Up to 435 dwellings at Land At Bunyards, Beaver Road, Allington

What was proposed

An outline application sought up to 435 dwellings, affordable homes, landscaping, parking, open space, play areas and a realigned road with a new Beaver Road access.

“22/501570/ADJ Adjoining Authority Application - Outline planning application for the development of up to 435 dwellings, including 40% affordable homes, with associated landscaping, parking, open space, play areas, etc.”

“22/00409/OAEA Outline planning application for the development of up to 435 dwellings, including 40% affordable homes, with associated landscaping, parking, open space, play areas, etc. Realignment of Beaver Road and the construction of a new vehicular access off of Beaver Road and construction of a new vehicular access onto Godwin Road, and all other associated development works (Access only detailed matter with all other matters reserved.”

Officer report

The site and access

Only a small part of the access and road realignment lay within Maidstone, while the housing and associated development lay within Tonbridge and Malling.

“The site is to the west of, and would be accessed off, Beaver Road in Allington. The site location plan below shows the full application site but only a sliver of the site adjacent to Beaver Road falls within MBC which is highlighted in yellow. A larger scale plan shows this in more detail further below. Site Location Plan (land within MBC highlighted in yellow)”

“As can be seen, the application site is predominantly within Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council’s (TMBC) jurisdiction but because part of the proposed access falls within MBC, the applicant is required to make planning applications to both authorities. MBC can only consider the development which falls upon its land being part of the access and the impacts of this part of the development. All the housing and associated development falls within TMBC.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the access harm was acceptable in context, highways consultees raised no objections, and other impacts could be mitigated.

“The new access would cause some harm to the character and appearance of Beaver Road but the context for this assessment is the fact that a development of up to 435 dwellings has been approved by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) (committee resolution to approve January 2026). In this context, the level of harm is lessened and acceptable because there will be a significant amount of development as a backdrop to the access.”

“The use of the access onto Beaver Road has been assessed by KCC Highways and no objections have been raised in terms of highway or pedestrian safety. There are no objections from KCC Highways in terms of traffic impacts on local junctions subject to mitigation which is secured under the TMBC approval, or from National Highways in respect of junction 5 of the M20.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Natural England, the Environment Agency, National Highways and KCC Highways raised no objections subject to specified conditions or mitigation.

“National Highways: No objections subject to conditions relating to construction management and travel plan.”

“KCC Highways: No objections subject to conditions being no occupation until the Link Road improvement, between Hermitage Lane and A20 London Road has been completed, design and implementation of the two-way cycleway to the north side of A20 London Road between Castle Road and Grace Avenue, construction management plan, and a travel plan; and financial contributions of £406,725 towards bus service enhancements, bus infrastructure and/or bus journey time improvements, and…”

Officer report

Objections and concerns

Forty-seven representations raised concerns including traffic, highway safety, pollution, infrastructure, wildlife, loss of green space, flooding, noise and construction disruption.

“Local Residents: 47 representations received raising the following (summarised) points:”

“Increase in traffic. • Highway safety. • Secondary access is not suitable and does not comply with guidance. • Road realignment is dangerous. • Traffic evidence is out of date. • Lack of parking. • Railway bridge is a constraint on the A20. • Cars park on Beaver Road. • Park and ride has been closed. • Increased pollution. • Lack of infrastructure. • Unsustainable. • Harm to wildlife. • Loss of gap between Maidstone and Aylesford. • Loss of trees and hedges.”

Officer report

Who spoke

Councillors, a representative of the New Allington Action Group and the applicant’s representative addressed the committee.

Committee amendments

The committee amended the open-space contribution, required existing hedge and scrub vegetation to be retained, and sought negotiations about removing part of the pavement.

“The amendment to the heads of terms to allocate a proportion of the open space financial contribution (amount delegated to officers) towards landscaping at an area of public open space within the local area with suitable soil conditions.”

“Amendments to conditions 3 and 9 to retain the existing hedge/scrub vegetation either side of the access in its current state.”

Minutes

The vote

Permission was granted by 11 votes in favour, none against and two abstentions.

“That permission be granted subject to conditions, the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the heads of terms set out in the report with:”

Minutes