CPRE Strongly Opposes Development Plans

CPRE was represented by planning consultant Richard Bate, who pointed out that the Structure Plan’s analysis of clustering and the technology sector is correct. We do not need to invent a tight perimeter at the Shell Centre and abandon wide stretches of prime agricultural land to new housing, just because interpreting a cluster in that way suits a developer’s book.

Mr Bate said that a point which needs far more critical investigation is how close knowledge based industries need to be to get the benefit of “clustering”. The computer software industry is spread around Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District, the highly technical motor-sport sector spreads in an arc from Surrey through Oxfordshire to east of Cambridge. They both work well, not within walking distance, but within half an hour or an hour’s drive.

“ We do need to use the Structure Plan to support the technology and knowledge sector, but not like this. A knowledge-based firm could easily see itself part of a “cluster” if it was based beside the northern relief road, on the other side of town, or even if it was in Gillingham or Chatham. Regional Planning Guidance specifically refers to “identifying networks of sites”. Green fields and Sittingbourne’s country environment do not need to be sacrificed”

He also pointed out that, in the light of development plans at Ashford, Imperial College at Wye would have a far better chance of forming the hub of a successful cluster for Kent than any artificial attempt to do so in Sittingbourne.

Malcolm Moore, Chairman of the Sittingbourne Society and Vice-Chairman, of Swale District CPRE said “ The disadvantages for Sittingbourne of the proposed dvelopment far outweigh the advantages. The occupants of the 5,000 houses, which have been mentioned, will certainly not find work in or around Sittingbourne. They will commute to other parts of the region via the new motorway junction, thus further clogging up the M2, or travel to Sittingbourne station by car to catch a train, putting extra strain on the railway, on local roads and on the town’s car parking facilities”

“Nor will the town’s traders benefit to any extent from the influx of new residents, since the handiness of the new motorway junction will enable them to get to the Hempstead Savacentre within minutes. All Sittingbourne will get will be the loss of its most attractive countryside, extra strains on its already inadequate amenities and the prospect of even more urbanisation as the promise of country parks slowly dissolves into more housing estates.

“In practice there is little likelihood that the Shell Centre would be successful in attracting purely science-based industry. It would just become a larger version of the present business park. It should be left to expand within its present boundaries as normal commercial demand dictates.”

Contacts and further comment
Dr Hilary Newport, Director CPRE Kent, 01303 815182
Malcolm Moore, CPRE Swale, 01795 473807