Evidence

A collection of historic and reflective papers and presentations which capture the mood and spirit of Birchington from the characters and events.

Author: Nick Evans

A description of the character of Birchington, highlighting key features of the natural and built environments, landscapes and seascapes and the role they play in making the village the place it is today.

BIRCHINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

An in-depth analysis of the housing needs in Birchington based on the allocation of land for 1,600 new homes in an area to the south west of the parish. Researched and produced by AECOM the report addresses housing mix and tenure in the context of local need and affordability.

Birchington Housing Needs Assessment (HNA)

These booklets, carefully researched and published by the Birchington Heritage Society, provide facts, insight, and anecdotes about the development, life, and character of Birchington.

http://www.birchingtonheritage.org.uk/

A detailed examination of Birchington landscape, based on information published in the 2017 report Thanet Landscape Character Assessment, August 2017 produced by LUC (Land Use Consultants) and published by Thanet District Council.

5 Birchington Landscape Character Assessment 2020

An assessment of the current open space, leisure, and recreation assets within Birchington, including recommendations about policies and actions for the protection and improvement of these assets.

Birchington Leisure & Recreation Assessment

A widely publicised ‘open door’ day long event on 6 June 2019 organised and facilitated to inform the community about the neighbourhood plan and to gather feedback about vision, objectives and priorities. Over 150 people attended representing a wide range of age groups and community views.

8 Birchington Neighbourhood Plan Design Day

The Birchington Neighbourhood Planning Group substantive response to the consultation by Thanet District Council about the Outline Planning Application OL/TH/20/1755 for development of 1,650 new homes and associated facilities and infrastructure on land to the southwest of Birchington.

NP submission to TDC SP16 Consultation February 2021- FINAL 18.2.21

Includes information and supporting evidence about the views and vistas around the village and lists many of the green open spaces that exist and should be protected for future generations.

Birchington Green Open Spaces Assessment ADOPTED

The Birchington Parish Council substantive response(in February 2021) to the consultation by Thanet District Council about the Outline Planning Application OL/TH/20/1755 for development of 1,650 new homes and associated facilities and infrastructure on land to the southwest of Birchington. An amended application was submitted in June 2023 and the Parish Council appointed consultants to help frame further representations. These were submitted to Thanet District Council in August 2023. This was after the Neighbourhood Plan had been examined so did not influence the Policies set out in the Plan.

Birchington Parish Council Response to SP16 Consultation

Report adopted by Birchington Parish Council setting out the case for S106 Developer Contribution towards community projects required to mitigate the impact of the proposed development at SP16.

S106 FULL COUNCIL Paper Oct 2020 FINAL (1)

The table shows the income and usage of pay and display car parks and on-site parking for one week in each quarter of the financial year 2019/20. This information has been used to help inform the Station Road Improvement Project Brief.

Copy of Car Parking Information Dec 2020

Survey of village residents conducted by Birchington Parish Council with almost 1,300 responses (12%) identifying issues and priorities in and around the village.

19 Birchington Village Appraisal 2018 Summary Data Locked Final

Building for a Healthy Life is an initiative by the housing industry setting standards which developers must meet to achieve planning approval.

Building for a Healthy Life July 2020

A catalogue of significant areas and buildings in the parish, compiled by the Birchington Heritage Trust.

http://www.birchingtonheritage.org.uk/

The findings of a study conducted by Birchington Heritage Trust to identify and catalogue character buildings in Birchington.

http://www.birchingtonheritage.org.uk/

Report to Birchington Parish Council setting out the need to consider the village conservation area which was designated by the District Council in 1976 but never subsequently reviewed.

Conservation Area Review 2020

Brief for review and analysis of the commercial heart of the village, advice on changes and on improvements to the urban landscape of Station Road that would help to improve air quality and accessibility, and the shopping experience whilst retaining the character of the place.

BRIEF for Station Road Improvement Scheme version 2

Commissioned by Kent County Council (KCC) to undertake forecast junction capacity assessments at key junctions within the Thanet district local network, primarily on the A256/A254 and A28 corridors.

https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/transport-and-infrastructure/

Landscape Institute describes the role the landscape sector can play in delivering a sustainable economic recovery, and what more the government must do to facilitate this.

Greener Recovery

This gives detailed information about the housing stock in each local authority area and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/completing-local-authority-housing-statistics-2019-to-2020-guidance-notes-and-bulk-upload

Revised and updated information was due to be published in July 2021.

Visual presentation of the Kent joint health needs assessment produced by the Kent Public Health Observatory.

https://www.kpho.org.uk/health-intelligence

This provides a detailed analysis of the population of each Ward in Kent. For Birchington this is Birchington South and Birchington North.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/research

General article highlighting the variability of broadband speeds across Kent based on nationally gathered data.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/malling/news/best-and-worst-broadband-streets-revealed-195529/

Sets out the long-term plans for provision of education services across Kent and the underlying assumptions.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/education-skills-and-employment-policies/kent-strategy-for-school-improvement

This sets out the County Council’s assessment of what would be required to support the proposals on land allocated for development (SP16). Includes an analysis of the contributions required from the developers.

