Sandgate Escarpment: Planning Decision Meeting

Shepway Council's Development Control Committee will be discussing the planning application to build five houses on Sandgate Escarpment (by Military Road) as an "enabling" development towards repairs to Sandgate Martello Towers 5 & 6 on Tuesday 14th July.

The agenda and reports for the meeting are available online, and in the Officers report on the application is recommending approval of the application.

Sandgate Parish Councillor Tim Prater commented:

"It's sad that Shepway's Planning Officer has not listened to the opinions of Sandgate Parish Council and the Sandgate Society who both objected to this proposal. The application was first submitted about 4 years ago, and in all that time the majority of local residents were, are and will remain opposed to it.

"Although I'm sure eveyone in Sandgate would like to see the conservation of the Martello Towers, the building of 5 executive homes and a service road through woodland directly above Sandgate is far too high a price to pay.

"It's also a real worry that the applicant is intending to sell on the property with planning permission and not do the development himself: even the best of intentions could become derailed by changes in ownership.

"The balance of 'enabling development' has to be that the development it 'enables' is of greater value than the harm the enabling development itself causes. That is not the case here: building houses opposite Military Road Rec for the loss of 40+ trees and a well used area of woodland is too high a price to pay. I hope the Councillors on the Development Control Committee will listen carefully, then reject this application."