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A petition calling for a field next to Ashford’s controversial post-Brexit lorry park to be protected from development has proved a success after councillors agreed to work on safeguarding the land.
In the summer, the Village Alliance campaign group asked for a 'green buffer zone' to be created on open space between Mersham and the HGV holding area in Sevington.
Its campaign sparked a debate at a meeting of Ashford Borough Council last Thursday, where members unanimously agreed to consider the field for designation as a 'green buffer zone' as part of the Local Plan and to pursue buying the site, which is now owned by the government.
Organiser Linda Arthur, who had created a hand-written paper petition as well as running an online form, says the Village Alliance is "delighted with its success".
"It much appreciates the support of residents, Mersham parish council, neighbouring villages, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and many parish councils in the borough," Mrs Arthur said.
"This is good news, not only for Mersham, but for all villages in our borough.
"Cllr Paul Bartlett (Con) will lead the Local Plan and policy task group to explore how to introduce the green buffer zones into Ashford planning policy.
"The Village Alliance has worked for many years for this moment, but the work does not stop here.
"We will now be working with Ashford Borough Council, Kent County Council, the parish council and the Department for Transport to decide how to move the ownership of the land forward.
"We need to plan how the field can be used as a community benefit, to provide a biodiversity benefit to offset a biodiversity loss."
Cllr Bartlett – who lives just a stone's throw from the lorry park site – said during the meeting that "where Mersham leads, other villages will follow".
"We have a unique opportunity here to do something in an area of the borough which we can then roll out to other villages and other communities," he said.
"This is the first time the council has taken this kind of step to give the designation of a buffer area.
"We will apply this in other areas once we get this right for Mersham."
In a letter sent to residents in the summer, the government said there is no planned development for the field which is at the centre of the Village Alliance’s campaign.
But it confirmed spoil will be stored on the land for 12 months and said contractors will keep the height of soil stockpiles to a minimum “wherever possible”.
Residents are currently being urged to have their say on the 1,700-space Sevington lorry park – four months after work began on the site which is overlooked by the historic Sevington church.
Mrs Arthur, whose petition attracted more than 2,000 signatures, says people should share their views, saying: “We only have a very short time, until Monday [October 26] to submit our feedback.
“This is an opportunity to reinforce to the government the need for a 'green buffer zone' to protect the high field in Mersham.
“The Village Alliance still needs the support of the Ashford borough residents.”
To submit a comment, visit www.inlandborderfacilities.uk
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