Campaigners’ bid to realise ‘long-held ambition’ of protecting playing field

A formal bid to create Canterbury’s first village green on a site once under threat of development has been submitted.

Once approved, Kingsmead Field - previously at the centre of a bitter rift between campaigners and the city council - will have one of the highest levels of protection in the country from development.

The application by the authority follows a promise to campaign group Friends of Kingsmead Field that it would voluntarily apply for the special status in return for a small area of land being developed for housing near to Kingsbrook Park.

The 16-home scheme, taking up 20% of the field, will include ten two-storey houses, three three-storey homes and flats.

Planning permission was granted in August 2018 and construction is expected to start later this year on the homes, five of which will be for families on the council’s housing waiting list.

Five years ago, the authority wanted the site to be built on, sparking fierce opposition, but the plan was thrown out in a u-turn by then-council leader John Gilbey.

Friends of Kingsmead Field has looked after the land ever since.

In the application to Kent County Council, the registration authority for village greens, about 80% of the field is included. Along with the area of housing, a strip of land on the riverside corridor and riverside slope is excluded in case the council or Environment Agency need to carry out maintenance to the river in the future.

Cllr Ben Fitter- Harding, chairman of the regeneration and property committee, said: “There has been much activity in recent years – a new play area, bike racks, picnic tables and new walkways around the field to name just four – and this application is the next piece of the jigsaw.”

Sian Pettman, from the Friends of Kingsmead Field, said the attainment of village green status would be “the fulfilment of a long-held ambition”. She added: “It will be a wonderful joint achievement and we look forward to celebrating its registration later this year.”

Applications are decided by KCC on a first come, first served basis. It is hoped it will be considered in May.