Bassetts Farm

Councillors have approved the building of 120 new homes in the village of Horsmonden.

Tunbridge Wells Borough planning committee approved the scheme by 5 votes to 3, despite concerns that the development was too big for the village to handle.

Local Conservative Borough Councillor Tom Mobbs called it a "deeply disappointing outcome" which set a "dangerous precedent for overdevelopment".

The Labour and Lib Dem Councillors who voted for the development will have known that the developer would have a had a good chance of overturning any rejection on appeal to the central planning inspectorate.  That is because Tunbridge Wells has not allocated as much land for development as central government wants.

Local objectors said that  together with several other recent applications, the size of the village will grow by 50% and local infrastructure won’t be able to cope.

The Bassetts Farm development was recommended for approval by planning officers. It covers 16 hectares of agricultural land.

The developer, Persimmon, is promising 6 hectares of open space within the site and extra footpaths. It says the scheme will deliver land set aside for a new medical centre and for allotments, and would provide 48 affordable homes and achieve a bio-diversity net gain of between 15 and 30%.

On the planning website, the last submission from a local resident was a submission from local resident Carolyn Smyth, who said she moved to Horsmonden in 1993 when her husband became Postmaster of Horsmonden.  Carolyn wrote: 

"Unfortunately he recently became disabled and we are confronted with the considerable challenge of moving around within the bounds of the Village with wheelchair or mobility scooter. I imagine that parents with prams and young children face the same challenge. 

"It is simply not possible to walk on a pavement to the G.P. surgery, to Sprivers, the Sport’s Field, the Social Club etc. without walking in the road. Pavements, where they exist, are too narrow or in very poor repair. 

"When a pavement peters out and it is necessary to walk in the road, or cross it, to look for another, it feels very risky with traffic increasing in size, volume and speed. 

"I do believe very strongly that no new development should be undertaken until Horsmonden residents of all ages and abilities can get safely around the village on foot, or in pram or wheelchair.

"There have been several new developments in the village in recent years and we have welcomed our new neighbours. However, we feel daunted by the thought of the increase in traffic which the proposed large development entails. 

"I do not know if you are aware, but the nearest railway station at Paddock Wood is four miles away and there is no bus service. Since there are no jobs in Horsmonden every working aged adult needs a car to get to work in London, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells or wherever. 

"We know of families in the village with four adults, each with a car. This presents a problem, not only in terms of traffic hazard, but it flies in the face of all we know about reducing carbon emissions. 

"We recognise the need for new housing, particularly affordable housing and houses for rent, but it needs to be where there are bus and rail links to jobs, schools, clinics and other amenities. Building in and around villages like Horsmonden is not the answer".

But despite the local concerns, when the planning committee came to the vote, only 3 hands (see below) were raised to oppose the scheme.

Both Conservatives on the committee voted against approval as well as one Liberal Democrat.  The five councillors voting for the scheme were one Labour and four Liberal Democrat councillors.