Don’t sacrifice Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve for 1,500 homes, say Lib Dems
Lib Dem councillors have welcomed Kent Wildlife Trust’s plan for homes and nature side by side.
Sevenoaks Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative-run District Council to rethink plans for 1,500 homes on the edge of Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve.
The reserve and the neighbouring Sevenoaks Gravel Pits Site of Special Scientific Interest are home to more than 2,000 species.
The River Darent, one of Kent’s rare chalk streams, runs straight through the 107.5-hectare site earmarked for building.
With two developments already approved nearby, 2,586 new homes could bring around 7,000 more people within 1km of the reserve. That would more than double the population of Sevenoaks Northern ward.
More people means more noise, more light and more pollution, all on the doorstep of a nationally important wildlife site and a fragile river.
There is a better way
Kent Wildlife Trust asked local people what they want. All 112 who took part in the survey said the reserve matters to them, and every one wanted housing kept away from it.
The Trust’s Alternative Vision shows the site can still deliver new homes without harming the reserve:
- homes on the less sensitive land west of Rye Lane and in the north-west corner
- the River Darent restored, with wetlands, reedbeds and floodplain to hold back floodwater
- the rest of the site turned into a nature recovery area of woodland, meadows and grazing
- paths and cycle routes that avoid the most sensitive habitats
The Wildlife Trust has done brilliantly well to create a compelling and attractive vision for this part of Sevenoaks. I genuinely hope that the Council will be flexible and prepared to think again. As we move forward with more housing in the District, it is vital that we also protect our precious environment, wildlife and key waterways.
Cllr Alan Leaman, Lib Dem group leader, Sevenoaks District Council
Speak up now
The Local Plan, which contains the 1,500-home proposal, goes to Government later this year, and a Planning Inspector is expected to examine it in 2027.
Land promoter Fairfax is consulting now, so tell them what you think:
Mon 19 October: Drop-in event, 2.30pm to 7pm, Bat & Ball Centre, Sevenoaks
Sun 8 November: Deadline for written responses to Fairfax
See the Alternative Vision on the Preserve Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve campaign page.
