Below is statement sent to Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council on 3rd November 2022
WATERINGBURY PARISH COUNCIL
Regulation 18 Local Plan – Consultation
Wateringbury Parish Council objects to the development of all sites proposed in the local plan.
The objections should prevent all sites being considered as they all adversely impact most or all of the following;
- Degradation of the Green Belt and Green Wedges that surround the village. Breaching, removing or altering would result in the village merging with surrounding villages/local authority and remove and disrupt the identity of Wateringbury as a Village.
- The previous local plan stipulated that no further development would occur in or around Wateringbury until 2030 due to the significant impacts on air quality and pollution. Subsequent investigations and reports now emphasise the impacts on human health even more so and we request the local plan continues to stipulate no development for a period of ten years or until such time that pollution is brought under control by effective traffic management.
- The traffic through Wateringbury cross roads is already over capacity (at 24% capacity) with further capacity increases projected with development already approved in neighbouring local authorities. Whilst TMBC continues to refuse to instigate a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – an ineffective S106 system is being exploited by developers. The residents of Wateringbury continue to see no local improvements as a consequence or in mitigation of development. The proposed further additions to the local plan would total nearly 3000 homes – quadrupling the size of Wateringbury Village. An already overburdened infrastructure would collapse – the local primary school and Doctors surgery are already at capacity.
- Any proposed expansion of Kings Hill such as the proposed 59699, continues to threaten Wateringbury Village with secondary access routes – leading traffic off kings Hill – directly into the Wateringbury Village centre. Whilst these may allow developers to meet statutory requirements for Emergency Vehicle access – they will disproportionately effect the surrounding areas. For this reason Kings Hill has clearly reached its geographical limit and further expansion should be refused and green wedges maintained / installed around its surrounds thus protecting ‘Landscapes of Local value’
- Site number 59655 is within the Wateringbury Parish and would only have access via Teston and Ketridge Lane – it is inappropriately/incorrectly listed as ‘Kings Hill.’
For and on behalf of Wateringbury Parish Council – Planning Committee. As agreed in minutes dated 01st November 2022
Mr P. Gregson
Chairman