Westgate and Garlinge Action group will hold a walk and rally as part of a Kent Day of Action highlighting development in the county for houses, commercial property, new roads and solar parks.
The day of action on Sunday, November 28 has been arranged by campaign groups across Kent who say sharing ideas and experiences led to the realisation that the scale of development across the county’s green spaces, agricultural land and wildlife habitats was “truly shocking.”
To coordinate activity and show how much resistance there is against plans to concrete over the large parts of the county, a core group of campaigns have come together for a Day of Action Kent-wide. It will be under the banner ‘Save Kent’s Green Spaces’
There are some 27 campaign groups taking part across Kent.
The Westgate and Garlinge Action Group was created at the beginning of this year to mobilise objections to a planning application for a huge 2,000 development of a ‘new town’ on farmland at the edge of town.
Millwood Designer Homes wants to create up to 2000 homes, including up to 100 Extra Care units, a care home, two form entry primary school, health centre and shops, cafes and restaurants on 237 acres which includes agricultural land either side of Minster Road.
The action group is fighting “the decimation of prime agricultural land,” for development at this site and others across the isle.
Members were recently instrumental in the rejection of a 450 home plan on farmland at Shottendane. This application has now gone to appeal.
A spokesperson for thee group said: “We are all affected by the many developments in the Thanet local plan so we want Birchington, Salmestone Ward, Minster, Cliffsend, everyone, to join in.
“For Thanet the Local Plan has 17140 houses and we estimate a loss of 700 hectares or 1730 acres of prime farmland to development.
“In addition to the implications for future food security, the developments will impact on the lives of people in Thanet: Southern Water is already regularly discharging sewage into our seas. We have a lack of GPS. We are facing a climate emergency locally , nationally and globally. Green space is important for biodiversity and wildlife and our mental health. This Rally is for anyone who wants to express their concerns.”
The group says:
17,140 new houses will be built in Thanet by 2031.
1,730 acres of our prime farmland will be covered in houses and associated roads.
This means 24,000 additional cars on the roads and 41,136 people who need schools, doctors, and dentists.
Thanet is already the second most densely populated in Kent and the most deprived local authority in Kent.
Our sewerage infrastructure cannot cope now!
One of our Margate GP surgeries already has 6,000 patients per doctor (national average is 2,038). It seems difficult to attract GPs to this area.
Thanet is in an area of ‘serious water stress’ and 21% of our water supply already comes from elsewhere in Kent (Medway).
By 2031 Thanet is forecast to have a shortfall in water demand of 4.31 million litres per day.
Thanet will be a construction site for 15-20 years!
The Thanet rally will start at Westgate Community Centre in Lymington Road at 10.30am on November 28 and walk up Minster Road to view the fields that are the main development area for 2000 houses.
This is a peaceful protest rally; people are welcome to bring banners and wear something red to reflect the ‘Code Red’ for climate emergency and anger at decimation of farmland.
Any groups wishing to take part or requiring more information can email [email protected]
A county wide campaign page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Save-Kents-Green-Space-101640965665147
