Vote on housing development like Hunger Games, says parish council chairman

Local communities are being pitted against each other “like the Hunger Games” in a planning vote over where thousands of new homes could be built on green belt land.

Residents in the Sevenoaks area of Kent have been asked how and where future housing should be built between 2025 and 2040.

In an area where 93% of land is green belt, the third highest proportion in England, Sevenoaks District Council bosses say they have “had to consider” a number of green belt and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) sites, now known as national landscapes, to meet the need to build 10,680 homes in the coming years.

Among scattered, smaller developments proposed for Westerham, Brasted, West Kingsdown and Sevenoaks town, a campaign lobbying on a Sevenoaks Facebook group has been pushing residents to vote instead for a mass development of 2,500 homes, including school and medical facilities, near the historic villages of Eynsford and Farningham.

According to Eynsford Parish Council chairman Vince Robson, the Facebook group “has more people in that group than we have in our village”, as he tried to help residents of the 1,800-strong community cast their votes online in a last-ditch bid before the consultation closes on January 11.

Mr Robson said: “They have pitted the whole district against each other just like the Hunger Games – (that’s) how we are calling it – but without sufficient information.

“I don’t feel the process has been fair or equitable, I don’t feel the information as in the plan itself was accurate enough to make decisions.”

He added that after an online poll for residents showed 92% of participants rejected the plans it gave the parish council “a mandate to fight”.

“It’s not a nimby thing, it’s quite literally we understand the logistics around here,” he said.

“We are a small village. Some 92% voted against it in an online poll, many are not available online. However that is nowhere near the number of residents Sevenoaks have, so to allow others to vote for development in Eynsford and Farningham is outrageous, especially when the (survey) option does not mention that it is green belt and national landscape.”

AONBs are protected areas of national interest for their character and beauty.

Mr Robson said residents are “keen to resist” the development, named Pedham Place, because of the site’s ecological advantages and experience of being “trapped” in the village because of traffic on race days at Brands Hatch track.

The land in the Darent Valley is currently partly used as a golf course and driving range, according to Sevenoaks District Council documents.

Mr Robson added: “We don’t like any of the options, to be honest with you. We think a no vote is not really an option. We don’t think that is sensible – housing is required and will be required until 2040.”

He instead said that residents are preferring to vote for the survey’s option of spread-out developments which are “less invasive” to green belt land.

Sevenoaks District Council chiefs laid out proposals for the second phase of their Local Plan 2040 in a 280-page document which details each proposal, including that Pedham Place would be within a national landscape.

In a foreword from development and conservation boss Simon Reay, he said: “The sites under consideration are in the most suitable locations, close to existing settlements, transport and services. Where we have had to look at using green belt, we have focused on land which is poorly performing and may already have been built on.

“Plan 2040 will deliver much-needed new homes, including affordable homes, while promoting residents’ health and wellbeing. It proposes to protect the overwhelming majority of the green belt whilst ensuring new developments provide high-quality places and spaces and minimally impact on the environment.”

On the consultation, a council spokesman said: “The local plan consultation process is set by central government. When we come to the analysis, we will consider the themes, topics and issues raised as well as the number of responses.

“We believe the information in the plan and survey is accurate, and the plan will be tested at examination, led by a Government-appointed planning inspector, before it can be adopted and used.”