Plans for 64 homes on agricultural land in Cliffsend

Homes will be built on agricultural land

Thanet council planning committee members are due to discuss two applications to build homes on farmland in Cliffsend.

An outline application to build 23 homes on land adjacent to Cottington Road in Cliffsend is expected to be deferred for approval when  committee members discuss it next week.

The application from Edward Spanton Farms is for 0.9 hectares of agricultural land across from Oakland Court. It follows on the heels of an application, also by Edward Spanton Farms, to build 65 homes on land east of 40 Canterbury Road West.

In a design report to TDC it states there will be 30% of affordable homes, adding: “The affordable housing would be a range of flats and houses with both rented and shared ownership properties available for families and single households.”

Properties would range from one-bed flats to four-bed homes.

‘Opportunity’

The planning document says: “A new sustainable housing development in this location will provide a greater range and opportunity for young people and families to live and work in the area and ensure that people of all ages have access and choice to a good standard of housing.”

An access road into and out of the site onto Cottington Road would be created as well as a footpath and a possible link to a path to the proposed Thanet Parkway Station. Two additional pedestrian and cycle access points are proposed to the north of the site that would link on to this footpath.

Objections

But the proposal has attracted 136 letters of objection with concerns including the use of agricultural land for development, a lack of doctors, schools and shops in the village and fears that combined with other applications and 156 homes recently granted approval the village will increase by 35 per cent.

Contributions

If the plan is approved there will be developer contributions of £69,804 towards works at St.Lawrence in Thanet CE Primary School; a financial contribution of £49,555.80 towards Phase 1 of Ursuline College expansion works and a financial contribution of £1,104.36 towards book stock at the local library. There would also be £22,032 for the extension, refurbishment or upgrade of Newington Road Surgery in Ramsgate and £9,384 towards the Special Protection Area.

‘Approval’

A report to councillors by the planning officer says: “The provision of 23 dwellings would make a significant contribution to the district’s housing supply, supporting economic and social dimensions of sustainable development, with employment provided through construction.

“All requests for social contributions towards education, social and health care have been agreed by the applicant, and 30% on-site affordable housing is provided, along with off-site play provision, a new footpath on Cottington Road and crossing points in Oakland Court. This attaches significant weight in favour of the application due to these social and economic benefits.”

Planning committee members have been advised to defer and delegate the application for approval when they meet on November 15.

Second farmland application

A second application from Edward Spanton Farms for 41 homes on agricultural land to the north of Cottingham Road will also be considered on November 15.

The 1.47 hectare site, which is also objected to in the 136 letters sent to TDC, is recommended to be deferred and delegated for approval.

Contributions for this scheme, if approved, would be £129,636 towards primary school provision (works at St.Lawrence in Thanet CE Primary School), £92,032.20 towards secondary school provision (Phase 1 expansion of Ursuline College), and £1,968.65 towards libraries. There would also be £38,952 for Newington Road Surgery, £16,728 towards the Special Protection Area and £38,352.50 towards the provision of a footpath link connection with the proposed Parkway Station.

4 Comments

  1. In the original application this was a joint application with KCC as was the one just passed. Of course if it is refused KCC will step forward and appeal without costs to TDC if they win. Yet again it is the easy way out for TDC.

  2. Our farmland should be used for growing crops to feed us, not to cover in concrete. This is nothing but pure greed on behalf of the landowner.

  3. Whoopi do! So the developer has agreed to make various financial contributions, none of which is to be spent in Cliffsend where all of these needless houses are to be built.

  4. I thought agricultural land was protected. Also as we leave the EU we will rely on our farmers to grow more so thyat we will not be reliant on EU farmers. Or have I got this wrong?

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