Westgate and Garlinge Action Group Against Housing Development Committee is holding a public meeting tomorrow (March 19) aimed at helping people to object to a proposed 2000 home farmland development.
The Westgate and Garlinge Action Group was created at the beginning of last year to mobilise objections to the planning application for a huge 2,000 development of a ‘new town’ on farmland at the edge of Westgate.
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.
The meeting, at Westgate Community Centre, Lymington Road will run from 2pm to 4pm and people are invited to drop-in between those times.
The group will be providing information about the proposed 2000 home development and support people in writing planning objections and letters to their councillors and MP. North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale has been invited to the gathering along with ward councillors for Westgate & Garlinge, Westgate Town Council and other councillors with an interest..
Leaflets have been delivered to hundreds of homes and posters are up in local shops. These have been paid for by the action group via funds raised at events including craft fairs and the murder mystery evening.
It is understood that public consultation will be reopened on the Millwood Homes plan after archaeology and highways reports have been submitted. The application is expected to go to planning committee in Summer or Autumn this year.
The action group is also backing Community Planning Alliance’s call for an emergency food security strategy and is working closely with the alliance’s Chair Rosie Pearson to raise the issue of loss of farmland and the threat to national food security.
Refreshments will be available at the meeting and there will also be information about a Farmland for Food not Houses rally to be held in Westgate on Sunday, April 10 from 10.30am which will highlight food security.
