PRESS RELEASE: Sevenoaks Town Council recommends refusal of latest Sevenoaks Gasholder planning application, with new concerns of water contamination
Published: 14 October 2024
On 7th October 2024, Sevenoaks Town Council’s Planning & Environment Committee once again recommended refusal of the planning application 21/01254/FUL – Sevenoaks Gasholder Station, Cramptons Road. This application proposes to build 136 new homes on the former Gasholder site, including a ten-storey rotunda tower and 10 townhouses, and has been awaiting decision since April 2021 when it first entered the planning process by way of an application to the Local Planning Authority (Sevenoaks District Council).
Since then, Sevenoaks Town Council as a Statutory Consultee of the District Council, has been consulted on various iterations of this planning application, which have continued to raise significant concerns for the Town Councillors. The latest consultation has sparked new concerns in particular, as to the future integrity of the water supply following comments published on the Planning Portal from South East Water (
See consultation response titled “SOUTH EAST WATER” uploaded 12th February 2024). These raise uncertainty as to whether the piling works required to complete the proposed works will cause contamination of the local water resources via the Cramptons Road Water Treatment Works.
The Town Council has since responded to the application, reiterating its previous recommendation for refusal, with the added endorsement of South East Water’s objection, which states that the development would introduce “an unacceptable level of risk to the local water resources” which could not be recovered, if compromised (“however unlikely”).
Full copy of the Town Council’s recommendation for refusal is available via the
Minutes of the Planning & Environment Committee dated 7th October 2024 (Pages 16-17), and is supported by an informative report as well as copy of South East Water’s statement (see Pages 22-28).
A
brief summary of the supporting grounds for refusal are as follows:
- Layout, height and density are contrary to those identified as being suitable for the site, via local policy – including Sevenoaks Town Neighbourhood Plan which was the approved by Public Referendum and caps the acceptable height at four storeys on Otford Road
- Overdevelopment and out of character to the surrounding buildings
- Design and materials are out of keeping with the local area and supporting local policy
- Negative impact to the Green Belt and Site of Specific Scientific Interest
- Negative impact to visual amenity
- Overlooking and loss of privacy to neighbours
- Insufficient parking
- Lack of social housing
- Risk of pollution to surrounding watercourses and local water resources, with explicit support given to South East Water’s comments published 12th February 2024
Flooding and water contamination are a particular concern of the Town Council’s, and collaborative efforts with Kent County Council, Thames Water and Sevenoaks District Council have been underway since December 2023 to investigate the cause of significant flooding issues in Northern and Eastern Sevenoaks whereby sewer drains had overflowed into the street. Sevenoaks Town Council is continuing to work with stakeholders as well as to monitor flooding and raise potential flood-risks to the District Council via its recommendations on planning applications.
If you have any queries, please contact:
Georgie Elliston
planning@sevenoakstown.gov.uk
10/10/2024