20/505877/OUT Brogdale Farm 

The Faversham Society is very concerned about the creeping urbanisation of the land which historically was farmland and then since 1952,  the National Fruit Collection. Brogdale Collections is the home of the National Fruit Collection, and our orchards are a living history & heritage of fruit. This application, if approved, will fundamentally change the character of the area, resulting in the extension of the urban boundary South of the M2 and so destroy a significant part of the historical setting of the town from the South West. We are most concerned that, if permitted, this urban development will be used in the future to justify further commercial, industrial and residential development on the fruit trials orchards (and indeed on neighbouring rural land) and further erode the rural landscape value of the area between Faversham and the AONB.

In addition, we share the concerns of the parish council and local residents about increased traffic flows that would be generated by this unfortunate proposed development and support the arguments made by Brian Tovey and the Parish Council. 

The complex of visitor attractions and retail and industrial development on the old Fruit Trials site has, in the absence of any 'master plan', resulted in a somewhat confused and increasingly urban feel in a rural area. A series of ad-hoc applications has resulted cumulatively in fundamental and inappropriate change. The Society is concerned that this application is part of a wider long-term  plan to fundamentally change the nature of the land use.  There is a significant difference between repurposing existing buildings for industrial and commercial use and extending the urban footprint by building a large number of new units. 

20/505877/OUT Brogdale Farm is for Outline Planning Permission for up to 25 flexible workshop/business units. Yet Brogdale Farm is already now being marketed as a business park  "a great place to do business"  The images presented by the Applicants in their own marketing material are urban in character and further development on this scale represents urbanisation and a most unwelcome extension of Faversham's urban impact on the surrounding countryside.

For the reasons discussed in the paragraphs above, the Faversham Society wishes formally to object to this Outline Planning application.