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Video: Diana Beaupre
explains her opposition to the Polo Farm plans

by Adam Williams

Opposition is mounting to a
planned £12 million expansion of Canterbury's Polo Farm Sports
Club.

Residents living next door to the
complex, off Littlebourne Road, are now gearing up for a David and
Goliath-esque fight.

Adrian Watkinson and Diana Beaupre,
who have lived and worked on farmland next to the club for more
than 20 years, have already witnessed its expansion at
first-hand.

Previously uninterrupted views
across the countryside towards Littlebourne from their Trenley
Drive home, have been replaced since 2006 with a raised bank,
fencing and in the last 12 months, floodlights around the club’s
new hockey pitch.

Adrian and Diana, who run Cats
Cradle cattery, hope residents living around the proposed
development can come together to show their opposition.

Adrian, 65, said: “We’re in a
difficult position and also up against the clock.

“We're spread out across a wide
area and live in several different parishes, rather than just one
village.”

Polo Farm are hoping to create
a partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University,
to build a sports science laboratory and research centre on
the 47 acre site.

Two new floodlit hockey
pitches with a centre of excellence, three artificial tennis
courts, new cricket and tennis pavilions, an indoor hockey, cricket
and sports centre are also included in the masterplan.

A public consultation runs
until Friday, February 19.

Adrian added: “We need a longer
consultation period than that.

“We want time to conduct our own
consultant’s report about the true impact this 'sporting city’ will
have on our lives."

City council spokesman Rob Davies
admitted that although the consultation has yet to be formally
extended, submissions will still be accepted after the initial
deadline.

He said: “As this is a major
application, the council needs to decide it within 13 weeks, so we
are aiming to take it to the planning committee on Tuesday, March
30.

“This does give people a little bit
longer to get their comments in, so we would allow representations
up until March 12 at the absolute latest.”

Read more on this story in
this week's Kentish Gazette, out Thursday.