A resident and former cabinet office director has expressed concerns Cranbrook villagers have not been given enough time to examine updated plans for a housing development in Turnden because of coronavirus restrictions.

Berkeley Homes secured permission to build 36 homes along Hartley Road in February last year.

The housing developer has since introduced separate plans to expand the site to 168 properties.

Resident Carl Meewezen, a former government business services director, has written to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) saying lockdown means residents have been too preoccupied to express their views.

The letter from Mr Meewezen to Steve Baughen, head of planning at TWBC, says: “I believe there has been no consultation or notification to the local community what-so-ever on the latest application.

"Before the lockdown, local residents had cited widespread concerns about Berkeley Group’s early proposals for the Turnden site, ranging from its environmental impact, to deficiencies in the social infrastructure it would create.

"Local people are not focused on planning applications because, per national government instructions they are keeping safe, protecting our NHS and saving lives. This includes a legal obligation not to leave our houses, except on four permissible bases, which do not include planning applications."

Berkeley Homes says the new plans for the increased number of homes has been open for consultation since December.

The developer provided information stating the pre-application meetings were held with TWBC and Kent County Council Officers and meetings have been held with the parish council, local ward members, Neighbourhood Plan Group and Turnden Advisory Group.

A full public consultation was held in the local sports centre on December 17 to present initial proposals for 165 homes, whereby residents could provide feedback in person, by post and via email. For those unable to attend, copies of the consultation materials were sent via post on request.

The planning application was submitted on March 6, prior to the lockdown and was validated by the council on April 2.

It further states the council is undertaking the statutory period of consultation and despite lockdown, representations can still be made online or in writing to the council.

A Berkely Homes spokesperson said: “The proposal is entirely separate to the plans for 36 homes approved in February last year. It has been in development for almost a year and there was extensive engagement with residents prior to the submission of the application."

However, Tom Dawlings, borough councillor for Benenden and Cranbrook is also calling for an extension.

"The Berkeley application was submitted before the coronavirus lockdown. The lockdown was introduced while TWBC went through the process of validation. So this is an unfortunate change of circumstance.

"At this stage, I think it would be really helpful for Berkeley Homes and TWBC to agree to an extension to the normal timetable for major applications so that public consultation can be fully undertaken. That is what I am trying to encourage."

A spokesperson for TWBC said: "The government has made it clear that councils should continue to determine planning applications and so the planning services team is operating a business as usual approach.

“On receipt of a valid planning application a council must start to consider it, this is a process which is governed by legislation, and for major planning applications may take many weeks or months. It would be not be possible for a developer to ‘push a development through’ given the requirements of this process.

“Neither would it be possible for a council to require an application be withdrawn. Not to begin consideration of an application would leave the council open to appeal which could mean an application being decided by the planning inspectorate.”

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