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Villagers relieved after expansion plans rejected

Local Democracy Reporting Service The villagers of Hamstreet and its environs outside Ashford Borough Council's officeLocal Democracy Reporting Service
A resident says the bid is "exactly the kind of development that gives development a bad name"

Plans to "dramatically expand" a small village near Ashford have been thrown out, much to residents' relief.

Hallam Land Management described its bid for a new housing estate in Hamstreet, as having "significant benefits", including the provision of 40% affordable housing.

The first proposal - to add 170 homes to a 35-acre site off Cotton Hill, Hamstreet Road - received more than 1,000 objections, while resubmitted plans for 140 homes sparked almost 1,200 letters to Ashford Borough Council (ABC).

A council planning officer acknowledged the positives of this scheme, but concluded that the harms "would outweigh these benefits", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Hallam Land Management A digital image of the proposed development: There are people walking on a broad yellow path, with many trees around the row of houses in the background. A man in the front right of the image can be seen walking a small white dog, and two women are seen jogging on the left hand side.Hallam Land Management
CGI of the proposed development at Cotton Hill, Hamstreet

ABC's planning committee hosted a meeting last week to finalise its decision, during which it was explained that residents of the new estate would be "reliant on private motor vehicles" as most of the village services are more than 800 metres (875 yards) from the site.

Owen Jones, acting as an agent for Hallam, argued that the "widely accepted housing crisis" highlighted the clear need to "grant planning permission for new homes".

"The benefits of this proposed development are significant, 140 new homes including a policy compliant 40% affordable housing, 56 homes for households on the waiting list," he said, referring to ABC's social housing waiting list of 1,500 people.

However, the earmarked land is close to the Royal Military Canal, a registered heritage site, as well as Rye Bay special protection area – legally a wetland of international significance.

Councillor Linda Harman said it "is clearly not the right place" to build, and the proposal does not bring "any benefit to the community" and risks the creation of "another car dependent estate".

ABC's planning committee voted unanimously to reject the plans in line with the planning officer's recommendation.

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