Your help required!

It’s kicking off; Kent Science Park and its developer partners namely Quinn/GH Dean/Attwood have a habit of ruining festivities so here it is; it affects South Sittingbourne, Rodmersham, Tunstall, Bredgar, Milstead and Bapchild etc.

11,250 houses plus massive development proposals for South of Sittingbourne/ Rodmersham, and other villages.

The EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Screening Opinion is for a mixed-use development including up to 11,250 residential dwellings, commercial space (circa 120,000 sqm/1.2 million sqft), new infrastructure to create new junctions onto the M2 and A2 joined by a new relief road, new retail and health facilities, leisure facilities, educational facilities and community facilities at land to the south and east of Sittingbourne.

The proposal is monstrous; its a disaster for the local rural villages/town. It’s being supported by the political elite at Swale Borough Council and Kent County Council.

What can you do:

1. Read info regarding EIA for Kent Science Park and comment on it
2. Respond to Government consultation

1. EIA for KSP
At last some info has been published in the public domain namely the EIA so please read...see link below

http://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=P15PF9TY0UR00

This was published on 20th Dec. Please feel free to comment on it by following the instructions on the website and also to comment on the EIA Scoping Opinion.

2. Government Consultation
Our biggest concern is how could this be foisted on us? It’s such a massive scheme. How could the local Conservatives in cahoots with the landowners impose this on us without due process/public support? The answer is they could create a “new town” or use a local development corporation; think Greenhithe in Kent where the chalk pit areas have become effectively an LDC, thus becoming landowner, developer and designated planning authority that is all encompassing. This leaves no room for democratic process.

The government is currently consulting on this “New Town” legislation, it closes on 2nd January 2018 and they are probably expecting no comments as its being consulted on over the festive period. My fear is a soon as this legislation is rubber stamped KSP will be submitted for New Town status. Please can you respond to this consultation as a priority.

Historically the previous grandiose KSP proposals have been thrown out by government planning inspectors over the last 3 local plan cycles/over the last 12 years+, allowing them only small extension on one side of the site that has not materialised. Locals should not be railroaded by this new policy, especially given all our previous concerns over the environmental constraints (high grade agricultural land, countryside gaps and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (‘AONB’), ancient woodlands and local road infrastructure with its devastating consequences on the rural lane network etc.

Details of this legislative consultation and how to respond follow the link below. Under a New Town structure they can compulsorily purchase land to squeeze out anyone who could hold a proposal to ransom. There is no planning process for locals to take part in. How democratic and flies in the face of localism. Please respond by 2nd Jan. Also complain to our MP Gordon Henderson (email gordon.henderson.mp@parliament.uk) albeit note his chief of staff Mike Whiting is a Swale Borough Councillor who is right behind this plan.

https://www.gov.uk/ghttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663874/New_Towns_Regulations_Consultation_Paper.pdfovernment/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663874/New_Towns_Regulations_Consultation_Paper.pdf