Why We Object

Here’s the threat:

• 205 acres / 128 football pitches
• Loss of productive farmland
• Threat to protected species
• Destroy the visual impact and character of area
• 40 years duration
• 2700 HGV lorries – thousands of tonnes of CO2

From our own comprehensive planning response, we have extracted some of the key points as guidance. However, you are welcome to read our full planning response here. However, we have summarised these for you below:

Why Object?

1. This is an inappropriate site with other sites available but less convenient to the developer. It is greenfield productive farmland with impossible access.
2. This will entirely change the historic setting of Richborough Roman Fort – the gateway to Roman Britain and a grade 1 heritage site and monument – and will have irreparable damage or loss to significant buried deposits.
3. This is not just remote common-or-garden Farmland, it is the Ash Levels. The Ash Levels are part of the SSSI Impact Zone for Stodmarsh National Reserve (NNR) and Ramsar Site (SSSI), and Sandwich and Pegwell Bay NNR and Sandwich Bay Special Area of Conservation (also an SSSI). These sites have the highest level of legal protection of their Wildlife and nature conservation.

Our principle of objection is simple. This proposal is inappropriate for this exceptional and valuable location. Agreeing with us are:

English Heritage, CPRE (Council for Protection of Rural England), Craig Mackinlay MP, Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP, Ash Parish Council, Sandwich Town Council, Staple Parish Council, Preston Parish Council, Woodnesborough Parish Council, RSPB, Kent Wildlife Trust, Buglife (The Invertebrate Conservation Trust), Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust, Ash Heritage Group, Dover Archaeological Group, Roman Roads Research Association plus serious doubts and concerns raised by the KCC Archaeologist, Kent Archaeological Society, Council for British Archaeology and a holding objection from KCC Highways.

Points In More Depth

THE SITE AND PLANNING CONTEXT:

• This is not a designated development site under the Local Plan. It will create an industrial zone linking historic Sandwich with Ash, completely changing the character of the rural landscape and setting a precedent for further development.
• The cumulative impact of this and other energy schemes in the vicinity is detrimental to the area, its setting, and its environment. We already have more than our fair share of energy installations, with a further three significant sites expected to gain planning at Minster Marshes, Europa Nursery, and Richborough Port. Another alarming development for large-scale battery storage is also pending at Richborough.
• Other brownfield sites are available and have not even been approached.
• Narrow country roads for construction make this non-viable, especially for many thousands of HGV movements – between 2700 and 6000 (depending on the construction method).

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY:

Please read the CPRE and Kent Wildlife Trust’s comments.

• This is a greenfield site.
• This is not just remote common-or-garden Farmland, it is the Ash Levels. The Ash Levels are part of the SSSI Impact Zone for Stodmarsh National Reserve (NNR) and Ramsar Site (SSSI), and Sandwich and Pegwell Bay NNR and Sandwich Bay Special Area of Conservation (also an SSSI). These sites have the highest legal protection of their Wildlife and nature conservation. These provide a vital corridor for birds migrating across England to and from mainland Europe and, therefore, have a wide range of biodiversity and that supports them.
• Key species on the red list for protection have been identified in the Neighbourhood Plan and their habitat requirements.
• Pink-footed geese, Canada geese, buzzards, hen harriers, sparrow hawks, owls, storks and more inhabit the site, plus protected species, including beavers, otters, hares, voles, breeding birds and bats.

HERITAGE:

Please read the comments from KCC Heritage, English Heritage, Roman Road Research Association, and Susan Oosthuizen (Professor (Em.) of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Cambridge).

• This proposal will sit within 160 metres of Richborough Roman Fort and Amphitheatre – an extraordinary heritage location. Richborough Roman Fort was the gateway to Roman Britain and is today a grade 1 heritage site and monument. This will entirely change the historic setting of the monument.
• The construction on this land will cause irreparable damage or loss to significant buried deposits.
• This will have a major impact on the visitors’ number to Richborough Roman Fort

LAND & FOOD SECURITY:

• The land is of high grade with 93% grade 3a to 2, or better, and grows crops including wheat, barley, rape and potatoes (82 samples taken only 6 were 3b, with 2 being grade 2 and 74 being 3a).
• The UK already imports 46% of its food from overseas which is increasingly unsustainable especially in times of world climate change, war and famine. Our farmers are not getting the support they require from the UK Government which is leading to desperate measures such as selling land for non-farming purposes

COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOUR AMENITY:

Please read the Ash Parish Council comments.

• This proposal is in stark contrast with the Ash Parish Neighbourhood Plan supported by Dover District Council.
• This proposal offers nothing to the local community; in fact it takes away from it.
• The proposed industrialisation of the landscape will be harmful to the community’s mental wellbeing and the peace, enjoyment, tranquillity and love of where we live