Councillor condemns ‘stupid’ and ‘suspicious’ greenfield homes plan

“This is just the tip of the iceberg and could be the next Chilmington Green.”

A worried councillor has spoken of his concern over plans to build more than 700 houses in Kennington, branding the proposals ‘stupid’ and ‘suspicious’.

C l l r Wi n s t o n Mi c h a e l (Boughton Aluph and Eastwell) said he believed the proposed development on the agriculturally rich land stretching from the Conningbrook Hotel to Orchard Lane would open the door to thousands more homes on the site.

He said: “The likelihood is we could see thousands more homes within the development at the expense of our precious land.

“I am deeply suspicious of this, and I do not understand why Ashford Borough Council (ABC) is wading back into a sensitive area of development.

“If this site gets put forward for the Local Plan, it would open the floodgates for other developments on other greenbelt sites because the protection of them would vanish.

“Secondly, is this part of a bigger scheme waiting in the background?

“We might not see this happen in the next five years but it will be hidden away in the Local Plan and then be brought up again in six years – which is what happened with Chilmington Green.

“It crept into the Local Plan, and so stopping the development was like closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.

“Council leaders should be left in no doubt residents want these sites dropped now and are prepared to take direct action.

“As a matter of decency, integrity, and self-respect the council should drop them now.”

The Kennington site is reported to have been put forward for ABC’s Local Plan, earmarking it as a potential area for development.

Publication of the draft Local Plan 2030 is expected in early April and the site – dubbed Big

‘We could see thousands more homes at the expense of our precious land’

Burton – is likely to feature.

A council spokesman insisted sites in the local plan were still at the speculation stage

He said: “It’s a very long process, and at this stage we do not know what is going where.

“If a development site gets into the Local Plan it has already been through stringent tests.”

What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk

Cllr Winston Michael at the site of the proposed development near Conningbrook Hotel and Orchard Lane Kennington, and our coverage of the story last week