I have spoken many times before in my column, and in Parliament, about tackling crime. Be it antisocial behaviour, domestic violence, or even online abuse. However, sadly recently we have also seen the unfolding of illegal planning developments, and the terrible destruction of trees on green belt land adjacent to Knockholt Station.
As reported by the Chronicle last week, matters recently came to a head when mobile homes were deposited on the site.
While the land technically sits outside of the constituency, the development affects our residents and therefore action from the London Borough of Bromley was essential. With the support of my colleague Gareth Bacon MP, Sevenoaks District Council – particularly local councillors Gary Williamson, John Grint and Council Leader Cllr Peter Fleming, an injunction was finally served last Friday by the London Borough of Bromley to rightly forbid further work on the land, the use of any of the mobile homes, and any other development on the land and until the hearing.
Sadly, despite this injunction, works appear to have continued over the past week and Bromley Council are as a result initiating the next legal steps. Given they were initially told the land clearance was to restore agricultural land, the usual planning enforcement steps when the trees were removed were not taken. However, as mobile homes are now on site, and clearly the removal of the trees was not to create agricultural land, Bromley council have assured me they will also look at taking other planning enforcement steps to ensure action is taken.
For me the premise is simple, where people break the law there must be consequences. Thousands of residents within this constituency every year apply for planning permission, follow the rules and either build or develop only if they obtain the appropriate permission. What we cannot have, therefore, is people deciding the rules do not apply to them and ignore every process available to them to obtain permission.
At present, planning and development are not covered by the criminal law – and the only remedy is civil action (which limits action the police can take). In the same way that I called for unlawful encampments to be more easily enforceable under the law (which I’m pleased is now being legislated through the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill), I also believe we should look at criminalising the kind of activity and giving more powers to the Environment Agency - something I will be raising in Parliament in the coming weeks.
I am also uneasy that the mere hint of a planning application being lodged, or one lodged retrospectively – stops council’s taking enforcement action. Whilst this may be appropriate in relatively minor cases, or where there is an error or misunderstanding, or where planning permission is likely to be obtained – there has to be a more immediate sanction with large scale developments such as this, or for such flagrant disregard of the rules.
Such a lack of action must not happen again, and I will continue to work with London Borough of Bromley to ensure this site is not unlawfully developed. I will also work with the Environment Agency to ensure the appropriate action is taken and speak with them more generally concerning the need of more powers.
By working together, we can – and will- ensure the voice of Sevenoaks is heard, and our green belt protected.
