Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Strongly disagree

POLICY C4S (017) – THE BRISHINGS I strongly disagree with allowing this site to be used for a permanent Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling showpeople site for the following reasons: It does not meet the criteria which states that the site must be accessible by foot/cycle/public transport to school/health and shopping facilities, there is no school or shops in Langley Heath and the only GP surgery in Langley Heath is full and not taking on any more patients (the site with 20 plots could have around 80 patients to accommodate (at 4 people per pitch). The criteria states that the site proposal must be appropriate to the size of the nearest settled community. The nearest settled community is the hamlet on Green Lane, where there is a handful of historic houses. The historic character and separate identity of this hamlet would be lost and the gypsy site would be detrimental to this hamlet and Policy C of the Government Policy paper for Traveller Sites states that any site should not dominate the nearest settled community, which if The Brishings is used for a traveller site it would dominate the nearest settled community. The criteria states that the site should be safely accessed to and from the highway by all vehicles using the site, including emergency services and maintenance vehicles. Your policy states that planning permission will only be granted for the Brishings site if the site can be accessed via Green Lane. Green Lane is a small rural lane with a turning onto Heath Road, this turning and the lane is unsuitable in size for large vehicles required for the initial redevelopment of the site, including the placement of the "homes" themselves, on-going maintenance and for the number of vehicles that the site will generate, around approx 40 (2 vehicles per pitch minimum). The other approach roads into Green Lane from the village is also too small for any of these vehicles. In places Green Lane is less than 8 ft wide at times in it's length. Green Lane would not be suitable for widening due to the situation of historic houses and ancient trees lining the road. When there is a local diversion HGVs have tried to use Green Lane and get stuck and due to the village roads being unsuitable for larger vehicles the local village bus has had to be re-routed and the school bus has been stopped altogether due to access problems and incidents. The criteria states that there should not be any issues with flooding, on the Brishings there is a water course, which has flooded into neighbouring houses on Shepherd's Way, which is adjacent to the site, adding development to the plot of land at the Brishings will only add to the flooding issues as by developing the land you will be taking away the natural soakaway element of the land itself and adding concrete bases for 20 plus pitches. The criteria states references rural exception sites , but Government policy for Traveller Sites states that rural exception sites can only be used to address the needs of the local traveller community who are current residents or who have existing family or an employment connection, also this states that rural exception sites cannot be used for mixed use, ie homes and business. Langley Heath does not have an existing community of travellers who need to move. The criteria refers to crime, there is already a problem with rural crime in Langley Heath, some of which is committed by the travelling communities who live in other local villages, despite being reported, nothing is done to address this problem and by using The Brishings as a permanent traveller site this would only make the crime problem worse. The land itself has been classified as grading no2, so important to the biodiversity of the local area, by adding the pitches you will be downgrading the land and affecting the biodiversity of the land. Land in category no 2 should not be used for development and the Brishings site has had many planning applications on it over the years, all of which have been refused and now The Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021 - 2038 states that Langley Heath is not identified in the local plan with reference to new housing, which is supported by the government policy in Planning Policy for traveller sites (PPTS) and the National Planning Policy Framework, this policy states that planning permission for traveller sites must be determined with the Local Plan. (Section 38 (1)of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and section 70 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.) Government Policy states that when considering traveller sites you must consider sustainability, environmental protection, protect the Green belt, protect the local amenity and the environment and whilst facilitating the traditional life of travellers, whilst also respecting the interests of the settled community, in summary, taking all the above points into account, land at the Brishings fails to meet the policys/criterias used as guidance when considering the permanent Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling showpeoples sites.

