Site ref

Location

Commentary

Recommendation

HO3-301

Land at Kilnwood

East of Old Ham Lane Lenham

Site area approximately 9.8ha

Yield: Not specified

The site is located south of the railway-line and would not sit well with the existing pattern and grain of development in the existing village to the north. This site is different to the recent appeal decision on the site at The Old Goods Yard as that has a better relationship to the village and its facilities and was also partly previously developed land.

The site is adjacent to a Local Wildlife Site and designated Ancient Woodland.

Access to the site would be via a narrow road with poor horizontal alignment and visibility and would need to use a narrow railway bridge that would be likely to need substantial improvement to accommodate traffic likely to be generated by the development. 

Do not allocate

HO3-312

Land adj. Old Goods Yard Lenham

Site area 1.4ha

Yield not specified

This site is located to the south of the existing settlement boundary of Lenham and on a site south of the railway line which has long provided a defensible boundary to the southward expansion of the village.

The site relates poorly to the existing pattern of built development of Lenham village.

Notwithstanding the fact that the site adjoins a larger site which has gained permission in an appeal decision dated 2 October 2015, there is a primary difference, namely that this site is a greenfield site. 

It is considered that this key difference and the fact that this site is slightly more remote from existing village facilities than the adjoining land coupled with the site relating poorly to the existing pattern of development in the village and that further encroachment into the countryside will occur, are such that the site is not suitable for development.

Do not allocate

HO3-313

Land adj. Detling Aerodrome Industrial Estate

Site area approximately 177.5ha

Residential: 40ha (approx. 1200 units)

Commercial: 24ha (in addition to existing industrial estate (13.5ha)

Country park: 100ha

Park and Ride Facility: 1000+ spaces

This site was previously assessed as a proposed employment site. Despite the additional information that has been submitted (including the LVIA and highway technical note) as well as the offer of a 100ha Country Park and the Park & Ride car park, there has been no change in the site’s status as lying within the nationally designated protected landscape of the Kent Downs AONB.  The quantum of development proposed would result in unacceptable harm to the landscape and be contrary to the advice in the NPPF.

Whilst the site would comprise mixed residential and employment development, nevertheless it is still in an unsustainable location with no community infrastructure and residents and workers would be reliant on the private car to meet their day-to-day needs.

The Park & Ride Car Park whilst mooted as a replacement for the existing car park at M20 Junction 7 is considered to be too far from the town and the motorway junction to be likely to be effective in securing modal shift, due to the length of the onward bus journey and the return.

The site is considered unsuitable for the development proposed.

Do not allocate

HO3-314

Land at Bydews Place Tovil

Two parcels of land

Parcel A (North of existing access road): 0.3ha Parcel B (South of existing access road): 2.1ha

Yield: Not specified

The sites are well-related to the existing urban area and to existing and proposed residential development and local infrastructure. 

Appropriate design and landscaping is required to preserve the boundary between the urban area and the countryside beyond the site as well as the setting of both Bydews Wood and the designated Heritage Assets at and adjacent to Byedews Place. The existing hedgerow and important trees should also be retained and the line of PROW KB14 maintained. 

In particular, the impact of any new development on the existing rural setting of the approach to the listed buildings would be of particular importance. The relationship of Parcel A to this access and any new development would also be of concern.

It is considered that it may be most appropriate to limit development to Parcel B and leave Parcel A as open space to provide the setting to the group of listed buildings and to enable a more appropriate relationship and treatment of the existing access to Bydews Place to maintain its rural nature and form.

The design of site access will be key. If an appropriate solution can be found it should link to the roundabout access approved to serve the development approved under application 10/0256 

ACCEPT

YIELD - 50 UNITS (To take account of the need to preserve the rural aspect of the existing access to Bydews Place and existing trees and the PROW that crosses the site.

Approximately 0.74ha of open space (to include the 0.3ha of parcel A) to be provided on site     

Allocate site

HO3-315

Land at Downsoak Stud,

West Street Harrietsham

Site area: 1.28ha

Yield: Up to 20 units

The topography of this site does not lend itself towards a development that would be easily integrated into the existing landscape character in this part of the village.

Furthermore, although the site is in a relatively sustainable location in terms of village facilities, it lies outside the village boundary and development here would further extend the built environment to the west, altering the character of the approach to the village on this side of West Street, particularly through the loss of a number of existing trees on the site.

