Opposition mounts to Pedham Place

Protests have been held outside a Sevenoaks council meeting over plans to bring forward a 2,500 home garden village on the green belt, near Swanley

Transcript

00:00 It's the district on the edge of London, where 93% of land is designated greenbelt.

00:06 Sevenoaks District Council says they've got a chronic housing shortage.

00:10 And their current local plan consultation is looking at this golf course for 2,500 new homes.

00:17 Locals are up in arms about Pen and Place being an option.

00:21 And the leader of Kent County Council has weighed in his views as a local.

00:26 I don't think this is overall a nimby position. I personally believe that Sevenoaks...

00:33 Sevenoaks District Council has a difficult job to do in this because there are big housing pressures.

00:40 There are still the expectations of producing, as I say, significant amounts of housing.

00:47 But it has to be done in a way that can actually work.

00:50 And I don't think that the proposals as they stand would fit that criterion of real sustainability.

00:57 Last night, protesters gathered outside the council hall with a clear message.

01:02 And inside, updates on the initial consultation were heard. Pen and Place being the most commented on.

01:09 The combination of less well-performing greenbelt in sustainable locations on the edge of our higher-tow settlements...

01:16 that could be put to more beneficial use to provide housing and infrastructure that then would protect the rest of the greenbelt...

01:23 is likely to be considered compelling.

01:26 A second draft of the consultation is expected later this spring.

01:30 But a final decision on where new homes will actually be built is still likely a year away.

01:36 Gabriel Morris in Sevenoaks.

01:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]