Amended plans to build 1,600 homes, a primary school, shops, care home, expansion of Birchington medical centre and a community park on farmland at Birchington will be discussed by councillors on September 4 and September 5.
As it is a major planning application three statements from those objecting to the development will be allowed to be read out, whilst one statement can be presented with the views of the developer.
The development is earmarked to take place on land off the Canterbury Road and was first proposed by Ptarmigan Land and Millwood Designer Homes in 2019 with a planning application submitted in December 2020.
Millwood Designer Homes is no longer part of the scheme. The joint applicants are now Ptarmigan Birchington Ltd, Places for People Homes Ltd, landowners The Master Fellows and Scholars of the College of Saint John The Evangelist in the University of Cambridge and The Birchington Pool Trust.
The applicant and owner for the area of land lying adjacent to Park Lane is Places for People and the applicant for the remainder of the site is
Ptarmigan (which is owned by St.John’s College).
Amendments include a reduction in homes from 1,650 to 1,600 and introduce additional green areas to preserve archaeological potential. There are also changes to the development boundary line.
The plan includes a new strategic link road between Minnis Road and Manston Road, alterations to existing junctions and new access arrangements from Minnis Road, Park Lane, Canterbury Road and Manston Road/Acol Hill and a new recreational and leisure shared-use link between Minnis Road and Park Lane.
The proposals include a network of new cycle and pedestrian routes linking Quex, the coast and the wider countryside; 36 play spaces with 6 equipped; seasonal wetland basins; Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and discharge via infiltration plus swales and bioretention systems; woodland with information boards; edible corridor and community orchard and a heritage pocket park.
Some 1,816 letters of objection have been received by the council.
Developer documents state the end date for the build would be December 2036. A financial viability submission says there are four options where between 4% and 22.5% of affordable housing could be delivered dependent on the amount of funding required for developer contributions and whether Kent County Council receives government funding towards major road network proposals – so reducing the amount payable by the developer.
A heads of terms agreement quotes developer contributions for the major road network as £5,712,760 plus 23% affordable housing, if KCC also gains government funding or £19,271,361 towards the North Thanet Link and 15.5% affordable housing if it does not.
Birchington Parish Council says the school, community hub and shop are in the wrong location; building heights would overwhelm existing properties; the sports area is too remote and landscaping plans are absent; the proposed route for the link road is not acceptable; proposals for active and sustainable travel are inadequate and there are no viable options included for improving walking and cycling routes across the railway line to replace the foot crossing at Brooksend. There are further concerns about traffic and highway changes and BPC says the entire masterplan is “inadequate.”
Heads of Terms financial contributions required include (in addition to the major road network funding):
- £1,382,400 towards any additional health services/needs generated by the development.
- A financial contribution to KCC towards the provision of a two-form entry primary school on the primary school site, based on: · A contribution of £7,081.20 per applicable house · A contribution of £1,770.30 per applicable flat
- A financial contribution of £1,000,000 towards secondary school land acquisition cost
- A contribution of £54,736 towards adult education
- A contribution of £118,480 for youth services
- A contribution of £100,208 for libraries
- A contribution of £289,408 for social care
- A contribution of £83,200 for Thanet waste and recycling centres
- A contribution of £1,734,492 for sports provision/upgrades
- A financial contribution of up to £976,373 to KCC towards a cycle and pedestrian improvement scheme
- A financial contribution of up to £960,000 to KCC towards the provision of a diverted / new bus service for the development
- A financial contribution of £30,000 to KCC for improvements to the Public Rights of Way network
- A financial contribution of £90,000 to TDC for improvements to Birchington Train Station
- A financial contribution of £577,615 to TDC towards the Thanet Coast Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Plan
- A financial contribution of up to £1,000,000 towards the closure of the Brook’s End Level Crossing and provision of a new footbridge across the railway line
- A financial contribution of £40,000 to TDC towards village centre improvement measures in Birchington
- A financial contribution of £100,000 to TDC towards improvements to Birchington Community Centre
- Financial obligations totalling £15,822,322 (plus approximately £15,873,865.60 for education facilities) have been secured if major road network funding is successful, and £29,380,923 (plus approximately £15,873,865.60 for education facilities) have been secured if MRN funding is not successful.
Following the original outline application a letter objecting to the plans was sent to Thanet council by councillors George Kup and Phil Fellows.
A petition was also raised by resident Gary Fowler questioning why grade one land is being used when the development could instead incorporate grade 2 and 3 land further west.
Concerns over the increase in population, stretched medical services and the loss of countryside and paths have also been raised.
The original plans also prompted a furious letter to government from MP Sir Roger Gale, a forceful objection lodged by Birchington Parish Council and some 200 public objections.
The amended plans can be seen on the Thanet council planning portal, reference OL/TH/20/1755.
Councillors have been advised to defer and delegate to officers for approval subject to safeguarding conditions.