Substantial residential development on this side of West Street (as proposed) should not extend further than the primary school.

Do not allocate

HO3-316

Land at Ledian Farm

Upper Street Leeds

Site area: 3.06ha

Yield: 113 units (Class C2 Care village) or 60 units (Class C3 dwellings)

Leeds is a village with very few community facilities apart from a village hall and school. The last shop/post office closed a number of years ago and it is not considered suitable for classification as a larger village.

A purely Class C3 development (60 units proposed) in a village with so few community facilities serving day-to-day needs would be unsustainable given the likely need for reliance on the private car and poor pubic transport options.

There are two extant permissions for a mixed C3 and C2 development and a C2 development the latter of which would provide some facilities available for public use.  Given these it is not considered that the site should be allocated due to the impact on the countryside

Do not allocate

HO3-317

Land West of Ledian Farm

Upper Street Leeds

Site area: 1.4ha

Yield: 30 Units

Despite the reduction in the proposed development area from the previous submission (HO3-299), development of the site would still result in the significant incursion of built development west of the Upper Street settlement into open countryside.

Neither nearby settlement of Leeds nor Langley has an adequate range of community facilities. As a sole Class C3 residential development (30 units are proposed) given the lack of community facilities in the village for basic day-day needs and the likely reliance on the use of the private car, this is an unsustainable settlement. 

Do not allocate

HO3-318

Land North East of Forge Lane Bredhurst

Site area 0.18ha

Yield: Not specified

Bredhurst is a settlement with very limited facilities and no local convenience store together with a poor bus service. It is not therefore within the preferred hierarchy for allocation.

Given the site’s location within the Kent Downs AONB and the site history which includes residential development on adjacent land and a quashed enforcement notice on the site itself any redevelopment of the site would best be pursued through the application process rather than an allocation in the emerging local plan.

Not suitable for further development

Do not allocate

HO3-319

Land South of Tovil

(East of B2010 Dean Street)

Site area:

9.25ha: A new site for (outdoor sports facility (likely to be Maidstone Rugby Club) together with new doctors’ surgery/community clinic

12.9ha: Up to 452 dwellings

2.67 and 3.54ha: Strategic Landscaping Areas

Yield: Up to 452 dwellings (see above)

The site is well-related to the existing urban area and to existing/allocated residential development.

The site is relatively sustainably located being in close proximity to local services/shops and infrastructure and on a local bus route with regular services.

Careful attention to appropriate design, landscaping and open space provision is required to preserve the boundary between the urban area and the countryside beyond and significant attention is required to respect the setting of Abbey Gate Place and to a lesser extent, Bydews Place.  Careful consideration of a lighting scheme is required to ensure the impact on the countryside, especially on long distance views from the AONB and the setting on the surrounding designated Heritage assets, is properly considered.

The existing internal and boundary hedging should be maintained with appropriate buffer areas, especially along Stockett Lane with improved upgrading and additional provision of PROW’s linking up with the site.

Mix of uses proposed is considered acceptable and use of former landfill site for rugby club provision would enable the openness of the site to the east to be maintained, whilst meeting a recognised need for medical provision in the locality. Emphasis should be on wide community use and not just rugby club provision and attention should be paid to issues relating to the landfill.  

Principle access should only be from B2010 with emergency access from Stockett Lane and this should be considered alongside the consented scheme under application 10/0256.    

Allocate site

HO3-320

Land South of Warmlake Road Chart Sutton

Site area: 1.1ha

Yield: 20 units

Chart Sutton is a village with very few services.

Access to services in adjoining villages is likely to be by means of the private car given the poor bus service and the distances involved which would deter walking. The village is not identified in the Council’s preferred spatial development hierarchy as suitable for further development as a result.

Development on this site would represent a significant visual expansion of built development eastwards from the current limit of the village.

The arbitrary boundary across the open field is not related to any existing hedgerows /landscape features etc.

Do not allocate

HO3-321

‘Nutbrow’ Land off Boyton Court Road Sutton Valence

Site area: 5.26ha

Yield: 150 units

The site is in open countryside in a prominent location on the Greensand Ridge scarp slope.

It is not well related to the nearby settlement of Sutton Valence and is in an unsustainable location with poor connection to local facilities and no reasonable access to public transport.

Residential development of any significant level on this site would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area, let alone the 150 units envisaged in the submission.

Do not allocate