Kent Wildlife Trust is concerned about planning proposals that will impact the Blean landscape.
Kent Wildlife Trust is concerned about planning proposals that will impact the Blean landscape. The combined impacts from the proposed development in Dunkirk and 2,000 homes earmarked for inclusion in Canterbury’s local plan will further squeeze and restrict the wildlife corridor across the district.
Read Kent Wildlife Trust's response to the Winterbourne Field Scoping Option (April 2023)
Read Kent Wildlife Trust's response to Winterbourne Field's planning application (July 2024)
Read our response to the 2,000 homes proposed (June 2024)
Kent Wildlife Trust and Save The Blean have been working with the University of Kent, RSPB Kent, the Crab & Winkle Line Trust and other partners to develop a viable alternative vision for the 2000 homes proposed on the University of Kent Site. This vision, which was influenced by 128 members of the local community, has developed into the Blean Biopark which would provide an open, thriving space connecting people, nature, culture, heritage and education.
The Blean Biopark incorporates regenerative agriculture, habitat creation, country park facilities, eco-tourism and smaller scale sustainable housing development. This vision is backed up by estimated revenues for the University of Kent and would allow the University to develop its research, teaching and funding plans in the fields of ecology, sustainability, food and farming.
The Save The Blean team gave a presentation about the Blean Biopark at Tyler Hill Memorial Hall in May, and the slides can be viewed here for further information.
We are continuing to work with the University on plans for the Blean Biopark and are hopeful that this will be taken forward as a positive alternative to the large scale car-led housing development that is currently proposed.
At the end of 2024 an independent social researcher, Rachael Reilly, carried out a participatory social research study in the villages of Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common. The aim of the research was to listen to the voices of local residents, campaigners and community leaders to understand what is driving their concerns and the impact of the development proposal on their lives. Too often the views of local communities are drowned out in technical planning processes and ‘consultation’ is restricted to the rigid confines of the statutory planning system. Residents who do raise their voices are dismissed by politicians and the media as ‘nimbys’, ‘blockers’ and ‘naysayers’ who hold up developments and stall economic growth and there has been little attempt to understand their viewpoint and perspective. This report aims to present an alternative perspective to this narrative.
Read the short reportRead the long reportRead the executive summary
We anticipate another public consultation on Canterbury’s Local Plan in Autumn 2025. We hope that ours and the local community’s concerns have been taken on board, and that less environmentally damaging development sites have been explored for inclusion in the local plan. Whether this is the case remains to be seen. This next consultation will present opportunity to show support for, or raise concerns about, the proposed development plan for Canterbury.
Whilst we wait for this next consultation you can still make a difference by writing to your MP. You can also sign up to our speak up for nature mailing list for updates and find out more about the campaign groups fighting to save these previous spaces via their websites and social media channels.
Kent Wildlife Trust and CPRE Kent welcome the decision by Canterbury City Council to remove a controversial site for large-scale development in the heart of the Blean woodland complex from its 2040 draft Local Plan.
Kent Wildlife Trust will be represented at a public meeting to discuss a proposal for a large housing development on the edge of a nature reserve in Swale.
Campaigners are asking people to comment on Canterbury City Council's draft local plan, which includes a large development in Blean before it is too late.
