This is a Green Belt site and, despite the current Government's revised planning policies, we do not agree that it meets the criteria for 'special circumstances'.

It would result in urban sprawl and have an unacceptable impact on the landscape and biodiversity. 

Contravening both Kent Downs National Landscape policy and the Kent and Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

This rewilded area contains a great variety of flora and fauna such as bee orchids, nightingales, skylarks, tawny owls, firecrests, dormice etc. (Kent Wildlife opposed this application) 

Insufficient traffic modelling by KCC - none of the large developments were entered into the model. The additional traffic will result in even further delays and congestion. This means the narrow country lane from Snodland through Birling will be increasingly used as a dangerous rat run.

The development would place an unacceptable strain on local infrastructure, including schools, healthcare facilities, and transportation networks. The proposed CIL contributions are insufficient to mitigate the increased demand for these services, potentially leading to overcrowding and a decline in service quality. In addition, the sewage and waterworks that would feed the site has been described as ‘at capacity’.

The last use of the site was a few years ago for landfill. Stopped twice by the Environment Agency, for contamination issues, including asbestos - an inadequate investigation by the application, who described the land as 'low risk' .

Building on LANDFILL and CONTAMINATED LAND, where lead has already been found, releasing pollutants into the air and waterways.

The area around is subject to flooding, particularly the designated rights of way and the neighbouring RSPCA centre. The amount of hard surfacing proposed will only exacerbate this.

Public Footpaths will be closed for up to 5 years!

Light pollution from all the floodlights, street lights, and lights to the car parks, padel courts and driving range.

Noise nuisance/pollution from the football stadium, which they intend to use daily/nightly and worsen on match days. Add to that the general hubbub from the various uses and traffic movements. They will be piling the foundations on various parts of the site for up to 5 years!

Running across the site is a high-pressure oil pipeline, and there are strict limitations to the surrounding area. Nothing can be built over it or vehicles run over it. This does not appear to have been addressed, nor does underground power cables serving nearby residential properties exist.