We write to object to this Fernham Homes duplicate planning application. Consent is being sought for housing on an area of land that was approved for use as public open space and amenity land (18/501048/REM) on the adjoining completed Crest Nicholson Phase 1 Scheme.

This is clearly illustrated in the plan below, which overlays the Fernham Homes proposed layout over the Crest Approved Plan. The junction, access road and 20 houses are plotted on this Public Open Space & Amenity land.

This use is protected in perpetuity by Planning Agreements, which bar the sale of the land by the landowner, other than to Swale Council following completion of the landscape works, for a price of £0.  The landscape works have not been undertaken, and Crest have breached planning conditions in their consent that have not been enforced.

The proposal does not comply with Policy CP6 2 in the Local Plan safeguarding existing community facilities.

In the light of this, the Council must refuse permission on the grounds that the scheme is incapable of being implemented.

At the planning Committee meeting on the 13^{th of} April Members were not briefed on these significant grounds for refusal and the subsequent decision to approve was therefore flawed. Members voted for this duplicate application to be delegated for approval by officers.  We believe that in the light of the flawed decision Members should have an opportunity to debate the significant issues raised in this submission at the next Planning Committee meeting.

Yours sincerely

Harold Goodwin
for and on behalf of the Board of the Faversham Society

You can download the pdf of the letter sent to Swale here - it contains a higher-quality map