Fury at proposal for new M2 link

Environmental groups and Sittingbourne residents have reacted furiously to plans earmarking Greenfield sites for a motorway link road and the development of up to 1,000 homes.

Plans for the expansion of Sittingbourne Research Centre include a new junction leading from the M2 and on to the A2 at the Northern Distributor Road at Bapchild.

Some people who have seen the detailed maps of the “Sittingbourne Southern Relief Road” believe areas of agricultural land will be used for new residential areas to pay for the scheme.

Swale Council is supporting a bid to the office of the deputy prime minister by the research centre for expansion.

The office is accepting bids, after promising an extra £446 million on projects in the Thames Gateway.

New road: This map shows the proposed link from the M2 past Sittingbourne Research Centre and on to connect with the northern distributor at Bapchild. The proposal, which would include building 1,000 homes, has angered green groups and residents, who say it would ruin a rural area.

Chairman of the Swale branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England Richard Godfrey-Faussett said his group first heard of the plans several weeks ago.

He said: “ They have clearly done a lot of work on it without any consultation. The motorway link road between the M2 and A2 has been under discussion for some time, but there has been no discussion about a route.”

“ They are considering residential building on grade one and grade two agricultural land which is in direct opposition to Government policy. There is plenty of brown field land in the area to develop on in the future. We get the impression the plans have been favoured by the council already. I feel they should have been more open about this as they made no mention of this when they produced the preliminary draft of the Local Plan.”

“ It was most unexpected and has shocked many people.”

Chairman of the Sittingbourne Society Malcolm Moore added: “ I don’t see why we would need this road as there are already plans to link the Sittingbourne industrial estate to the M2 via the new Northern Distributor Road and the A249.”

A spokesman from LaSalle Investment, owners of  Sittingbourne Research Centre, said: “Outline plans are under discussion with Swale Council to create new amenities at Sittingbourne Research Centre for existing and future occupiers.”

“Development of the site will support the cluster of science and innovation companies that are its valuable resource and will drive the local economy forward. We understand Swale Council is working in conjunction with the office of the deputy prime minister on a feasibility study into the area’s road network and infrastructure.”

But Peter Jolly, economic development officer at Swale Council, said the council was not involved in the feasibility study.
He said: “The centre has plans to increase and expand where it would make sense to have motorway access, but you can’t have one dedicated to just one site, it has to go to a primary road – and the obvious one is the A2.”

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt reassured residents, telling them not to worry unduly at this early stage.

He said: “No fixed ideas as to where, when, or if a new road might be built.”
“ we want to encourage the growth of Sittingbourne Research Centre to create better employment opportunities but it is premature to say the least to suggest that housing development is needed as part of the funding regime.”

This article and photographs are used with the kind permission of The Gazette & Times