Plans Approved for New Romney Development of 100 Homes

Plans for the construction of nearly 100 new homes in New Romney have been approved by Folkestone and Hythe District Council. The proposed development, situated on land at Ashford Road, New Romney, will feature 99 residential units, with five of these allocated for self-build properties.

Pentland Homes, the developer behind the project, instructed Charles & Associates (C&A) to provide expert advice on highway design for the site. As part of the planning process, a Transport Assessment Addendum was prepared by C&A, concluding that the new homes would not place a severe impact on the local highway network. However, concerns raised by Kent County Council (KCC), the local highway authority, prompted the preparation of a Highways State Technical Note to address potential safety issues specifically related to the self-build plots.

In addition to traffic considerations, a Flood Risk Assessment was undertaken by C&A, concluding that the site is suitable for residential development in respect of flood risk and surface water drainage. The assessment confirmed that the site is not at risk from flooding and that the development would not negatively impact the area’s existing public drainage systems or nearby watercourses, nor would it pose a risk to groundwater source protection zones. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the surface water run off would be suitably treated with hydrocarbons, suspended solids and heavy metals being removed prior to discharging to the existing watercourse. The SuDs design also provides multifunctional benefits to the site in terms of biodiversity and ecology.

Given the positive results from both the transport and flood risk assessments, the development is set to move forward, with no major obstacles preventing the project from advancing through the final stages of the planning process.