It’s unpopular and unwanted

After seeing the proposal for a new development to the north east of Willesborough Road in Kennington, I have a few comments to add.

It is already obvious that this planning idea is on Grade 1 agricultural land, so should not be considered anyway unless under exceptional circumstances.

One thing no one seems to be thinking of here, is the positioning of this development near Ashford’s “smelly industries”.

I always presumed that Givaudan, Batchelor’s and the sewage works were built at the north east corner of Ashford as the prevailing wind generally comes from the south west, directing the smell pollution away from Ashford residential areas and down the Stour valley towards Canterbury, by which time it will have dissipated.

Now in recent years, Batchelor’s and Givaudan have clearly made great steps in reducing the pollution and smells as both are a lot less noticeable lately.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the sewage works.

As Ashford is slowly being destroyed by development after development and its size has trebled in the time I’ve lived here, the only sewage works has got larger and causes more smell pollution than ever before as it struggles to cope with the vastly increased demand.

I go to the Little Burton estate regularly and almost every single day lately, as you approach the north east side of the estate, the smell of sewage is almost unbearable.

We all know that Southern Water won’t build another sewage works, so this problem is unlikely to get any better as Ashford keeps growing.

Has it not occurred to anyone that this proposed development lies directly in the path designed for the smell from the sewage works to travel down away from residential areas?

I know Ashford is earmarked for growth by the government, but is there nothing that can be done to stand up to them?

Over the last 30 or so years, Ashford has lost so much of its appeal with sprawling estates popping up everywhere – at Little Burton, Orchard Heights, Park Farm, Willesborough, and Trinity Road, the flood plains along the bypass by Sevington etc...

Isn’t it time some other areas took some of the burden? The population of this country has not trebled since the Eighties, but Ashford has lost a lot of its appeal as village areas have been swallowed up by greedy development plans.

Bigger is not always better. It’s time for the council to stand up for its residents, rather than working against them by approving another unpopular, unwanted and ill-thought out development Marcus Donkersley Kennington

With reference to the suggestion that 700 homes could be built on agricultural land near The Conningbrook Hotel, the scale of this potential development is extremely alarming.

I cannot see how the existing infrastructure, which is already over capacity, might cope with the volume of people and vehicles.

Schools – As a resident of Ulley Road I already witness the chaos of the school run to the three schools who I assume would need to offer capacity to the incoming residents. The morning and afternoon movements of parents for the three schools already seizes up the length of Ulley Road into The Street and I have experienced the often heated confrontations of those wishing to pass which most recently saw cars driving over my elderly neighbour’s front lawn.

Recreation – developments of this size would be required to provide adequate recreation space. However in practice this is sometimes less usable than at first thought and I fear that The Ridge open space will suffer through over use.

Transportation – The roads at commuting peaks into and out of Ashford, near to the proposed development, are also at or above capacity in my opinion. Ashford is marketed on its access to the motorway and the high-speed train service. As a commuter using the high-speed service a number of mornings each week I would question its ability to cope with more potential passengers as I nearly always have to stand if travelling at peak.

I realise the pressure local authorities are under to release land for a growing population but would strongly ask that this application is refused.

It is clearly too large and would have detrimental impact on the already significant population of Kennington. Mark Farris Ulley Road, Ashford

As a resident of Kennington for over 25 years I was shocked to hear that the council are even considering a new housing estate behind the Conningbrook.

From my experience of living in the area there are some serious environment and safety issues with this proposal.

The lower part of the proposed field floods, resulting in the road and railway line near the bridge becoming waterlogged in the winter. The extra traffic noise and exhaust pollution will add to the existing M20 and A28 current levels already noticed with east and south west wind directions.

The concentration of extra cars and people will be a disaster for the area. The road to Old Willesborough and junction 10 is a bad area of narrow roads, access by emergency services and ambulances are and will be further severely restricted due to this bottleneck.

The A28 is already congested with a big increase in traffic observed at peak times with jams between the Conningbrook and the traffic lights at Faversham Road and George Williams Way.

The Street, Nettlefields and George Williams Way are currently used as a rat run and surely this will increase at an alarming rate due to frustration with existing main routes.

Since all three of these areas are heavily populated there is a serious risk to pedestrians, including children going to and from nearby schools.

There is, in my opinion, no justification for this development on Grade 1 agricultural land that is an asset to Kennington and Ashford.

There are other suitable fields around Ashford with better road access and less local safety issues. Stand up to the developers when it matters please. Robert Creasey Kennington

I write regarding the totally unacceptable proposal to create a housing estate of over 700 homes in Kennington.

As a resident of Little Burton I see absolutely no exceptional circumstances as to why this development should go ahead.

I have just become a father for the first time and have massive concerns over the amount of additional traffic this would bring and the danger to myself and my son when I take him on walks in the neighbourhood.

Only yesterday while taking him in his pram along Willesborough Road I saw how much traffic already speeds down there on a quiet Sunday. The thought of an extra 1,400 cars (an average of two cars per household) brings fear for our safety.

I strongly object to this proposal and ask for it to be shelved permanently. Simon Pilbin Alec Pemble Close, Little Burton, Ashford

We are writing with reference to the plans for a Large Burton estate.

We understand the land proposed is Grade 1 agricultural land and only to be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Not only do we think this is not the case but we are surprised that with the amount of unattractive brown sites to be used, the council should be entertaining such a plan.

We wish to register our strong objections to such a venture. Chilmington Green is devastating to Kent’s countryside, please don’t destroy it all. Sandra and Leonard Scopes, The Street, Kennington