Quinn Estates' application for 210 homes at Sandwich Road, Sholden, opposite Betteshanger Park, to be considered
14:02, 24 February 2021
updated: 15:17, 24 February 2021
Controversial plans to build 210 homes opposite a country park will go before councillors tomorrow (Thursday).
An outline application is due to be discussed by Dover District Council.
Planning officers are recommending its approval, subject to further exploration of its impact on nature in the area.
But there is a petition with 3,000 names against it and the council has now also received a total of 182 letters of objection.
Quinn Estates wants to create the homes, plus office and shop space, off Sandwich Road, Sholden, opposite Betteshanger Park and Almond House.
Among the long list of objections is that it is too big and out of keeping with the area.
Objectors say there would be a huge increase in noise and light pollution, there is little public transport for the new homes' occupants and Sholden is being expected to take too much development.
They add that plants and animals have been reclaiming the area since Betteshanger Colliery closed in 1989 and SEEDA (South East England Development Agency) planted 140,000 trees at public expense.
The Deal Society is also against the scheme plus Deal Town Council and Worth, Sholden and Northbourne Parish Councils.
The development would be opposite the main county park - known as Betteshanger Sustainable Parks.
It would be called Betteshanger Grove and feature a mix of flats, two, three and four-bedroomed houses and 12 plots for self-builders. A total of 30% amounting to 63 homes, would be designated "affordable".
The proposal also includes plans for a 2,500sqm office and a centre with 150sqm of retail floorspace.
Thirteen representations were made to Dover District Council supporting the scheme, firstly arguing that the district needs more housing.
Supporters also said the plan would create 200 new jobs through the new offices and start-up units being constructed and give work to local builders at a time when they have suffered a major downturn.
They added that it would lead to more use of the community park, bringing more revenue to the area.
District planning officers say the site has been earmarked for housing in the Draft Local Plan.
They add that and this scheme is acceptable in terms of highway, drainage, landscape impact, layout, density, climate change considerations and the provision of affordable housing.
However, officers warn the application may be jeopardised if they are not satisfied that there will be enough protection for the ecology.
Officers will look into this further and produce another report.
Their comments in the planning agenda say: "The planning case for the development proposal is considered to be persuasive, save for the valid, and unresolved, objections and concerns which remain in relation to ecological issues.
"If the ecology concerns cannot be satisfactorily addressed by the relevant parties, in accordance with the legislative and policy requirements, this will ultimately preclude a recommendation to grant planning permission in a future report."
The online planning committee meeting tomorrow is from 5.30pm.
The agenda is in the calendar of meetings section of the council website dover.gov.uk
