Puffin plans come to nuffin

Plans by developer Kitewood to build 40 homes on greenfield land in Beltinge have been thrown out by a Government planning inspector. Paul Jackson dismissed the company’s appeal against the city council's refusal to release the land for development.

Kitewood complained that it had never received a response to its application in time.

In a response that will please protesters, Mr Jackson said the area already had enough housing and that previously developed brownfield land should be used first. Kitewood boss Mike Dolan, who was told of the decision by the Herne Bay Times, said:

“We are somewhat surprised at the inspector’s decision. We do not believe he has given proper weight to the representations we made at the inquiry, particularly concerning the availability of land for the council's forecast housing needs up to 2016, and his interpretation of central government policy.

Nevertheless, we respect his right to exercise his discretion in certain matters and will now await our legal advisers’ review before deciding whether to challenge the decision in the High Court. We are heartened by his comment that he is not convinced here would be any unacceptably increased risks to anyone’s highway safety or to children playing in the area as a result of 40 new homes.”

City council spokesman Rob Davies said:

“We are naturally pleased the inspector upheld our position, particularly on the key issues of the five-year housing supply and the focus on the regeneration of the town centre. We put forward a strong case. The dismissal of the appeal is a vindication of the work we are doing to provide housing land for the future.”

HB Times 1st Mar 2012​

Puffin development enquiry

Missing page adds to legal clash over homes

Lawyers representing council officials clashed with developers at a public enquiry into the fate of greenfield land in Beltinge. They went head-to-head in front of independent planning inspector Paul Jackson, over Kitewood's plan to put 40 houses on a plot west of Puffin Road.

Kitewood argues that it never received a response to its planning application. And it says the district does not have a deliverable supply of housing over the next five years.

The council claims the site was a reserve site in their local housing plan --and they are already 1,150 homes ahead of their strategic requirement, so the land doesn't need to be released for development.

A jargon-heavy series of clashes between council barrister Richard Ground and Kitewood representatives over policies and figures were thrown across the sombre Canterbury Guildhall. The two sides were forced to go through every single site being developed in the Canterbury district, as well as noting which houses or flats had (and had not) been sold, before the debate started in earnest.

Paul Jackson

Confusion briefly reigned after the council's barrister asked his opponents to turn to page 24 of one of the foot-thick piles of documents. But they claimed that their page was missing. All eyes turned to the inspector, who was shuffling his paperwork. He said:

"I don't have a page 24, either. This is very serious indeed. I very much doubt that there has been any funny business but I do want to preclude the possibility of any doubt so I am going to ask you to retire and make sure all your pages match."

Pages of supplementary planning documents, country planning acts, case statements and monitoring reports were juggled frantically to put things in order before the inquiry continued. The decision is expected to be published in a few week's time.

HB Times 3rd Feb 2012

Inquiry starting into homes plan

Developers hoping to build 40 homes on the outskirts of Herne Bay will go head-to-head with council bosses at a public inquiry this week.

The two-day hearing, which started 25th Jan, was called after officials from Canterbury City Council failed to decide on the application by Kitewood for a site in Beltinge, near Coventry Gardens.

Kitewood boss Mike Dolan told the Times he was confident the Government inspector would rule in their favour, adding:

"We want to have a harmonious relationship with both officers and councillors. But we don't expect to be ignored when we submit an application. We submitted the application in spring 2011 and just didn't have a reply. The council needs to have a full and deliverable five-year supply of housing and I don't think that is the case."

Kitewood has faced fierce public opposition over plans to build upward of 1,000 homes on agricultural land in Hillborough.

Council spokesman Rob Davies confirmed the application had not been decided within the 13-week target. But officials have since decided they would have refused the development because the site was not needed for housing at the moment.

thisiskent 27th Jan 2012

Kitewood appeal

Hi,

We know that you are mainly concerned with the large development at Hillborough but would be pleased if you could publicise that a Planning Appeal has been lodged by Kitewood for the small development on the same site.  This planning was previously turned down by the Council as the quota for housing required had been reached.

This Appeal will be held at The Guildhall, Canterbury at 10.00 am on Wednesday, 25th January. The same objections apply to this development too.  It would be appreciated for any support we can get as we are sure that a protest in numbers goes a long way.  It will also show (again and again - together with protests to Councillors and MPs) that local people do not want or need further development in this area.

We do hope you can help raise awareness to this.  Thank you.

MH

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Dear MH,

Delighted to help.

I assume that you're talking about the "Puffin Road development" (please correct me if I'm wrong). This was covered on the HerneBayMatters blog in June 2011, and you can click HERE to see the press coverage, together with all the Planning documents, maps and plans that Kitewood have produced.

EVERYONE: if you're free on the morning of the 25th Jan, go along to the Guildhall to lend your support.