PRESS RELEASE SEVENOAKS TOWN COUNCIL REGRETFULLY RECOMMENDS REFUSAL OF FARMERS SITE PLANNING APPLICATION

PRESS RELEASE

After a long history of being vacant and underused, the Former Farmers site located opposite Sevenoaks Station is finally the subject of a new planning application for proposed development. The application – referenced 24/01339/FUL: Former Site of the Farmers, London Road – proposes to build a 6 storey building comprising 56 new homes on the former Farmers site.

Whilst Sevenoaks Town Council is pleased to finally see development proposed on this site, it nevertheless regretfully recommended refusal of the application at last night’s [2nd December 2024] Planning & Environment Committee meeting on the following grounds and with accompanying informative:

Environment Committee meeting on the following grounds and with accompanying informative:

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The scale and massing of the development is out of character with other existing and new developments in the area;

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It would have an overbearing impact on houses on St Botolphs Avenue, with the potential for serious overlooking into neighbouring gardens and houses;

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As currently proposed, the application does not include a Transport and Travel Plan, which is needed to demonstrate that the site and existing transport facilities can indeed support a carless development;

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There is a serious deficit on Biodiversity gain, given the original green state of the previous permission and the requirement under Sevenoaks Town Neighbourhood Plan Policy L1 for new development to deliver a 10% net gain in biodiversity.

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Lack of any affordable housing or contribution towards delivering it offsite – both of which the Town Council notes were conditioned on the previous Appeal decision for development on this site;

Informative:

Sevenoaks Town Council advised that consideration must also be given to the improving both design and pedestrian safety of the very busy junction where Hitchen Hatch Lane and London Road intersect.

In addition, the Town Council considered that these proposals should have first been submitted to a Design Review Panel prior to the planning application stage in order to address such concerns. This as per the Sevenoaks Town Neighbourhood Plan under Aim C6, which states that “The Town Council will normally require major planning applications or sites within sensitive locations, to be submitted to a Design Review panel for review early in the planning process”.

Despite the agreed recommendation, which will now be forwarded to Sevenoaks District Council to consider in its capacity as the Local Planning Authority and final decision-maker, Town Councillors emphasised their welcoming of development on this site – in the right form.

Full details of the discussions can be found on the Town Council’s Youtube channel, where a recording of the meeting will remain until the Minutes of the meeting have been agreed by full Council on 20th January 2025.