TV presenter Paul O'Grady has pledged his support to a campaign group determined to protect their local areas.

Mr O'Grady, who lives in Aldington, has made a 'significant donation' to Rural Means Rural (RMR), which is fighting to include a Landscape Protection policy into the Ashford 2030 Local Plan.

The policy isn't anti-development but aims to take into account the 'cumulative effects' development has on the rural area, whilst helping to protect its characteristics, environment and communities.

Mr O'Grady said: “I admire the determination of this group, who are fighting to be heard by the local authorities.

"I have seen a lot of change in the time that I have lived in Aldington, most of it I don’t like.

"It’s not appropriate to build housing estates in rural villages when local services and facilities are already overwhelmed."

Glyn Bryant, RMR planning advisor, added: “ There is an imbalance of power in the planning system that more and more favours the developers. Even if local people oppose applications, quite often they are eventually successful.

"Communities are the ones directly affected by planning decisions, who have to welcome new neighbours and share facilities and services.

"The Landscape Protection Policy will help communities that care about their area to raise the bar for development there, tipping the balance back towards the people who will have to live with the

consequences of building. Our campaign aims to give communities a voice.”