Village population to be doubled with 800 homes

Plans for an 800-home estate that will double a Kent village’s population have been approved despite local concerns, the Local Democracy Reporting Service says.

The proposal from Persimmon Homes for the development north of Hersden, near Canterbury, was given the green light on Tuesday after the decision was deferred by Canterbury City Council (CCC) so it could visit the site.

The decision was made in the face of fierce opposition from many residents concerned about the impact of the development on the village.

Speaking at the meeting, Hersden resident Craig Thomspon said: "At some point we will run out of land, leaving us with the garden of concrete, not the garden of England."

The planning committee voted to approve the application by nine votes to two, with one abstention.

The development will cover an area the size of almost 87 football pitches and is one of the final allocations from CCC’s 2017 local plan.

Part of the site will host a new water recycling centre and there is permission for business space including a cafe, offices, expansion of the village primary school, a community building and a sports pavilion.

Of the 800 homes, 240 will be affordable, so they will be sold or rented at a discount on the market rate.

Although full permission has been given for 261 homes, further proposals are needed for the remaining 539 homes to decide the design and layout.

However, a planning officer told councillors that as a condition of the development, most of it would not be able to go ahead until the Sturry Link Road was completed.

Lucy Wilford, acting as planning agent for the bid, said at the meeting that the housing development would "contribute £6.3m towards the relief road”.

“The payment from this development is the last to be received to facilitate its delivery,” she explained.

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