Firstly our Clients' support the examination of the Green Belt boundary in this
location. The developed part of the Warren Court site and that of Deer Leap Stud
Farm should be situated within the settlement boundary and not within the Green
belt. The exceptional circumstances required by Paragraph 83 of the National
Planning Policy Framework clearly exist in this case. Whilst we support the Green
Belt boundary review in this location we reserve our Clients' position in respect of the
line that the revised boundary takes at this stage. It does not seem logical to us to
exclude the housing and other buildings on Deer Leap Stud Farm from the boundary
alteration or to exclude the rear of the Warren Court site. This is all developed
brownfield land within the meaning of Paragraph 89 of the NPPF. Planting or
buffering can take place on land within the Green Belt if it is needed although the
wood at the rear provides good screening.
The Inspector should also be aware of the history of the Deer Leap site. Following
the 1993 Inspector's Report on the Sevenoaks Rural Areas Local Plan, see
paragraphs 2.2249 to 2.225, the Inspector agreed that land at Deer Leap "was not
open and rural in character" and recommended part of the site be included in the
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settlement of Halstead. This was accepted at the Planning Committee Meeting of 8 h
February 1994 but since then the Council have changed the Green Belt boundary (in
about 2000) without consultation and creating an anomaly where the boundary
excludes built development and also passes through it. As a result the exact
positioning of the Green Belt boundary has caused problems of interpretation both
for the objectors and for the Council. These are further reasons why the Green Belt
boundary has to be reviewed.
Secondly, and depending on the final zoning of the Deer Leap site within the
settlement boundary, our Clients support a carefully designed development to
minimise the impact on the surrounding countryside and the fact that dwellings
should be of a similar height to the existing buildings. Our Clients reserve their
position in respect of storey heights.
The relationship of the development to the adjacent residential buildings on Deer
Leap Stud Farm needs to be considered in a sympathetic manner.
Landscape planting is encouraged for both sites so buildings on both sites can be
screened from the countryside but also in respect of any new development and the
adjacent dwellings to the north of the site on Dear Leap Stud Farm. The suggested
planting of native trees is recommended and the removal of the Leylandii trees is
also welcomed.
The Council's summary comments on the potential for environmental damage
possibly caused by Warren Court and ongoing on the site are accepted.
Our Clients acknowledge that the pedestrian access to the site i.e. pathways, could
link to local transport, and that the entrance sight lines would all need to be improved.
Potential traffic calming measures may need to be considered.
Kent County
Council have commented that there is scope for introducing a footway link from the
site access to the existing bus stop facility on the west side of Knockholt Road to the
north of the site access, and an informal pedestrian crossing facility to provide a
better link to the adjacent bus stop on the east side of Knockholt Road. With this in
mind and to enable these improvements to be provided it would clearly be preferable
to include our Clients' land within the Warren Court site.
Attached to these representations are an aerial photograph and an extract from the
Proposals Map. These show that part of our Clients' land that they wish to have
considered as part of the ADMP. The proposals that have been put to the Council
are, on the land outlined in red, to demolish the outbuildings and existing houses
(two of which fall in the Green Belt) and erect further residential development within
that area as being previously developed land. Secondly to consider the area outlined
in yellow for either a care home or rural exception housing to meet the affordable
housing needs of Halstead and its environs. The stables and other buildings in the
green hatched area could be removed and that area left open and remain Green
Belt.