“On 3 August, the proposal for the KIG rail freight depot at Bearsted was turned down last week by the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, which followed the recommendation of the planning inspector.
This is fantastic news because we argued that the impact on the landscape and local residents and the inspector agreed that they over-rode the dubious business case for the depot.
The fall of KIG now leaves the way open for Cemex and chums to put forward their plans for BIG and their spin doctors have publically said they are 'optimistic' about their own scheme. But they would wouldn't they.
So while we need to be vigilant, we can be reasonably happy that the arguments against KIG pretty much apply to BIG as well. Yes, it is closer to London and the M25, but it is also in the Green Belt and partially in the AONB.
Thanks again for your support. We intend to keep up our winning ways, and with your help we can!”
The outline plan for the freight depot submitted to the KIG public inquiry. Borough Green is to the immediate west, Platt to the south and Wrotham Heath at the eastern end.
Illustrative Perspective of a typical warehouse unit
Yesterday, as the opening day of the public inquiry into the Kent International Gateway proposal got under way, Cemex, the backers of the ‘BIG Kent Rail & Freight Terminal’ (‘BIG KRAFT’ – as dubbed by Protect Kent), publically announced their rival plan: “KRAFT put forward as best site for freight depot”.
Protect Kent gave it’s opening statement at the KIG inquiry yesterday morning against KIG and received enormous support from local residents and StopKIG campaigners in attendance.
Protect Kent has also set up an action group ‘Stop BIG KRAFT’ with local residents in Wrotham, Platt and Borough Green to support our campaign against this rival application to KIG, for a major rail freight and aggregates interchange at a quarry site in West Kent.
Protect Kent strongly believes Cemex, has been deliberately misleading on their claims what will be lost if they build this rival to KIG.
Sean Furey, Deputy Director for Protect Kent said:
“The picture that Cemex are trying to present is that here is an ugly hole in the ground, would this be a better place for a vast freight depot than Bearsted. There are just a few problems.
Firstly, as the North east part of the proposed BIG KRAFT site is in the North Downs AONB, under the CROW Act 2000, the proposed development has to be proven to be of National Importance, with no possible alternative sites for KRAFT to be built.
Secondly, the landowners are legally required to restore those quarries to farmland but Borough Green Sandpits has failed to provide KCC with restoration arrangements of how and when they intend to do this.
Finally, their photos only show one part of the site that will be covered by BIG KRAFT, which is currently a large area of productive and attractive farmland. It is important not to forget this site would be highly visible from the North Downs AONB.
Both KIG and BIG KRAFT would be disastrous for Kent and must be stopped before it is too late!”
Chairman of Wrotham Parish Council and Protect Kent Tonbridge & Malling Committee, Harry Rayner said:
“Green belt relates to 'the openness of the landscape'. The BIG KRAFT Site is wholly in Metropolitan Green Belt and partly in AONB. In addition the site has a major impact on the North Downs AONB because it is adjacent to North Downs AONB on those parts of its northern boundary that are not in the AONB.”
Cemex has announced it will await the outcome of KIG planning inquiry before drawing up an official planning application. Protect Kent intends to fight this battle until we have won and we need your help!
Protect Kent is holding a public meeting for anyone who is concerned about BIG KRAFT on Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm at Wrotham School, Borough Green Road, Wrotham.
Nick Herbert MP will be coming to Kent to speak at this meeting and will outline the Conservative’s vision for the countryside. Protect Kent will be encouraging local debate on countryside protection issues and welcome anyone who would like to attend. For more information, please phone 01303 815180.
In August 2007 a Public Inquiry ordered by the Secretary for State for Communities and Local Government into a planning application by H+H UK for a block making factory at Ightham was abandoned.
The application included a section 106 agreement to build the Borough Green Bypass gratis as an inducement to Kent County Council (KCC) to grant planning permission. As Local Planning Authority, KCC had issued a Lawful Development Certificate to H+H UK, confirming that the Borough Green bypass planning consent, granted in 1992 was still extant. The validity of the LDC which was successfully challenged in a Judicial Review and KCC subsequently agreed that the bypass planning consent expired in 1997. The Applicants promptly withdrew their application forcing the abandonment of the Inquiry.
In September 2007 Cllr Paul Carter Leader of KCC gave a personal assurance to a public meeting held in Borough Green that Kent Highways Services (part of KCC) would make a fresh planning application, which is calculated to cost in excess of £300,000, to KCC as the Highways Planning Authority. Cllr Carter also confirmed at the meeting that the planning application, which is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty would be “fast tracked”.
The original 1991 Borough Green Bypass planning permission was granted on the basis that it would be paid for from public funds. KHS have announced that the new planning application will be ‘development lead’. This means that ‘developers’ will once again be encouraged to come forward with inappropriate planning applications seeking developments in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and covered by Metropolitan Green Belt policies. In return for being granted such inappropriate planning consent, developers will be required to pay for the costs of the Borough Green Bypass, which is currently anticipated to cost
£17 million. It can be anticipated that the scale such developments are likely to be very large. In excess of 1000 houses as well as proposals for commercial developments including a rail freight interchange depot in excess of 250 acres (100 hectares) are already being mooted, to pay for the bypass.
