The Governments Guidance on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that when assessing existing Green Belt Land, consideration must be given to five purposes of the land and one of these is to assist in the safeguarding the countryside from encroachment. Further, the assesment must take into account preserving the setting and special character of historic towns.
It therefore must surely follow that defining land that is currently actively used for agriculture and wildlife habitation is nothing more than encroachment on the Green Belt.
Recent photographs and video taken of the site defined as HA1 in TMBC's Local Plan show that crops have been planted and harvested this year on what is clearly still productive agricultural land.
Additionally wild deer have been regularly seen in this field so what else can this field be defined as other than "GREEN BELT" the definition of "Grey Belt" is nothing short of ridiculous.
Added to this villagers are already regularly seeing badgers in gardens as the developers encroach on their habitats.
More photos of Hadlow Wildlife in our gallery.
Irony ?
How can a local plan that will increase our Historic Village by over 50% in size have the downright cheek to use a photo of the Tower and its surrounding Green Fields as its own front piece ?
A further Green Belt purpose is stated to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns. In 1972 the centre of Hadlow was given the status of a "Conservation Area" and by the Councils own documentation of this fact has a "historic village centre".
The planned development site defined as HA1 ACTUALLY BORDERS the defined conservation area and this very countryside is mentioned by the council as being designated as Green Belt in their appraisel of the conservation area. (Hadlow Conservation Areas).
Hadlow is home to the UK's foremost college of Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Wildlife Management and which was located at Hadlow over fifty years ago because of it's rural location.
How does it reflect on the UK if the land, some of which is actually owned by the College, is then concreted over ?
Even the Secondary School bears the name "Hadlow Rural Community School" - should the school change its name once all of the nearby Green Belt has been eliminated ?
Leave a Comment
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you would like to, please leave a comment below.