Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Nothing chosen

As a local resident of Bearsted with many beautiful walks to enjoy, I have been made aware of yet another development that is intended for use this time by the Gypsy and Traveller population. We moved to the Bearsted area some years ago. The beauty of the area and the calm presentation was one of the main reasons for our move. We have, over the past few years been subject to housing developments that have made the area a 'a bottle neck' for traffic, so much so that I feel my home can only be likened to living on the hard shoulder of the M20. There is little to no infrastructure to support the current developments let alone another development that this time will cause a quieter area to now become over run with more traffic and taking away yet again a beautiful area enjoyed by local residents and walkers alike. I do have questions that I'm keen to have answered: Why have local Council not informed the residents of the intentions with reference to this new development? Why did it take the Resident's Association to inform local people, quite shocking really!! We pay council tax and surely to advise local residents of the plans is a matter courtesy and respect. Why are local Council keen to remove all areas of beauty within this area? An area that people move to for that reason and for a much better quality of life as currently with ongoing developments, areas are now merging and that's not what I want and many others feel the same way. What is the reason for the choice of this land? Another concern I have is devaluing houses. Bearsted has always commanded a higher price for homes. This has also been reflected in the care taken to preserve the local area making it a desirable village to live in and a place where people enjoy visiting so they too can enjoy what the village and local green areas have to offer, for walkers, picnickers, dog walkers. It saddens me to see areas being spoilt and residents who have lived here for many years now feeling they need to move away and not recovering the full value of their property. I have been in a position where planning permission was given to a property that has really impacted on my own property and has affected my emotional well-being due to natural light now being so obscured that I have to live my life in artificial light, that is neither healthy for emotional or physical health. I live with significant health issues and since KCC agreed the building to go ahead my health has further been affected. Please could you also advise why you think that the planning that is agreed is not considered more deeply by those who contest these actions or do people who live in the area count for nothing? If this is the case this too is shocking, especially as we pay Council Tax often at a higher rate that other areas.