Environmental impact studies pursuant to application preparation, have discovered large colonies of Great Crested Newts and other highly protected species. Kent Highway Services have revealed that they are investigating the potential acquisition of a further 12.50 acres (5.3 hectares) of adjacent land, solely to relocate the Great Crested Newts under the strict supervision of Natural England.
There are further technical difficulties arising from the fact that much of the land over which the Bypass is anticipated to run is heavily polluted, with highly noxious dumped material, including hydro-carbons and gas works waste which is currently impossible to ustilise to relocate the Great Crested Newt.
At present it is anticipated that Kent Highway Services will lodge their planning Application in August 2009.
Given the high degree of protective policies, accorded to the land over which the proposed Bypass and associated potential development is proposed, Protect Kent have agreed that they will act as the focal point for resistance to the bypass and the proposed inappropriate commercial and housing developments, required to fund it.
To this end a public meeting has been arranged at St George’s Hall, High Street, Wrotham, at 1100 hrs 23rd May 2009, in order to consider the implications for the protected countryside and what action might be taken to protect this corner of the Kent countryside.
See you there.
Harry Rayner
CPRE Kent.
More than 200 people packed St. George’s Hall in Wrotham on Bank Holiday Saturday 23 May, to hear about the freight terminal that has been proposed for the outskirts of the village.
The "Kent Rail Aggregate and Freight Terminal Borough Green", also being called BIG, threatens to swallow 265 acres of Kent's beautiful, protected landscapes around the west Kent villages of Platt, Borough Green, Wrotham and Ightham.
Sean Furey, Deputy Director of Protect Kent (the Kent Branch of CPRE) gave an overview of the scheme, based on what has been learned from the Kent International Gateway (KIG) proposed for Maidstone:
“The rail part of this equation is often a green fig leaf to cover what in reality is a massive road distribution hub. At Daventry the tracks are rusting because 94% of all hub activity is road to road transfers. This new proposal fails to offer any real hope of taking lorry traffic off our congested roads.”
Independently, KCC are expected to put in a planning application for the Borough Green bypass sometime this year. As yet, they have not revealed how it will be funded; however, this development seems to be putting itself forward.
Mike Taylor, Chairman of the Borough Green Transport Action Group, said:
“The traffic situation through Borough Green is dire, but we want a publically funded bypass. If it can only be paid for by huge projects like this then we don’t want to know because it will make our lives hell.”
Pete Gillin, of local action group Keep Boroughs Green said:
“The combination of these two massive developments will industrialise and urbanise the surrounding village communities beyond all recognition, changing their rural character forever.”
Richard Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Protect Kent said:
“We are against inappropriate development in the Green Belt and this freight depot will have severe impacts on our countryside and the quality of life for local residents. We urge those who want to prevent this terrible scheme from happening to join our campaign. Together we can stop BIG and protect Kent.”
Freight depot will be a BIG disaster for the countryside
More than 200 people packed St. George’s Hall on Bank Holiday Saturday to hear about the freight terminal that has been proposed for the outskirts of the village.
The "Kent Rail Aggregate and Freight Terminal Borough Green", also being called Borough Green International Gateway (BIG), threatens to swallow 265 acres of Kent's beautiful, protected landscapes around the west Kent villages of Platt, Borough Green, Wrotham and Ightham.
Sean Furey, Deputy Director of Protect Kent (the Kent Branch of CPRE) gave an overview of the scheme, based on what has been learned from the Kent International Gateway (KIG) proposed for Maidstone: “The rail part of this equation is often a green fig leaf to cover what in reality is a massive road distribution hub. At Daventry the tracks are rusting because 94% of all hub activity is road to road transfers. This new proposal fails to offer any real hope of taking lorry traffic off our congested roads.”
Independently, KCC are expected to put in a planning application for the Borough Green bypass sometime this year. As yet, they have not revealed how it will be funded; however, this development seems to be putting itself forward.
Mike Taylor, Chairman of the Borough Green Transport Action Group, said: “The traffic situation through Borough Green is dire, but we want a publically funded bypass. If it can only be paid for by huge projects like this then we don’t want to know because it will make our lives hell.”
Pete Gillin, of local action group Keep Boroughs Green said: “The combination of these two massive developments will industrialise and urbanise the surrounding village communities beyond all recognition, changing their rural character forever.”
Richard Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Protect Kent said: “We are against inappropriate development in the Green Belt and this freight depot will have severe impacts on our countryside and the quality of life for local residents. We urge those who want to prevent this terrible scheme from happening to join our campaign. Together we can stop BIG and protect Kent.”
