00:00Larkfield and Newhithe FC have played in Snoddland for more than 60 years and have built up
00:05a dedicated following as they moved up the football pyramid to the southern county's
00:09East League, playing alongside clubs like Punjab United, Whitstable Town and other teams
00:13from across the county.
00:14For three years they have been working with OB Developments on plans to build 150 homes
00:19and new community sports facilities on the abandoned Oost Park Golf Club.
00:23But after the company submitted them, they have now been withdrawn.
00:26Their new proposal is aiming for 320 homes, a community hub and a grass football pitch,
00:31removing the 3G all-weather pitches, pedal tennis court and golf driving range.
00:36For the club, who are hoping to expand, it's a real blow.
00:40At the moment, there's already no spare capacity in the local area for all-weather pitches.
00:49We're trying to really progress the club, we've done really well the last few years in promotions
00:54and we want to get promoted again this year into the Isherman South East and you basically,
01:00you need to have a 3G in order so you've got control of your own training, you've got
01:05development of all the youth coming through, they've got somewhere to train, you've got
01:08a community club because you're all training in the same place.
01:11Now all these things are the bedrock of what you need if you're going to progress as a whole
01:15as a club.
01:16For Larkfield and Newhithe FC, they may as well be playing on a pitch that's slanted like this,
01:21just because of how difficult it's being to get this development through the door.
01:25For three years they've been hoping for an upgrade to their clubhouse which would have
01:29a new tier added to it, two entirely new 3G pitches and even a paddle court on site.
01:34But once the developers withdrew that application and then changed it, the future they were
01:39hoping for isn't going to come to pass quite yet.
01:42Larkfield and Newhithe FC aren't the only ones who are opposing the new development, with
01:46the area being designated as part of the National Landscape, being home to rare birds and dormice.
01:51The number of houses was unacceptable to us, it was a major development, this is national
01:58landscape land and we are trying to protect it, so we're doing a lot of conversations
02:02with councillors, we've had meetings with both borough and local councillors and communication
02:08with planners to try and protect the land.
02:11OB Developments have said the revised scheme is being designed to minimise landscape impact,
02:15maintain a clear buffer between Snodland and Burling and protect the distinct character
02:19of both settlements.
02:20The plans respond to feedback received from the local planning authority on a previous
02:24planning application and reflect a sensitive approach to landscape, access and the provision
02:28of homes and community amenities.
02:30For Larkfield it's not just about their first team, there's youth, women's and other teams
02:34that they want to provide with a place to train and they say they're having to start
02:38from square one for their future.
02:40Finn McDermid for KMTV in Snodland.
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