23 November 2020
Residents of Boughton under Blean and Dunkirk have recently received a brochure for the proposed development at Winterbourne Fields. Swale Green Party oppose all inappropriate development in the countryside including these proposals.
The planning application for this development has not yet been submitted, however, Swale Borough Council are aware that this is likely to happen and the site has been assessed by the Local Plan Panel. Their view on the any development here is clear and expressed in the Agenda Report for the Local Plan Panel of 29 October 2020, which states:
“Foresters Lodge Farm/Winterbourne Fields (18/156) is approximately 68 hectares set back from the M2 to the north in the parish of Dunkirk, separated from the village by the motorway. It is currently in agricultural use and although it is not subject to any high-level constraints it is designated as a local area of high landscape value in its entirety. It is surrounded on all sides (except for where it joins the M2) by locally designated biodiversity sites. It is assessed as ‘unsuitable’ in the SHLAA*. The Council’s own biodiversity baseline study evidence identifies the site as the Blean nature recovery area and recommends that development should be avoided at this site…”.
Because it has been assessed as unsustainable, the site at Winterbourne Fields will not be included in the draft Local Plan. However, the plan will be assessed by the Planning Inspectorate and can be challenged by developers. Councillors will argue their case, but there is no guarantee that the inspectorate will uphold this decision.
The Coalition Council, which includes our two Green councillors, have established their policy to create housing that meets local needs, close to town centres and with good public transport links and convenient walking and cycling routes. They will not support any unsustainable and inappropriate development in rural areas.
Swale Green Party intend to do whatever we can to support the campaign to oppose this development and protect the biodiversity sites, the area of natural recovery and high landscape value, and to protect Boughton under Blean and Dunkirk villages from inappropriate development which threatens the rural environment and village life!
*Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, (SHLAA)
The full Local Plan Panel Agenda and Reports Pack can be found here:
https://services.swale.gov.uk/meetings/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=216&MId=2396&Ver=4
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