BBC
Local councillor Monique Bonney on the roof of St Nicholas’ Church in Rodmersham, Kent
Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled sweeping changes to the planning system that could see councils forced to consider building on green belt land in England.
The prime minister has vowed to override “blockers” standing in the way of building the new homes needed to solve the housing crisis.
But some locals in the areas where these houses will need to be built are steadfast in their opposition to more housing.
One rural corner of Kent is rapidly becoming a test case for how determined the government is to force through planning decisions in the teeth of local objections.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner stepped in at the last minute and took the decision about whether to go ahead with an 8,400 home development out of the local council’s hands.
While it’s not unusual for ministers to intervene in planning applications, the scale of this potential development means it’s being viewed by many as an early test of the government’s approach.
If you have the stomach for it, you can climb the narrow crumbling stone spiral staircase to reach the roof of St Nicholas’ Church in Rodmersham.
From the top of the Norman church you get a panoramic view of north Kent. Directly below there is an apple orchard, beyond that fields of arable farmland with the occasional house, and in the distance the town of Sittingbourne, silhouettes of Thames Estuary heavy industry visible against the sky.
This is the land where Quinn Estates developers want to build 8,400 homes, new schools and a new road.
“It’s an absolutely colossal development, it will have a devastating impact on this area,” says Monique Bonney.
She grew up in Rodmersham and after living and working across the world returned to the village. She got married in St Nicholas’ Church and has been an independent councillor for the area for 18 years.
She is not just concerned about the size of the new development – Rodmersham is currently made up of 275 homes – but how much will be affordable.
Only 760 homes, she says – about 9% of the proposed development. The developers say the level of affordable housing will be decided at a future inquiry.
But others say the proposals are desperately needed, both for the local area and nationally. The UK has one of the worst housi
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