Sevenoaks District Council issues woodland warning

Press Release

27 May 2021

Council issues woodland warning

Sevenoaks District Council is taking action to protect an ancient woodland in Sevenoaks, which is being sold for development.

The Council discovered the protected wooded site south of Ashgrove Road, Sevenoaks (TN13 1SU) is being sold as individual plots with marketing information suggesting the site has the potential for development.

The woodland is in the Green Belt and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty so planning permission for any residential development is unlikely to be granted.

To ensure the wood continues to be protected, the Council served Article 4 Directions on Thursday 27 May 2021 restricting the activities that can be carried out without planning permission. This includes putting up fences, gates or walls, stationing caravans and other temporary uses.

The Council has also reported the sales to KCC Trading Standards for investigation.

Cllr Julia Thornton, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Development & Conservation, says: “We have promised our residents that we will do everything we can to protect our much cherished environment. Serving these latest Article 4 Directions clearly demonstrate we are being true to our word.

“Anyone considering buying this land should beware: this woodland is protected and any proposals to develop it are unlikely to be granted planning permission.”

This latest action comes after the Council served Article 4 Directions on sites in Shoreham, Cowden, Edenbridge (Hever Road), Penshurst and West Kingsdown (St Clere Hill Road) as they too were being sold as individual plots for development.

Anyone who is considering buying a plot of land should check its planning status first.

They can do this on the Council’s interactive planning map at https://maps.sevenoaks.gov.uk/planning.

Alternatively they can seek advice from the Council’s Pre-Application Planning Advice team www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/preapplicationadvice or call 01732 227000.

Issued by: Daniel Whitmarsh, Communication and Consultation Manager
Call: 01732 227414
e-mail: daniel.whitmarsh@sevenoaks.gov.uk