National Highways raise issue with Pedham Place plan

Transcript

00:00 A picturesque village with a history dating back to Roman times.

00:05 Ainsford is located in the rolling hills of the Darent Valley.

00:09 It's surrounded by this green belt land designed to protect rural communities from London's

00:16 urban sprual.

00:17 But that is now under threat.

00:19 This golf course has been earmarked for thousands of new homes.

00:23 There is massive opposition, particularly due to the traffic and the pollution as well.

00:29 And many other factors to do with the planning that would be needed.

00:32 But the green belt is something we really want to preserve here.

00:35 And that would stop the sprawl of London from Swanley.

00:38 And that feels very important, you know, that this is a key piece of land that really oversees

00:46 a lot of really beautiful little villages with lots of character and historic interests.

00:51 Ped & Place would be turned into a community of 2,500 new homes, a high street, sports

00:56 facilities and a school.

00:58 The proposals are part of Sevenoaks District Council's local plan consultation, which closed

01:04 recently.

01:05 But now National Highway say the project is built on the assumption of roadworks that

01:10 may never happen.

01:12 Sparking campaigners' hopes that the proposals will never tee off.

01:17 I think what we saw in their response was a bit of frustration almost because they were

01:22 suggesting that we've kind of already told you this and there is no way that you're going

01:26 to be able to amend junction three.

01:29 Therefore you're going to be looking at the junction to the A20 and who knows what they

01:33 might put there.

01:35 Worst case, maybe stick some traffic lights there.

01:38 There's a standstill and therefore people would be coming off the M25 further back and

01:43 coming through Ainsford and Farringham and then trying to join up through Dartford and

01:47 back to the crossing there.

01:49 So it would be a bit of chaos.

01:50 The parishes of Ainsford and Farringham are already close to Brands Hatch racecourse and

01:55 the Dartford crossing.

01:56 Locals say it doesn't take much for the small village roads to become congested.

02:02 The local parish council even did an online survey last year.

02:05 They found that 92% of people who took part opposed the development plans.

02:12 A Sevenoaks District Council spokesperson said we are currently considering all the

02:16 comments and representations made by local people and agencies and they say they're working

02:22 with National and Kent Highways to share details of our plans as they develop.

02:26 A revised local plan is expected later this summer and a campaign group suggests the authority

02:33 should look to brownfield sites before developing on this greenbelt land.

02:38 Gabriel Morris, Niswanli.