Plans for 2,000-home development scrapped

A greenfield site was at the centre of a protest in April last year

Plans for a 2,000-home development in Kent have been scrapped, with the greenfield site removed from the council's draft local plan.

The University of Kent-owned plot, north of the city campus, was the site of a protest last year opposing a new estate between the villages of Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common.

Canterbury City Council (CCC) said concerns had been raised regarding "suitable access" and impact to the highway network, ecology and loss of ancient woodland at the proposed site.

Thousands of homes may be built elsewhere because of the decision, including 1,500 in eastern Canterbury, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The draft local plan – a document set to guide housebuilding across the city, Whitstable, Herne Bay and the villages until 2040 – was released in May last year.

The largest single site proposed was the University of Kent's land, which also had the most responses from the public, accounting for 1,244 out of 2,960 total comments (42%).

The most common comments were regarding the negative impact on countryside, concern of traffic increase and road access and concern to wildlife and endangered species.

The university previously said that the plans would free up land to the "wider benefit of the local community" while helping the university raise funds to invest in providing education.

Julia Kirby-Smith, chair of the Save the Blean campaign, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the news.

"Local people came together with such amazing community spirit, skill and resilience to make sure the council understood what was at stake, and it is great that they have listened."

The campaign said it had been working on an alternative plan for the land, dubbed Blean Biopark, which they said would enhance the Blean Ancient Woodland, wildlife corridors and heritage.

The university added: "We have been engaging with Save the Blean on the Blean Biopak proposals and are still evaluating the proposals."

Save the Blean have proposed an alternative for the site dubbed Blean Biopark

The current local plan was made by the Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition administration, which came to power in 2023.

It replaced the previous Tory leadership's draft local plan, proposing almost 2,200 homes in eastern Canterbury, as well as a bypass road, which were ultimately removed.

Local councils are held to yearly housebuilding targets by central government and can be penalised by losing some planning powers if they consistently fail to hit them.

With the site for 2,000 homes north of the university removed, the reintroduction of homes in eastern Canterbury - about 1,500 south of Littlebourne Road and 860 south of Bekesbourne - means the authority can still hit its targets.

At a meeting of the CCC's cabinet on 8 September, the authority's leadership will vote on putting the new plans out to consultation for the public and organisations to comment on.