Heathlands Garden Settlement SPD

Support

Representation ID: 553

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

A DPD is a vital tool for planning officers to use in determining planning applications but its contents need to be comprehensive and clear. Criteria to be met to fill each situation must be precise with no or minimal scope for mis- interpretation.

Support noted.
Policy LPRSP4(A) of the Local Plan Review requires the preparation of the SPD (but not a 'Development Plan Document'/DPD).
The SPD sets out a range of principles & guidelines, infrastructure and phasing requirements and Officers consider this provides an appropriate level of detail at this stage in the planning process.

Comment

Representation ID: 554

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

Many key issues have been identified but there are gaps, and a lack of detail. There should be a Masterplan as required by Government. Overall the DPD is too imprecise to be able to make complete meaningful comments.

Objection noted.
The SPD sets out guidance and principles across a number of key themes and topics.
Officers consider it important for the SPD to provide sufficient context and explanation to enable future planning applications to address the full range of issues.
The Framework Plans capture the key structuring elements and principles, whilst also allowing for appropriate flexibility for further design work to consider matters in more detail and bring forward appropriate proposals.
The principles set out at Chapter 10.1 require a site wide Strategic Masterplan and a Strategic Design Code must be submitted as part of the future outline planning application.
Future planning applications will set out more details around the proposed layout of buildings, uses and infrastructure across the site.
All future applications will be the subject of consultation and future decision making.

Object

Representation ID: 555

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

The absence of a MasterPlan undermines the SPD. Maps are not clear enough to show the existing road network. No villages south of Heathlands site are marked: Charing Heath, Egerton, Boughton Malherbe, Platts Heath, Sandway and Grafty Green . This gives a reduced impression of Heathlands' impact. These must be considered when planning applications are determined.

The infrastructure required – roads, rail, buses, waste water treatment, water supply, power- need precise definitions and capacity for assessing planning applications. Bear in mind the Planning Inspector stated in para 133 of his report: “I acknowledge that the viability of Heathlands is marginal”.

Objection noted.
The SPD captures the key structuring elements and principles, whilst also allowing for appropriate flexibility for further design work to consider matters in more detail and bring forward appropriate proposals.
Future planning applications will set out more details around the proposed layout of buildings, uses and infrastructure across the site. All future applications will be the subject of consultation and future decision making.

Comment

Representation ID: 565

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

The SPD takes a “landscape-led approach”. This is vital bearing in mind the destruction of the landscape to accommodate the development of Heathlands. But without a MasterPlan, the green infrastructure could compromise the mass of 5,000 homes and premises for 5,000 jobs, and the roads, railway station, parking etc they need. So then the green areas risk being reduced Details and careful plans must be set out. The SPD uses the word “guidance” for its purpose but the top-level protection of the landscape surely demands that “guidance” is upgraded to be more authoritative.

Comment noted.
The SPD sets out principles and guidelines in relation to ""Placemaking, Density & Character"" at Chapter 6.6 which explains the approach to site capacity and density, and an indicative breakdown of land uses is set out at Figure 12 and shown as part of Figure 13 the Land Use Framework, which includes provision for open space.
The Framework Plans and other guidelines set out within the SPD capture the key structuring elements and principles, whilst also allowing for appropriate flexibility for further design work to consider matters in more detail and bring forward appropriate proposals.
Officers consider it important for the SPD to provide sufficient context and explanation to enable future planning applications to address the full range of issues.
The detailed design of transport mitigation measures will need to be set out as part of the formulation and consideration of future planning applications.

Comment

Representation ID: 568

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

The wording of the SPD sounds appealing but this makes it more like a sales brochure for a housing development than a document that is intended to aid the assessment of planning applications. The wording must be clearer as to the conditions to be met and how.

Comment noted.
The preparation of an SPD for the site is a requirement of Policy LPRSP4(A) of the Local Plan Review which was adopted in 2024.
The SPD captures the key structuring elements and principles, whilst also allowing for appropriate flexibility for further design work to consider matters in more detail and bring forward appropriate proposals.
Future planning applications will set out more details around the proposed layout of buildings, uses and infrastructure across the site.
Future planning applications will need to consider and address all the identified issues and requirements, will be the subject of consultation and future decision making.

