Inquiry starting into homes plan

Developers hoping to build 40 homes on the outskirts of Herne Bay will go head-to-head with council bosses at a public inquiry this week.

The two-day hearing, which started 25th Jan, was called after officials from Canterbury City Council failed to decide on the application by Kitewood for a site in Beltinge, near Coventry Gardens.

Kitewood boss Mike Dolan told the Times he was confident the Government inspector would rule in their favour, adding:

"We want to have a harmonious relationship with both officers and councillors. But we don't expect to be ignored when we submit an application. We submitted the application in spring 2011 and just didn't have a reply. The council needs to have a full and deliverable five-year supply of housing and I don't think that is the case."

Kitewood has faced fierce public opposition over plans to build upward of 1,000 homes on agricultural land in Hillborough.

Council spokesman Rob Davies confirmed the application had not been decided within the 13-week target. But officials have since decided they would have refused the development because the site was not needed for housing at the moment.

thisiskent 27th Jan 2012

Comments

[Worried of Beltinge]

Isn't this just another ploy, keep applying for small sites and eventually they all link together into one big site just as they originally wanted. Do they think we are stupid!!

[Susanne Stebbing]

I just can't understand how Kitewood should force a public appeal against Canterbury City Council when the development is not on the local plan and they want to force it on us even with massive opposition when the local people are supposed to decide their future according to our democratic government.

If this development goes ahead, the area will be dreadful with loss of wildlife and greenfield sites, plus overcrowding and traffic problems and even dangers of flooding. The people who promote this disaster should be sacked and Kitewood should leave the district and go where it really is needed to redevelop run-down properites to house people in real need and not for greed. Neighbours in Beltinge and Hillborough have already told us they do NOT want the development.