Update on the Parish Council Planning Meeting, 20 Feb 2024

There was standing room only at the planning meeting on Tuesday, in which the Parish Council considered the planning application for Bassetts Farm in consultation with their appointed Planning Consultant, Alison Eardley.

It was great to see such a good number of engaged villagers showing their ongoing concern for the proposals at Bassetts.

The BFF addressed the PC ahead of its deliberations, which we share below.

Following the meeting, the Parish Council submitted a robust objection to the plans, which you can view online on the planning portal at https://twbcpa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/files/363AAFCCEFBC57855D12D4A716AC2196/pdf/24_00078_HYBRID-Horsmonden_Parish_Council-4470197.pdf

Don't forget to send your own comments to the TWBC planning committee - everyone has the right to express their views and every view matters - not just the technical ones. More information about how to do that can be found here.

BFF's address to the Parish Council

ANDY WINSER

"Good evening.

We would like to thank the Parish Council for listening to everyone’s concerns and for seeking professional support in addressing this unprecedented time of change for our village.

Regrettably many of our concerns about the previous Persimmon application have not been addressed, and some new ones have emerged.

We accept that housing is needed nationally, and that Tunbridge Wells must ultimately decide where its required quota will be allocated. And we acknowledge that three sites are being allocated to our village.

These allocations come with a set of planning polices, which are intended to help us all understand, not only where the allocations are to be developed, but what “rules” they must follow. These rules emphasise that a development must consider and enhance both its location and the community it impacts. It is not just about housing numbers and developer’s profits.

So how come Persimmon is ignoring all Tunbridge Wells’ diligent work in defining new building limits, which our Neighbourhood Plan has fixed?

They are proposing to use a contour line on a map just because it reflects the other side of the village… But you can’t see those houses from this site!

Surely, setting building limits is about what we can see on the ground and from the surrounding landscape. This site with its natural woodland backdrop must be considered as seen.

Houses, the Medical Centre and the main site road have all been placed on land reserved as public open space. All causing significant harm to the landscape which Tunbridge Wells has taken great care to protect.

A development within the designated area and consistent with the “rules” would yield 80 houses.

Horsmonden’s population will still expand by 40% due to the three allocated sites, and the total village contribution to Borough housing needs will be well within the allocation range.

We put it to you that this application needs to be revised before it is considered by the Tunbridge Wells Planning Committee. Thank you."

SUE HUZZEY

"This development must address other key issues and those issues need to be rectified. I moved to a village surrounded by apple orchards and hop gardens, a village with a clear sense of protecting the landscape and its people.

Persimmon is missing a golden opportunity to show case a truly good development to fit into this sensitive landscape, with high environmental and social credentials.

But the proposed housing design ignores numerous points in our Neighbourhood Plan and other design guides.

• Our heritage is noted, then not reflected in the proposal.

• The same house type is repeated along a whole street, with monotonous roof lines and no hip ends.

• The opportunity to design in solar energy is being missed.

• There are no sash or bay windows, and weatherboarding is limited.

• Affordable homes are not “tenure blind”.

• There is no individuality or variety.

• Roadway design is generic.

• There is excessive hard surfacing, and poor street enclosures.

• The whole design is overly car dominated with cars parked in front of houses.

• There are not enough smaller homes, as highlighted in our Neighbourhood Plan.

• With more green space within the development and cars parked beside houses, a new part of our village with a sense of place as a transition from the village to the countryside could be achieved.

And how will the new public open space be managed and made into a truly nice place for people to enjoy?

Is Back Lane an acceptable emergency access? Who owns this land anyway?

The Goudhurst Road “footway” granted for 20 houses isn’t adequate for a massive increase in footfall.

Timing for this development has been brought forward by Tunbridge Wells, but the NHS don’t know this. How can the delivery of the medical centre be “tied to” this development, so ensuring that houses are not occupied until medical capacity to serve new residents is delivered? And what about the school expansion?

We remain deeply concerned about road safety and the fact that the existing junction has only been granted for 20 houses, not the 1000% increase in its use that the application would bring.

Excessive traffic speeds on Goudhurst Road make this junction dangerous. 75% of vehicles passing it exceed the speed limit - that’s 2,690 every day!

Then there is queuing traffic and Persimmon say there won’t be any..

Villagers – please tell Tunbridge Wells what you think about this proposal. It will affect us all and they need to hear from all of us.

The Parish Magazine's strap line is ‘Horsmonden - a great place to live’. Let us try and keep it that."