Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
250-home estate put on hold by legal challenge
Campaigners stalling hundreds of new jobs, says developer
A developer behind £95 million plans to build 250 homes, a nursery and business park in Canterbury has accused those fighting the project of standing in the way of hundreds of jobs. The Hoplands Farm scheme in Hersden has been stalled by a legal challenge against a decision to approve plans for a neighbouring 370-home development at the Old Chislet Colliery site. Campaigners on the A28 Environmental Crisis Group lost a High Court bid to overturn the decision last year, but have appealed the judgement. They argue planners have failed to take into account Mark Quinn’s Hoplands Farm project, which had also been given the green light.
However, work on the sites has continued to stall as the activists, led by Westbere resident
Antonie van den Broek, have since taken their review to the Court of Appeal.
Mr Quinn says the delays have pushed his 250-home scheme a year behind schedule.
“It’s very disappointing that somebody who is unaffected by this is choosing to prevent a democratic decision from being delivered,” he said. “We’re waiting to deliver the facilities. We’re prevented from doing it by this judicial review.” Mr Quinn’s scheme includes drawings for a new convenience store, GP surgery, pharmacy, dentist and industrial estate. About 55% of the site, which is near Stodmarsh Nature Reserve, will be land that has been designated village green status - the highest form of protection from future development.
The house-builder has also released new computer-generated imagery showing how the nursery and Canterbury College apprenticeship centre planned for the site are expected to look. “More importantly, the judicial review has prevented much-needed education and childcare facilities from being delivered for people who really need it, especially in this time,” Mr Quinn continued. “They will create dozens and dozens of jobs, but the nursery will create even more because it will enable hundreds of people get back into work. I think it’s incredibly damaging for locals.” The nursery will be occupied by the oversubscribed Hersden Under-5s Project, which currently cares for 22 children in a “portacabin-style” building in Shaftesbury Road. The move will increase its capacity to 36. Meanwhile, the apprenticeship centre will provide construction and engineering courses for as many as 60 teenagers.
Mr van den Broeke declined to respond to Mr Quinn’s remarks.