KCC SP16 Infrastructure Assessment

A plan to improve access opportunities and the potential to create new public rights of way.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/environment-waste-and-planning-policies/countryside-policies-and-reports/public-rights-of-way-improvement-plan

Kent, like the rest of England, has an ageing population that will put increasing demands on the system, and will require long-term complex care. This, along with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and the rising cost of technology means that nationally the NHS faces a £30bn funding gap by 2021, unless the system of health and social care can be transformed. To meet this challenge in Kent, the Health and Wellbeing Board has developed this strategy to lead the system as it changes.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/health-policies/joint-health-and-wellbeing-strategy

Sets out government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework–2

Statistics and analysis showing relative deprivation in small areas in England.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2015

A background assessment for potential improvements and developments of Birchington Memorial Recreation Ground.

Birchington Parish Council – Neighbourhood Plan Project -Improvements Memorial Recreation Ground Birchington -FINAL (1)

A peer reviewed analysis of the impact of climate change on sea levels which identifies global mean sea level rose 11–16 cm in the twentieth century and that due to carbon emissions, it could rise another 0.5 m this century.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12808-z

Outline planning application, with all matters reserved except for access, for a mixed-use urban extension comprising up to 1,650 residential units, other facilities, and infrastructure.

https://planning.thanet.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=QLP5UWQEMA800

NHS England launched the Healthy New Towns Programme in 2015 to explore how the development of new places could provide an opportunity to create healthier and connected communities with integrated and high-quality health services.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/innovation/healthy-new-towns/

The Plan sets out how Southern Water intends to supply healthy, reliable drinking water to more than one million homes and businesses for the next 50 years.

Southern Water Resources Management Plan 2019

Topical article reporting on yet another major leak of raw sewage onto beaches in Thanet due to equipment failure and systems under capacity.

https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/thanet-warnings-remain-11-beaches-5558727

Identifies potential opportunities and constraints for future development within the village. This document needs to be read with the Village-wide Design Guidelines document that includes the context analysis and design guidelines for the wider village.

Site Design Guidance and Codes Birchington 2021 (1)

Marine Plans inform and guide decision makers on development in marine and coastal areas. They set out a range of planning policies (for example, marine infrastructure) and licensing requirements for regulating activity below “mean high water springs”.

South East Marine Plan – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Feedback report produced by Ptarmigan Land and Millwood Homes following a two-day community event in October 2019 to promote the proposed new homes development at South West Birchington. The event was attended by over 760 people who completed 1 2 structured feedback forms and 240 ‘post-it note’ comments.

11 South West Birchington-on-Sea Interim Consultation Feedback Report

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/our-story/water-resources-planning/water-resources-management-plan-2020-70

Charts and supporting data showing groundwater levels, rainfall, and reservoir water levels over several years compared to drought and other triggers.

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/water-for-life/groundwater-levels

Pre-planning application statement of common ground between Thanet District Council and the prospective developer, Ptarmigan Ltd.

https://planning.thanet.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=QLP5UWQEMA800

The UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE) was commissioned by the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) to develop recommendations that could both improve the nation’s health, reduce health inequalities, and achieve Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050.

https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/sustainable-health-equity-achieving-a-net-zero-uk

An assessment of the key landscape characteristics of Thanet carried out to inform decisions about land use and allocation in the Development Plan.

https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/local-plan-updates/

The Plan sets out policies and proposals that will be used to guide decisions and investment on development and regeneration over the period to 2031. It sets out how and where the homes, jobs, community facilities, shops and infrastructure will be delivered and the types of places and environments we want to create. It also identifies land to be protected from development.

https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/local-plan-updates/

The Playing Pitch Strategy for Thanet District Council and its partners. It provides a framework for future provision and management of sports pitches to serve existing and new communities across the district.

Thanet Playing Pitch Strategy 2018

Provides the evidence base for protecting existing provision and allocating new open space within the Development Plan.

Thanet Open Space Strategy

Produced jointly by Thanet District Council and Kent County Council as part of the Thanet Local Plan development process. It outlines a transport policy framework for managing growth identified in the Local Plan and is predicated on the concept of an ‘inner circuit’ relief road network formed of current and new roads and junctions. Delivery is dependent on receipt of government grants and developer contributions.

Thanet District Transport Strategy 2015_2031 (1)

Sets out the actions the government will take to ensure that residents in social housing are safe, are listened to, live in good quality homes, and have access to redress when things go wrong.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-charter-for-social-housing-residents-social-housing-white-paper

Energy white paper setting out how the UK will clean up its energy system and reach net zero emissions by 2050.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-white-paper-powering-our-net-zero-future

Part of regulatory reforms aimed at making farming more sustainable through the Environmental Land Management Scheme.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-transition-plan-2021-to-2024

The United Kingdom Prosperity Index has been developed as a practical and policy-relevant tool to help identify what action will help to unlock prosperity in the UK. It is designed to offer a helpful, data-led tool. The Index consists of 3 domains and 12 pillars, built upon 53 actionable policy areas (elements), 256 indicators and covering 379 local authorities across all regions of the UK.

http://www.li.com/   http://www.prosperity.com/

Surveys conducted of plans, opinions, and expectations of traders in Station Road, Birchington – the commercial centre of the village. A summary of the responses from traders are shown in these tables and has been used to help inform the brief for the Station Road Improvement Project.

Traders Questionaire 100320 RESULTS

Online mapping of tree preservation orders in place in Thanet.

https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/tree-preservation-orders/

Village-wide design guidelines that future development in Birchington should follow to retain and protect the existing character and scenic beauty of the area.

4 Village-wide Design Guidelines Birchington 2021