendum. If approved by majority public vote, the Plan will become part of the Council’s statutory Local Plan 2030 to be used in making decisions on planning applications in our area. As a legal document it will carry real weight in planning decisions. Developers and Local Authority Planners will have to take notice of it.
We aim to keep you informed of our progress every step of the way. You can submit your views on the Neighbourhood Plan at any time on our website, www.parishplan.uk. In addition to our newsletter, we provide updates on Facebook and Twitter. Please give us a like or a follow.
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This project relies on volunteers. If you would like to get involved, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch today.
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Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter.
Read previous editions of our newsletter. Connect with us on Twitter @parishplan and Facebook.
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