Strongly disagree

POLICY C4S (017) – THE BRISHINGS I strongly disagree with allowing this site to be used for a permanent Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling showpeople site for the following reasons: It does not meet the criteria which states that the site must be accessible by foot/cycle/public transport to school/health and shopping facilities, there is no school or shops in Langley Heath and the only GP surgery in Langley Heath is full and not taking on any more patients (the site with 20 plots could have around 80 patients to accommodate (at 4 people per pitch). The criteria states that the site proposal must be appropriate to the size of the nearest settled community. The nearest settled community is the hamlet on Green Lane, where there is a handful of historic houses. The historic character and separate identity of this hamlet would be lost and the gypsy site would be detrimental to this hamlet and Policy C of the Government Policy paper for Traveller Sites states that any site should not dominate the nearest settled community, which if The Brishings is used for a traveller site it would dominate the nearest settled community. The criteria states that the site should be safely accessed to and from the highway by all vehicles using the site, including emergency services and maintenance vehicles. Your policy states that planning permission will only be granted for the Brishings site if the site can be accessed via Green Lane. Green Lane is a small rural lane with a turning onto Heath Road, this turning and the lane is unsuitable in size for large vehicles required for the initial redevelopment of the site, including the placement of the "homes" themselves, on-going maintenance and for the number of vehicles that the site will generate, around approx 40 (2 vehicles per pitch minimum). The other approach roads into Green Lane from the village is also too small for any of these vehicles. In places Green Lane is less than 8 ft wide at times in it's length. Green Lane would not be suitable for widening due to the situation of historic houses and ancient trees lining the road. When there is a local diversion HGVs have tried to use Green Lane and get stuck and due to the village roads being unsuitable for larger vehicles the local village bus has had to be re-routed and the school bus has been stopped altogether due to access problems and incidents. The criteria states that there should not be any issues with flooding, on the Brishings there is a water course, which has flooded into neighbouring houses on Shepherd's Way, which is adjacent to the site, adding development to the plot of land at the Brishings will only add to the flooding issues as by developing the land you will be taking away the natural soakaway element of the land itself and adding concrete bases for 20 plus pitches. The criteria states references rural exception sites , but Government policy for Traveller Sites states that rural exception sites can only be used to address the needs of the local traveller community who are current residents or who have existing family or an employment connection, also this states that rural exception sites cannot be used for mixed use, ie homes and business. Langley Heath does not have an existing community of travellers who need to move. The criteria refers to crime, there is already a problem with rural crime in Langley Heath, some of which is committed by the travelling communities who live in other local villages, despite being reported, nothing is done to address this problem and by using The Brishings as a permanent traveller site this would only make the crime problem worse. The land itself has been classified as grading no2, so important to the biodiversity of the local area, by adding the pitches you will be downgrading the land and affecting the biodiversity of the land. Land in category no 2 should not be used for development and the Brishings site has had many planning applications on it over the years, all of which have been refused and now The Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021 - 2038 states that Langley Heath is not identified in the local plan with reference to new housing, which is supported by the government policy in Planning Policy for traveller sites (PPTS) and the National Planning Policy Framework, this policy states that planning permission for traveller sites must be determined with the Local Plan. (Section 38 (1)of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and section 70 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.) Government Policy states that when considering traveller sites you must consider sustainability, environmental protection, protect the Green belt, protect the local amenity and the environment and whilst facilitating the traditional life of travellers, whilst also respecting the interests of the settled community, in summary, taking all the above points into account, land at the Brishings fails to meet the policys/criterias used as guidance when considering the permanent Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling showpeoples sites.

Strongly disagree

POLICY C4S (017) – THE BRISHINGS I strongly disagree with allowing this site to be used for a permanent Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling showpeople site for the following reasons: It does not meet the criteria which states that the site must be accessible by foot/cycle/public transport to school/health and shopping facilities, there is no school or shops in Langley Heath and the only GP surgery in Langley Heath is full and not taking on any more patients (the site with 20 plots could have around 80 patients to accommodate (at 4 people per pitch). The criteria states that the site proposal must be appropriate to the size of the nearest settled community. The nearest settled community is the hamlet on Green Lane, where there is a handful of historic houses. The historic character and separate identity of this hamlet would be lost and the gypsy site would be detrimental to this hamlet and Policy C of the Government Policy paper for Traveller Sites states that any site should not dominate the nearest settled community, which if The Brishings is used for a traveller site it would dominate the nearest settled community. The criteria states that the site should be safely accessed to and from the highway by all vehicles using the site, including emergency services and maintenance vehicles. Your policy states that planning permission will only be granted for the Brishings site if the site can be accessed via Green Lane. Green Lane is a small rural lane with a turning onto Heath Road, this turning and the lane is unsuitable in size for large vehicles required for the initial redevelopment of the site, including the placement of the "homes" themselves, on-going maintenance and for the number of vehicles that the site will generate, around approx 40 (2 vehicles per pitch minimum). The other approach roads into Green Lane from the village is also too small for any of these vehicles. In places Green Lane is less than 8 ft wide at times in it's length. Green Lane would not be suitable for widening due to the situation of historic houses and ancient trees lining the road. When there is a local diversion HGVs have tried to use Green Lane and get stuck and due to the village roads being unsuitable for larger vehicles the local village bus has had to be re-routed and the school bus has been stopped altogether due to access problems and incidents. The criteria states that there should not be any issues with flooding, on the Brishings there is a water course, which has flooded into neighbouring houses on Shepherd's Way, which is adjacent to the site, adding development to the plot of land at the Brishings will only add to the flooding issues as by developing the land you will be taking away the natural soakaway element of the land itself and adding concrete bases for 20 plus pitches. The criteria states references rural exception sites , but Government policy for Traveller Sites states that rural exception sites can only be used to address the needs of the local traveller community who are current residents or who have existing family or an employment connection, also this states that rural exception sites cannot be used for mixed use, ie homes and business. Langley Heath does not have an existing community of travellers who need to move. The criteria refers to crime, there is already a problem with rural crime in Langley Heath, some of which is committed by the travelling communities who live in other local villages, despite being reported, nothing is done to address this problem and by using The Brishings as a permanent traveller site this would only make the crime problem worse. The land itself has been classified as grading no2, so important to the biodiversity of the local area, by adding the pitches you will be downgrading the land and affecting the biodiversity of the land. Land in category no 2 should not be used for development and the Brishings site has had many planning applications on it over the years, all of which have been refused and now The Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021 - 2038 states that Langley Heath is not identified in the local plan with reference to new housing, which is supported by the government policy in Planning Policy for traveller sites (PPTS) and the National Planning Policy Framework, this policy states that planning permission for traveller sites must be determined with the Local Plan. (Section 38 (1)of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and section 70 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.) Government Policy states that when considering traveller sites you must consider sustainability, environmental protection, protect the Green belt, protect the local amenity and the environment and whilst facilitating the traditional life of travellers, whilst also respecting the interests of the settled community, in summary, taking all the above points into account, land at the Brishings fails to meet the policys/criterias used as guidance when considering the permanent Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling showpeoples sites.