Martyn Cobb, Chair of the Community Land Trust, Shepherdswell with Coldred has published the following information.
We are pleased to inform you that Dover District Council have approved our plans for ten affordable dwellings and three market value bungalows to be built on the site south west of the Village Hall. The new design and additional work mitigates those concern regarding traffic flow and drainage improving the current situation. The community land trust will be holding an open day in the village hall for residents of the village to come and discuss any concerns they have on the new design. We have worked closely with Kent Highways and Dover District Council to improve safety along Coxhill Road and some upgrading of footpaths going towards Moorlands Road.
The design of the site infrastructure also takes into account issues of standing water flowing from the field to the housing on that road. The site will be sensitively screened to improve the visual impact as you drive into the village. I want to thank all our members, especially the committee who have worked hard and diligently over nine years to make this happen. Shepherdswell will be the first CLT in Kent to build affordable housing in their community. English Rural Housing our Housing Association have built affordable homes in St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Goodnestone, and recently Staple and have come up with an excellent design that will enhance our village.
This development site was chosen having looked at 16 other possible sites with help from the Kent Rural Housing Enabler over many years, most of which were rejected by Dover Planners. Other sites were not for sale, as owners hold out for commercial rates, hoping for planning permission but without a community land trust working for the community those exception sites are not allowed to be built on and therefore people growing up in the community cannot afford to stay here.
We still want to work with the community and therefore will have another open day where you can see the site layout and talk to the architects and Housing Association who will be building and managing the site. We will advertise this event in this magazine, Shepherdswell Facebook and through posters.
Martyn Cobb – Chair, Shepherdswell with Coldred, Community Land Trust