Community 'win' as developer loses appeal

A developer behind a scheme for up to 5,750 homes on the outskirts of Ashford, Kent has had its request not to pay for road-widening and schools dismissed, in a "win" for the community, two councils have said.

Hodson Developments asked a planning inspector to discharge or modify 122 planning obligations in the scheme at Chilmington Green.

Ashford Borough Council, which worked with Kent County Council (KCC) on the case, said requests to reduce or delay affordable housing, and to delay play spaces, allotments and sports facilities, were refused.

A spokesman for Hodson Developments said the firm was "surprised and disappointed", adding: "We will now spend some time reviewing the decision."

The Chilmington Green development is part of a "garden community" strategy and has been reshaping the outskirts of Ashford for years.

Many of the homes are already built and occupied, but councillors had feared the loss of some planning agreements in the appeal - including a promise to fund a £30m project to dual the A28.

Ashford's Labour MP Sojan Joseph said parents, residents and councillors had campaigned to ensure the housing development had adequate access to Ashford and schools.

He described the decision as a "positive result" and said the developers had a duty to ensure residents had adequate infrastructure.

He said Hodson Developments had also appealed to avoid paying for local subsidised bus services or for safe routes to and from Ashford, such as pedestrian footpaths or cycle paths.

Linda Harman, Ashford's portfolio holder for planning, said the borough council worked closely with KCC to show why important infrastructure "must be delivered at the right time, alongside houses being built – not way down the line".

She said: "This is the only way to truly create places people want to live."

The Planning Inspectorate said the developer received planning consent from Ashford Borough Council in 2017 for a mixed-use development including housing, schools, community and leisure facilities, recycling, open spaces and transport infrastructure.

It said that further applications were made in 2022 to discharge or modify obligations.

The majority of the requests made were refused.

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