Plans to create a bold new vision for Headcorn have been submitted to Maidstone Borough Council, which will see the delivery of new sports and community facilities alongside much needed, high quality new homes.
Brought forward by Gladman and located on land off Lenham Road on the north-eastern edge of the village, the plans include 263 new homes alongside brand-new sports pitches for a range of uses and changing room facilities for the whole community.
There is currently a housing shortage in the local area, with Maidstone Borough Council unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
An outline planning application has been submitted to the Council following a period of consultation with local people. The plans include:
- A mix of up to 263 new homes suitable for every stage of life, including 40% affordable homes for sale and rent
- 6.13 hectares of land for sports and community uses
- 16.1 hectares of green infrastructure, covering over two-thirds of the site, comprising formal and informal public open space, a community orchard, landscaping and planting, footpaths and recreational routes, a children’s play area and attenuation basins
- A biodiversity net gain of at least 20%
- New walking routes as well as existing rights of way maintained and enhanced, improving connections to the village and surrounding countryside
Richard Naylor, planning manager at Gladman, said: “Our plans will deliver much-needed high-quality, sustainable housing, including over a hundred affordable homes, which will give more people the opportunity to stay in Headcorn.
“We’re also responding to a local need for new community amenities with land provided for new pitches and facilities for a range of sports, not just football.
“We’ve updated the plans following consultation with stakeholders and the local community, concentrating the housing within a smaller footprint and allowing for more usable open space for the community to enjoy.
“We believe that our vision will create a positive-lasting legacy in Headcorn that supports the viability of the village and the wellbeing of its residents. We’d like to thank everyone who took part in our consultation and shared their feedback.”
Matthew Botley of Headcorn Football Club, added: “We believe these plans have the potential to deliver much-needed improvements to Headcorn’s sports and community facilities.
“This is a culmination of constructive engagement we’ve had with the local community, and working with Gladman, it gives us the platform to turn our ideas into a reality.
“Our vision is about bringing together a variety of local sports and clubs, not just football, to create a new Headcorn Community Sports and Leisure Trust which will ensure the facilities are shaped, managed and cared for on behalf of the whole community.”
The consultation on the planning application followed conversations held by Headcorn Football Club with the wider community last year which showed strong demand for new sports facilities in the village.
Subject to planning approval, the land would be transferred to the Headcorn Community Sports and Leisure Trust, consisting of the football club and other Headcorn-based sports clubs, who would then manage the facilities, which would be subject to future detailed designs.
People can find out more and register their interest here.
