Battle of Britain - Edited Plans and Campaign Meeting

Campaigners met on 7th November at the Civic Centre to discuss a way forward for the local community. These ideas, which include a new community facility, were drawn up as a plan by Anthony Imms and together a letter with signatures has been circulated to residents and campaigners to send to the developers.

We now know that the developers have come forward a submitted amended plans to the Council and I, like many others, will be putting in my objections. I have a meeting with the Planning Officers shortly to discuss the plans and I will speak at the Regulatory Board against this when it comes before the committee some time in the New Year.

The text of the letter that many have signed is below:

Battle of Britain Site – Application Number 20171245

We write on behalf of the local community and community campaigners of which number some several hundred, regarding the Battle of Britain site off Coldharbour Road in Northfleet. There is no doubt that we are still dismayed at the way the former much-loved community public house was torn down despite being given a notice to desist by Gravesham Borough Council. We still feel that there are questions to answer including about the manner of the demolition the removal of asbestos amongst others and the community will still request answers to these important issues.

However, our prevailing concern is to ensure that the site does not remain vacant and unsightly as it currently does. To this end interested community campaigners have recently come together, before the revised application was submitted to put an alternative plan for this site which we feel meets both your desire to add housing to this site and restore a local community asset and also create a memorial to those who this historic site in times past and pays tribute to our local fallen and past armed forces. We enclose this outline plan which we encourage you to give serious consideration to. As you can see includes the follows:

·The road entrance feed through the site from Coldharbour Road and removes the need to enter the site from New House Lane which locals know is a busy road and junction. This is a key problem for the local community.

·There are a variety of units of housing including a mix of houses with gardens, flats and an open space. These, it is requested, must fit in with the character of the local area including, height of accommodation, materials used and layout.

·A memorial by one of the retained trees to our Battle of Britain servicemen and servicewomen.

·The roads and recreation area be named after local RAF Battle of Britain Pilots and the aircraft for which the original pilots clubhouse was built.

·The creation of a community/social club and community facility of the approximate size of the original Battle of Britain clubhouse (1940’s version). The community have indicated this is something they would be willing to take over responsibility for.

·Adequate parking spaces for residents and visitors to the properties.

We would also request that while plans are being developed that you maintain the site including removal of the rubbish that was dumped there and maintaining the grass verge and hoardings.

We are keen to move forward for the local Coldharbour community on this issue and would be happy to meet with your planners and architects to ensure we have a site that everyone can move forward with. We appreciate you have a revised application in with the Council but we feel that these reasonable requests must be taken into account and we will ensure the Council are lobbied to ensure that they are aware of this counter proposal and we hope we can find a solution that can meet everyone’s needs.

We look forward to hearing from you.'

This was the letter. Once I get a reply I will seek to let the community know.