The proposed Highsted Park development will bring more than 8,000 new homes to a remote rural area and I – like local residents – am concerned about the pressure it’ll bring to the road network.
So I recently sat down with National Highways to ask them how they’re preparing for this possibility. They are a statutory consultee of the development and are giving evidence at the Planning Inquiry currently taking place. National Highways would be responsible for the new Junction 5a on the M2 which the developer has promised as part of the development’s plans.
I was astounded to hear that they hadn’t seen any plans for the new junction yet and so haven’t run any modelling or assessments either. Surely both National Highways and the Planning Inspector need to see and assess these designs before any decision can be made. Given this, I asked National Highways to clearly outline what steps they’ll take to protect the M2, regardless of what transport projects go ahead.
They pointed to the following key conditions which they say have to be met:
Highways Act 1980 Approval (pre-commencement) – except for preliminary works, no part of the development shall commence unless and until consent has been granted by the Secretary of State for Transport for the construction of M2 Junction 5a, and an agreement has been entered into between the developer and NH for the construction of M2 Junction 5a.
Completion of M2 Junction 5a – no phase of the development shall be occupied unless and until M2 Junction 5a, Sittingbourne Southern Relief Road and Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road are complete and open to traffic.
Monitor and Manage Implementation Strategy – no part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed Monitor and Manage Implementation Strategy (MMIS) has been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority (who shall consult with NH) and implemented. The MMIS shall include arrangements for monitoring of all relevant transport and highways impacts arising from the proposed development. The strategy shall continue to be implemented until construction and occupation of the whole of the development (hereby permitted) has been completed.
It’s clear that the Labour government are determined to build more homes – especially in the countryside – regardless of their impact on local people. I understand that we need to build more houses, but the Highsted Park development is another thing altogether and residents are rightly concerned about its impact. I will be paying close attention to the Inquiry and those giving evidence at it. I promise you, I won’t give up without a fight and will never tire of making the case against Highsted Park.
