By Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Esson
A historic village is set to grow by 141 homes under new plans amid a strong public backlash.
The next phase of an estate in Cliffsend, near Ramsgate, is set to be approved by Thanet District Council (TDC) at a meeting of the planning committee next Tuesday (December 19).
Directly north of the newly built Thanet Parkway railway station and near the Manston airport site, some residents fear the plans will turn their village “into a town.”
Developers Monson Homes first lodged their bid for 141 homes on the agricultural land in October 2021.
The plans are set to connect with a previously approved 62-home project in Cliffsend to form an estate of more than 200 properties.
“The proposed built form is a seamless continuation of the phase 1 residential development where houses are arranged as detached plots, semi-detached houses and short terraces of no more than 4 houses,” the developers write.
A figure of 22% of the planned homes – 31 properties – are set to be marketed as affordable.
Monson Homes continue: “The site is providing for the ideal mix of affordable types. It includes a range from 2 bed apartments and 2-3 bed houses.”
The estate will be accessed by a turn-in from Canterbury Road West.
It will also include “a variety of landscaped spaces are incorporated including an equipped children’s play area at central location of the site which will be available to the wider community,” the developers add.
Cliffsend sits near the site where St Augustine first landed in Britain in 597, and where Hengist and Horsa – said to have led the Angles, Saxons and Jutes to Britain – landed in 410.
However, TDC’s planning department has received 21 letters of objection to the proposals.
“Cliffsend is becoming overdeveloped and grade 1 agricultural land should be preserved,” wrote Steve Parsons.
“Local services are already overstretched with no additional public services to support the additional development.
“It’s impossible to obtain a doctor’s appointment or find an NHS dentist currently – the proposed development will only exacerbate this situation.”
“We don’t even have a shop in this village,” added Emma Hargreaves.
Mrs A Townsend wrote that Cliffsend “at the moment is a nice quiet village but one which it seems you are determined to turn into a small town.
“I realise pressure is being put on councils by government to build and build but personally, I think this is a crazy idea and a case of ‘not in my backyard.’”
“We moved here for peace and quiet but it seems that is now a distant dream.”
Despite the site not being allocated for development in TDC’s local plan, council planning chiefs are recommending the authority delegate power to officers to secure legal agreements and approve the plans.
Since TDC currently cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of land for housing, it has to look more favourably on developments which would otherwise violate their local plan.
The council’s planning committee will meet next Tuesday to vote on the plans.
