Stones Farm

Following the publication of the consultation draft of the Stones Farm Development Brief SPD, the Council has had an opportunity to consider its position on the way forward.

Exhibition on Stones Farm development to be held at Bapchild Village Hall on 24th January 10-4pm and 26th January 2-6pm. This is an consultation being undertaken by the land owner Doubleday and is being undertaken without the Borough Councils involvement.

Swale Borough Council have sent a letter to Mr Paul Sharpe the Doubleday’s planning consultant expressing the Council's concern at the intention to undertake consultation on a draft development brief without prior consultation with the Council and ahead of other future consultations on the Northern Relief Road.

Mr Paul Sharpe who looks after the planning interests of the Doubleday’s on issues such as Stones Farm, the Kent Science Park and Fleetwood Transport on Hempstead Farm is also a member of the Swale Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Partnership that identifies sites with potential for housing and their likely delivery.

That’s the verdict of the Doubleday’s planning consultant Mr Paul Sharpe following a consultation exercise which was recently conducted in relation to the development of Stones Farm.

The Doubleday’s planning consultants Paul Sharpe Associates LLP have requested that the Parish Council take part in a consultation exercise on Stones Farm.

Following the devastating news that Stones Farm had been included in the plan were looking to the inspectors full report for clarity and certainty on a number of matters pertaining to the development of the site, but the report fails to provide this on a number of key points.

Over the last few of days there have been various rumours with regards to the contents of the draft report on the Swale Local Plan. One of them concerns Stones Farm where the inspector appears to haven given the go-ahead to the inclusion of the site.

In what appears to be a desperate last ditch attempt to push Stones Farm through KCC have gone against the advice of the inspector and teamed up the developer to put forward new evidence to advocate the development of Stones Farm without the Northern Relief Road being in place.

CAMPAIGNERS against plans to build 600 houses at Bapchild made their views known this week. Armed with banners and T-shirts saying 'No More Housing' the group made sure anyone entering the building knew the houses weren't wanted.