The extent of Global Warming ….. it feels like our area is going to be developed, and developed, until every bit of land that won’t be flooded over time is built upon. (Uk Gov Flood Risk Site) (Deal Flood Plan). East Kent will look very similar to how it did when the Romans and Saxons arrived, with Thanet as an island again: Great Mongeham was a boatbuilding centre on a tidal inlet, so might it become so again?
- National Biodiversity Networks Trust 2023 report “The State of Nature UK”, tells a sorry tale about the demise in UK wildlife and the need to protect more. The UK Government has recognised it and is revising National Planning Guidelines accordingly. A brief summary is on the copy attached, along with a link to the report itself. Betteshanger Park objections, and those for the Fairfield site in Great Mongeham, will inevitably draw much from this, illustrated by what people know about the wildlife that is present on the sites and on adjoining land.
| A Quick Reminder of Objecting Properly/Effectively · Remember to put the points you want raise into your own words in your objection. · It might be helpful to create a storyline that includes the things most important to you ….. it’ll come across more passionately rather than just a list of points. · DO point out where something conflicts with DDC policies, processes, and objectives …. It’s an embarrassment to them if they ignore it and someone feels motivated to pursue it (journalist, maybe?). · DO use references to the responses provided by important bodies such as Wildlife Trusts, Environmental Agencies, Societies with specific professional expertise (e.g. Georgian Society) ….. and especially to the reports from major studies. |
So, that’s an extensive start for your journey into the world of Planning, which we hope you will find useful. We’ll keep the information and guidance under continuous review in light of our learning, and the learning you share with us/each other. Let’s hope that we can begin to have greater influence in shaping the places in which we live, work and play, from this point forward,
Ian Redding
Deal Society
6 March 2024
PS Finally, Looking further forward – The Levelling-up Act
We’ve all heard about this legislation, but not necessarily what it will do.
But the promise is that as it rolls out it will provide for greater empowerment of residents and their communities, and the Local Government Association has issued some initial guidance to its members.
A copy of this is attached: one thing that will become increasingly important is that all of us who are or have been active in planning issues network together, to form an alliance of informed local people who can act as the expert community body that Dover DC will need to partner-up with to ensure real engagement with communities.
That’s why the Deal Planning Network is being created and, hopefully, will be able to support all those wanting to be active in planning issues, in the times ahead