Object

Representation ID: 569

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

Overall the SPD is worded like a policy document, with some specific policies and some intentions or aspirations. SPDs should not include "visions" . They are not defined as criteria or conditions that will help to determine planning applications. There is case law which shows that SPDs should not be used to introduce new policies - that is for the Local Plan.

Objection noted.
The Council consider it important for the SPD to set out this additional guidance to enable future planning applications to address the full range of issues.
The SPD captures the key structuring elements and principles, whilst also allowing for appropriate flexibility for further design work to consider matters in more detail and bring forward appropriate proposals.
Future planning applications will need to consider and address all the identified issues and requirements, will be the subject of consultation and future decision making.

Object

Representation ID: 570

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

One poor example in the SPD is: "The opportunity exists to provide for a range of new facilities in the development”. It should insist on them and set out the basis for assessing conformity.
All roads south of the M20 leading to Heathlands are mostly single-track with no or few passing places. A contradiction in para 5.3.6 because it states all access points to the site will be from the A20 (“with road widening” and no confirmation will be done by KCC) and later states that there will be access into the site from existing roads. Which is correct?

Objection noted.
The SPD sets out guidance and principles across a number of key themes and topics, especially within 'Section C: Placemaking & Design Guidelines'. Each theme has a clear section which sets out 'Key Principles/Guidance' specific to each theme.
The SPD sets out principles and guidelines relating to 'Movement & Connectivity' (6.11) which includes at criteria (J) that the main vehicular access points to the site must be provided from the A20. Officers agree that paragraph 5.3.6 should be amended to be consistent.
Principles and guidelines also require detailed assessments of impacts on the local and strategic road network and directly reference the need to minimise impacts on local lanes.
The detailed layout of new roads and their connection into the existing network will be a matter for future planning applications.

Comment

Representation ID: 571

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

In general the principles are sound but however many trees are planted, ponds created and so on, an "artificial " landscape will be the outcome, instead of the existing farmed and natural Kentish rolling landscape. Farming is vital for food security , reduced food miles and employment but this is overlooked. If there are harvest mice in a field and their habitat is lost , creating a new pond for newts is not a biodiversity gain. And it takes time for wildlife to "adjust" or migrate Again, this SPD should set out precise conditions to be met, not "visions".

Comment noted.
The SPD sets out guidance and principles across a number of key themes and topics, including the need to protect and enhance biodiversity and achieve a 20% net gain.
Officers consider it important for the SPD to provide sufficient context and explanation to enable future planning applications to address the full range of issues.
All future applications will be the subject of consultation and future decision making.

Comment

Representation ID: 572

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

The principles and vision should a) avoid making policy statements which should be in the Local Plan and b) should specify exactly what conditions or criteria should be met to achieve the policy intentions in the Local Plan so that planning applications are dealt with consistently and not against general and vague ideas.

Comment noted.
The preparation of an SPD for the site is a requirement of Policy LPRSP4(A) of the Local Plan Review which was adopted in 2024.
The SPD sets out a range of principles & guidelines, infrastructure and phasing requirements and Officers consider this provides an appropriate level of detail at this stage in the planning process.

Comment

Representation ID: 573

Received: 14/12/2025

Respondent: EGERTON PARISH COUNCIL

The demands on water supply and waste water treatment from 5,000 homes and 5,000 jobs will be three times greater than the existing demands in Lenham parish. This will place high burdens on already poor water supply in the whole area including Egerton. Detailed information will need to be obtained from South East water about its capacity to maintain supplies to existing homes. Likewise for waste water treatment where the R Stour is already in distress. Southern Water does not always give accurate information as to its capacity and the facts need verifiying.

Comment noted.
The SPD takes forward the requirements of Policy LPRSP4(A) of the Local Plan Review which established the necessary scope of infrastructure for the Heathlands site, including the need for new/improved wastewater treatment as part of Phase 1, as set out in Figure 19.
The guidelines and principles at Chapter 6.3 of the SPD in relation to 'Blue Infrastructure and Wastewater Treatment' require development proposals to demonstrate how foul water will be appropriately managed, including provision of an improved or new wastewater treatment facility.
It is the responsibility of the relevant utility providers to ensure that future development is provided with safe, reliable water for domestic and commercial use, as per statutory obligations and relevant legislation.