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1400 new homes are a step closer to being built on prime agricultural land at Brooklands Farm as Hallam Land Management submit plans for the site. This will be the largest development ever seen in the Whitstable area. Even Hallam Land Management admit that their plans will have “significant effects” on the local area, but they and Canterbury City Council are pressing ahead. If the Council’s draft Local Plan 2040 is approved, this area of more than 78 hectares (195 acres) of green fields will be lost forever.
In response to the imminent threat facing this site, concerned residents and Whitstable environmental volunteers have formed the Save Brooklands Farmland campaign. They aim to raise awareness of the need to preserve this vital green space, and protect it from development.
Campaigners say: “This campaign is a call to action to protect our community and environment for future generations. The proposed development at Brooklands Farm would double the size of Chestfield and put an additional 3000+ cars on our roads. The farm is first and foremost prime agricultural land, growing crops such as wheat and barley as well as rearing cattle.”
It is also an Area of High Landscape Value with ancient woodland, home to hazel dormice, wild plants, birds, bats and other animals, with great crested newts living nearby.
Catastrophic
The consequences for Whitstable will be catastrophic. Water and sewage disposal services are already overwhelmed. Releases of sewage into the sea already result in beach users becoming acutely ill. Local health services are already full to capacity. Road access to the site (which will also include 4,000 square metres of business space and a primary school) will be via Chestfield Road, South Street and Lismore Road. This will add to the current local traffic congestion especially along A2990 Thanet Way.
The campaign is urging local Whitstable residents—together with everyone who loves the traditional seaside town, which is a big draw to visitors most weekends—to lodge their objections to CCC ’s draft Local Plan 2040 as soon as possible. The deadline to do so is 5pm on Monday 3 June 2024. It is important for objectors to state that they object to Policy W4 (Brooklands Farm) of the Local Plan.
For more information about the campaign, how to object and ways to get involved, please visit www.savebrooklands.org or follow #SaveBrooklandsFarmland on Facebook
PR contact: Spokesperson for Save Brooklands Farmland
Email: savebrooklandsfarmland@btinternet.com
Phone: 07977 052263
Canterbury City Council survey Local Plan 2040:
https://online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/90237d61-ab28-4820-a95c-ed15c8de22b7
Drone Footage of Brooklands Farm:
About:
My name is Emily. My father Peter Firmin created Bagpuss, Clangers, Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog and made the original Basil Brush. He moved to Blean in the 1950s and created 6 children, I being the youngest, and persuaded with sweets to be the owner of Bagpuss.
He had a huge love of nature, and taught us, the children, to love it too. He led Blean footpath group, supported the Crab and Winkle cycle path group. He rewilded our field, before rewilding was common knowledge.
If he and my mother Joan were alive today, they would be horrified at the threat of developers (Devil-lopers) concreting over our pure good land. The loss of habitat for dormice, nightingale, bats, glow worm, water vole and trout! We walked along the fields the developers are planning to decimate for many years.
Oliver Postgate filmed episodes of the Pogles’ Wood around this area. The puppets Gabriel the Toad and Professor Yaffle we’re both influenced by the creatures that they spotted locally.
I will defend the fields from destruction on behalf of my parents and Oliver Postgate. We cannot let them build on this land, its too precious and historic. I understand that we need houses, but I think maybe these need to be closer to towns with infrastructure planned in advance.
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Whitstable Views 
Today, (30 June 2024) Green Party parliamentary candidate Henry Stanton pledged that of elected as MP for Canterbury on 4 July he will do all in his power to STOP the large scale housing developments proposed for Brooklands Farm.
“Like most of the Local Plan, these are the wrong houses in the wrong place that will only destroy nature, concrete over green spaces and fail to address local housing needs,” said Henry.
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