Home Folkestone News Article
120 objections to plans for 34 houses at Capel Street, Capel-le-Ferne, Dover District Council to decide
14:53, 10 January 2020
updated: 15:26, 10 January 2020
A total 120 objections have been submitted against a scheme to build 34 homes in a village.
Planning officials have received only one supporting letter and two neutral ones.
The scheme, for Capel Street, Capel-le-Ferne, will be discussed at Dover District Council's planning committee meeting next week.
Many of the concerns were about parking and traffic.
Some objectors said the road was not wide enough for extra vehicles and parked cars already obscured visibility and blocked driveways.
They said there was already insufficient car parking, resulting in pressures for spaces on the street.
Villagers added that Capel Street is largely single lane and there is not enough room for vehicles to pass.
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They also argued that the road is already a rat run, with the speed limit of 20mph completely ignored.
Others said the development would further remove countryside and wildlife and that no more development is necessary in the village.
The lone correspondent supporting the application said there was a need for new houses, particularly affordable ones, to allow people to stay in the village.
The outline application is for eight two bedroomed houses, 16 three bedroomed ones and 10 four bedroomed ones.
A total 30% of the properties would be affordable.
The scheme had previously been before the planning committee last October 10 but a decision was deferred for further information from Kent County Council's highways department.
After an audit its submission concluded: "The proposals are unlikely to to have a severed impact that would warrant a recommendation for refusal on highways grounds."
Groups such as Southern Water and the Environment Agency also raised no objections.
Council officers recommended approval, saying in a report to councillors: "Although there is a large proportion of local objection there are no clear planning reasons that would outweigh the benefits of providing additional housing on an allocated site within the district."
The council now has a target of allowing the development of 629 homes a year.
The applicant in this case is a Mr Odlin with Hume Planning Consultancy, of Discovery Park, Sandwich, working as his agents.
The planning meeting is from 6pm next Thursday, January 16, at the Dover District Council headquarters at the White Cliffs business park in Whitfield.
