EMT BRADBOURNE PROPOSAL - UPDATE MARCH 2026

Statements from the Parish Council

STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER AREA 3 MEETING ON 09/03/2026

Statement on the Area 3 and Area 2 meetings held by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council

Last night at 17.30 the first of two meetings took place at the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Buildings in Kings Hill to discuss the planned large housing development that will consist of 1,300 new homes on the 80ha site between Kiln Barn Road, Ditton to Hermitage Lane, Aylesford and Barming. It also discussed upgrading the current footpath that crosses the East Malling Research site to a road linking Kilnbarn Road to  New Road, East Malling and beyond.

The first meeting covered the villages and towns in Medway Gap – including Aylesford, Larkfield, Snodland and Bluebell hill.

TMBC had subcontracted planning advice on this development to external consultants who presented a pre-recorded slideshow and commentary to the meeting. It became clear that the consultants had addressed all issues raised prior to the meeting and had found nothing material to support rejection.

When parishes and members of the public were permitted to speak, 7 individuals spoke on behalf of parishes and themselves about the development. 6 were against and 1 was for. In their allocated three minutes, Ditton Parish Council summarised legal and policy requirements that clearly showed the development should not go ahead. Aylesford Parish Council also spoke against the project.

All but one of the objections Ditton Parish Council raised were dismissed. The remaining objection was that of potable water supply. This was supported by a letter that South East Water recently wrote to TMBC in relation to their Regulation 18 Planning consultation confirming that currently they are unable to supply and have no plans in place to provide sufficient potable water to the proposed number of houses planned for the next 15 years.

The proposal for the meeting to approve the development subject to pre-commencement conditions to assure the supply of water was lost (5 for, 6 against).The meeting then voted to defer the matter until further evidence can be provided to confirm the water position. This vote was passed (6 in favour, 5 abstentions)

Area 2, which covers East Peckham, East Malling to Borough Green, also met to discuss the plan afterwards. They spoke reviewing in particular the planned bus route running through the East Malling Research Land that would connect East Malling to Hermitage Lane.

The meeting highlighted in more depth flaws with the planning consultant’s work. The was no review of the bus routes on new developments the other side of Hermitage Lane. The committee discussed how the land might be quarriable, as Gallaghers Hermitage Quarry is one of the only Ragstone quarries left in Kent and is located on the other side of the railway line.

This committee also highlighted the delegation of responsibility for traffic issues on the A20 London Road to developers to solve. One councillor not from this area thought it could be suggested to ask that Ditton moves our war memorial and lose our protected village green status within our conservation area outside the school and church to help with traffic management.

In the end, after just under six hours of debating across the two meetings, both committees have voted and accepted to defer the judgement until further evidence and clarification can be sought.

This is a welcome outcome at this stage, but we are aware that the proposal was not rejected, and is unlikely to be so unless further material grounds emerge.

DPC will issue updates covering any new announcements and will continue to work alongside local TMBC Borough Councillors to resist this application.

 

 

STATEMENT ISSUED PRIOR TO AREA 3 MEETING ON 09/03/2026

TM/24/00372/OAEA - DEVELOPMENT SITE LAND EAST OF KILNBARN ROAD AND WEST OF HERMITAGE LANE

As you may be aware on Monday 9th March, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council will be discussing via their Area 3 and Area 2 planning committees, a large housing development that will consist of 1,300 homes between Kiln Barn Road, Ditton to Hermitage Lane, Aylesford and Barming. It will also discuss upgrading the footpath though the “East Malling Research” site to a road to provide vehicle access to East Malling and beyond. Should this development be approved, many acres of prime agricultural land will be lost, and significant extra traffic generated, without delivering the levels of affordable and social housing that are required. A situation that would be to the detriment of the residents in our village.

Since the last large housing development that affected Ditton, was approved by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in spite of its objectionsthe Parish council have targeted training and increasing our knowledge of the planning process and those “material causes” that are recognised as valid objections and have to be considered by TMBC  when making a decision.

Since the proposal was first raised in 2023, Ditton Parish Council have made sure it has attended every opportunity to engage and put our points across to the owners of the land and the agent. DPC has considered the evidence presented but has never supported this application

 

In 2024, when the application was published a public meeting was held with over 200 attending to highlight the substantial objection the council was proposing to submit. This meeting took place after hundreds of hours of work by parish councillors reviewing the thousands of pages of documents.The council has also sought advice from legal experts in planning and transportation and have included their findings with our objections to build a robust case based on “material reasons” why the proposal should be refused.

DPC’s comprehensive  objection was submitted and subsequently updated to reflect changes in the 2025 National Planning Policy Framework, and the latest draft TMBC Local Plan. Copy of our objection can be found on the council’s website via the following link:

https://www.hugofox.com/community/ditton-parish-council-15073/planning-issues/

On Monday, the parish council will be given three minutes to express the views of the residents. The speech, which will be short, will highlight how the recent local plan Tonbridge and Malling have consulted on goes against the ambitions of the plan. We are also highlighting the legislation that needs to be considered against the plan.

 

The parish council are more than aware that this is the biggest housing development we have faced in more than a generation, and has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure its objections were thorough, accurate and reflected the concerns of residents that have spoken directly with us.

 

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The whole application can be viewed at https://www.tmbc.gov.uk/view-planning-applications and committee reports can be viewed at Agenda for Area 3 Planning Committee on Monday, 9th March, 2026, 5.30 pm for Area 3 Planning Committee and at Agenda for Area 2 Planning Committee on Monday, 9th March, 2026, 6.30 pm for Area 2

 

EMT BRADBOURNE PROPOSAL - UPDATE

 

Ditton Parish Council was sent an updated application for this proposal at the end of November 2024 requesting comments by 28th December.  We did ask for an extension of time to be able to submit comments as the consultation period fell over the Christmas and New Year holidays.  The updated NPPF [December 2024] was also considered when this response was drafted.

Ditton Parish Council's  has in response submitted further objections to the application to build 1300 homes between Kilnbarn Road and Hermitage Lane, as discussed at the Public Meeting held on 15th April 2024.  You can view the objections submitted by Ditton Parish Council by clicking the  PDF link BELOW.

 

 

COMMENTS/OBJECTIONS TO THIS APPLICATION NEED TO BE MADE DIRECT TO TMBC PLANNING

TO DO THIS TYPE IN THE FOLLOWING LINK:  planning.agileapplications.co.uk/tmbc/application-details/157486

or by emailing planning.applications@tmbc.gov.uk and including the application no in the reference - 24/000372/PA

EMT BRADBOURNE PROPOSAL

Ditton Parish Council's Initial Objection to the application to build 1300 homes between Kilnbarn Road and Hermitage Lane, as discussed at the Public Meeting held on 15th April.  This document has been slightly amended to the draft circulated at the meeting.

 

COMMENTS/OBJECTIONS TO THIS APPLICATION NEED TO BE MADE DIRECT TO TMBC PLANNING

TO DO THIS TYPE IN THE FOLLOWING LINK:  planning.agileapplications.co.uk/tmbc/application-details/157486

or by emailing planning.applications@tmbc.gov.uk and including the application no in the reference - 24/000372/PA