Canterbury City draft Local plan

The same two sites are included within the revised draft plan, R7 for 300 homes on The Hill and R8 for 50 homes off Court Hill. LPC are encouraging residents to have their say and let Canterbury City Council know that we are still not happy with this plan and the inclusion of the Littlebourne sites. None of the comments made previously will count, this is a new consultation, the new deadline for comments is 3^rd June 2024.

As previously, LPC and the Action Group have put together a list of things to consider in your own response to the draft Local Plan:

1. Excessive urbanisation outside of the Littlebourne settlement boundary which has been artificially and illogically redrawn to fit the proposals.
2. Both Plan R7 and Plan R8 would lead to a permanent loss of the best Grade 1 agricultural land.
3. Adverse effect on Landscape characteristics with damage to views particularly towards the south (R7) and to the east (R8).
4. Harm to designated heritage assets on A257 and the associated conservation area.
5. Lack of traffic assessment in the draft plan of potentially adverse effects on Littlebourne traffic density, pollution, and risk to pedestrians on the already width-constrained The Hill, Bekesbourne Lane and the narrow Jubilee Road related to both R7 and R8 which would be further compounded by the other major proposed developments along the A257.
6. Poor capacity of existing wastewater (aka sewage) and inadequate investment in infrastructure (both network & sewage treatment plant) in our catchment. In Littlebourne and other local villages, this already results in regular, persistent and disruptive emergency measures, including pumping of sewage into the Little Stour and tankering of sewage to Canterbury’s Wastewater Treatment Works.
7. Tanker deployment, has a significant adverse nutrient effect at the Stodmarsh internationally-designated sites and therefore fails to meet the legal requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
8. Increasing surface water run-off from urbanisation could impact on surface water flooding in the village and on the water quality in the Little Stour – a rare example of a chalk stream.
9. 50% increase in village population – water-related issues will become far more significant, along with the effects of climate change. Meaning greater flows of both surface water and wastewater.
10. The proposals do not meet sustainable development standards as there is no proposal for consequential increased local employment and most work would require travel away from the area.
11. Insufficient detail in infrastructure plans.   That consequential necessary infrastructure requirements such as sewers, school, GP surgery, public transport, walking / cycling routes would likely either lag way behind any development or fail to be implemented at all.

If you want to lodge your thoughts on the proposed plan, please visit the website:

https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/planning-and-building/new-local-plan-2040/about-new-local-plan-2040

If you need any help accessing the council site, have limited internet access, or you just prefer to use pen and paper, why not use the back of this flyer to write your thoughts, not forgetting to put on your name and address, and post it in the Parish Council letterbox on the side of the hall and we will ensure that it is submitted as a response.