Pedham Place Update, by Cllr Vince Robson

15th January 2025

Pedham Place Update

I wanted to start this article wishing everyone a Happy New Year, however I fear that it may be anything but happy! The Government have been busy amending local housing targets and the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) in the belief that this will enable them to achieve the 1.5m new houses. They have also given local councils 12 weeks to provide a plan, this is an onerous target, so expect Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) to re-present Local Plan 2040 looking very similar to the last Local Plan sent out for consultation (Regulation 18), just to achieve the date. I suspect this means Pedham will be Option 2 and separated from the other greenbelt pockets of land again.

SDC housing target is up 63%, while London is down 20%, I will let you consider what that means to a commuter belt district. SDC are trying to question this amended target and considering taking some form of hard line on it. Let’s hope that does something to reduce target and protect our green spaces for future generations to use, and to protect our biodiverse wildlife! I do commend SDC in trying to get the targets amended, however I am very concerned about 2 recently commissioned independent reports. The first is the LVIA (Landscape Visual Impact Assessment) and the second is the Highways “Option” Testing. I suggest you should also be concerned about these reports and read them in detail - sevenoaks_landscape_and_visual_evidence_main_report_final_271124_1754.pdf 

stage_2_sevenoaks_2040_local_plan_tests_1569.pdf 

Please note that SDC consistently are putting Pedham Place in Option 2. 

LVIA –

The conclusion of this reports reads as such:

Overall, it is considered that Option 2 would be likely to cause the least harm to the Kent Downs National Landscape compared to the other two options. Mitigation could more effectively minimise potential significant effects in the case of Option 2, the Pedham Place site.

Please bear in mind that the proposed development at Pedham Place will be seen up to some 16kms away. I struggle to understand how that is “the least harm” visually.

Highways Independent Review

Option 2

For Option 2, the following corridors surrounding the proposed Pedham Place developments show significant traffic increases.

• M25 J3

• M25 (between M25 J2 to M25 J5)

• A20 London Road / A20 Main Road

• A225 Dartford Road

• Button Street

• A20 (between M25 J3 and A224 Sevenoaks Way)

• B2173 (near A223 N Cray Road)

Some traffic increases were also predicted along the local roads of Swanley Town, southern part of Dartford, Farningham, Crockenhill and Well Hill.

Overall, the proposed improvements at M25 J3 help accommodate the additional flows related to Pedham Place Development. However, the VC ratio is still problematic along the B2173 Arm and A20 London Road Arm. For the journey time, a significant impact is predicted along Route 5 A20 London Road and Main Road, which is directly connected to the development access points. Route 5 is A20 London Road/Main Road Gorse Hill.

In this report they mention the proposal to widen the roundabout on Junction 3, to 3 lanes to mitigate the traffic problems. Again, I struggle with this as the problem is generally getting off the roundabout onto the M25 or to Swanley. We all know when it’s bad the traffic also heads down the A20 to try and get round the M25 problems. Anyone who travels that way will be aware of these problems when there is a Brands Hatch meeting, imagine that on a daily basis.

I freely admit that have not done the reports justice, so do suggest you read them and form your own opinion. However, I do fear that Pedham is going forward into Local Plan 2040 and will be supported by these reports. The consultation will be imminent to achieve the 12 week deadline. Over 92% of residents, who responded, see the problems that Pedham would cause daily and so do not want it to proceed, the transport report also alludes to that. The time is coming where your help is going to be needed! The Protect Our Greenbelt Together will be in touch in due course and if you’ve not joined the Facebook page, public and private groups, or subscribed to the beesnotwasps.org website, please do.



Upcoming dates

Parish Council Meeting
20th February 2025, 19:30

Committee Meetings
3rd March 2025, 19:30

Parish Council Meeting
20th March 2025, 19:30

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