I am delighted to hear this morning that our campaign to protect the Green Belt land on the former Broke Hill golf course in Halstead has been successful.
A developer had sought to use the land to build up to 800 houses. They were refused planning permission by the Conservative led Sevenoaks District Council, and thankfully the Planning Inspector has also now refused their appeal.
This is a superb result and I know the news will come as a huge relief to the local community.
I am proud to have played my part in opposing this development and my huge thanks go to the Planning Inspector, Sevenoaks District Council, local district councillors John Grint and Gary Williamson, the local residents who wrote in their hundreds against this applications, and finally the magnificent Halstead Parish Council - and in particular parish Chairman Jean Peel. The parish council invested a huge amount of time, effort and money into opposing this appeal. Jean was brilliant in organising the whole campaign and will rightly earn the immense gratitude of local people.
The Green Belt must be protected, and it was absolutely imperative that this land was not given over to housing. Today’s decision shows that if we all work together as a community, we can defend our precious green spaces from unwanted development. And win.
