Our village can’t take huge estate

I notice in an article Ben Fitterharding says the Local Plan cannot be changed at this late stage [‘No avenue to reduce housing plan for district’, Gazette January 26].

We as residents of Adisham have had a number of meetings where large numbers of people attended.

I fail to see how they can think that it is acceptable for a village, which currently consists of less than 400 houses, be increased by another 3,200 houses.

It is an almost 10-fold increase in the size of the community. Part of the land that has been allocated for this development is part of a trust and the parties have indicated that this land is not for sale and never will be. How could this have been put in the proposal without the consent or approval of some of the landowners?

This piece of land is located against an area which is declared an area of Special Scientific Interest.

This drastic increase in the number of houses, roads and

infrastructure will undoubtedly have a seriously negative impact on the SSI .

It is typical of the current council to dictate what happens in the area, without considering the impact as a whole to the area. Derek Butterworth

Adisham, Canterbury

■ Cllr Fitter-harding has stated there is “no avenue” for reducing the 17,000 new homes planned in the district’s draft Local Plan. The 3,200 new houses planned for Cooting Garden Village at Adisham represent development at its worst, the ruination of a beautiful rural area and permanent loss of valuable farmland, with no thought for the consequences on our already creaking local infrastructure. Central government has now said these figures are advisory, so why is Canterbury City Council persisting with this discredited policy?

And why is Cllr Fitter-harding issuing this statement when the draft Local Plan is still under consultation?

Jane Cullinane

■ According to Cllr Fitterharding, there is no legitimate scope at this late stage in the delivery of the Local Plan to make any changes.

His comments are extraordinary, in my opinion, as the democratic process of discussing the plan is only just beginning.

Indeed, Adisham Parish Council and the public still have time to submit their views on the draft plan, before the deadline in February.

He is basically saying there is no room to manoeuvre on this and the plan is going to happen no matter what! I think there is need for a rebuttal.

My family and I moved to Adisham because we fell in love with the character of the village, the strong sense of community and the stunning local rural landscape.

I am absolutely against the new Local Plan, which stands to wipe out these fundamental points which I hold so dear.

The development proposed will hugely and adversely affect the village and the people who live here, of this there is no doubt. Surrounding Adisham is prime chalk downland used for centuries of farming and key to the history of the area.

This must be protected for future generations, so they can experience the natural landscape and the setting of the village as it has been for centuries. Adisham has stood, in some form, on its current site for 1,400 years. It is vitally important to protect the character and community of this ancient village by keeping it as this, a village.

To build 3,200 houses within the current village limits would change the character of this close community immeasurably. Residents live in this community because they want a rural space, they want a village of character, they want peace.

To have a town thrust upon them by those who have no understanding of this community and the character of our village is to wipe away what it is to live here and to change the community forever.

I would say that the building of 3,200 new houses, each likely to have one or two cars commuting to work twice a day, means potentially 12,800 additional journeys on the B2046 each day. This is simply unacceptable and will put lives at risk; this road is not suitable for that level of traffic and there are no alternatives in that location. The main road aside, the local lanes are not suitable for the increased levels of traffic. They were built for slow-moving vehicles decades ago. Central government-set housing targets are now to be considered as a “starting point but no more than that”, with local authorities able to reduce the number of houses they need to build if they feel this necessary.

In Michael Gove’s letter of December 5 to local planning authorities, he states “authorities will be able to plan for fewer houses if building is constrained by... areas of high flood risk”. His letter also goes on to say “local authorities will not be expected to build developments at densities that would be wholly out of character with existing areas or which would lead to a significant change of character”. Sebastian De La Haye

Adisham, Canterbury

The development planned for Adisham and Aylesham