Aylesham was developed as a planned settlement to serve the emerging East Kent Coalfield. According to Sir Patrick Abercrombie's plan of 1928, Aylesham was to be a small town of about 15,000 residents with a range of commercial and civic buildings. However, mainly due to the recession in the 1930s, his grand scheme was abandoned after only 500 dwellings were built. Since then the village has expanded, though largely not in keeping with the original layout. According to the 2011 Census, Aylesham Ward (which is dominated by Aylesham) now has 1,981 dwellings and a population of 4,905.
The 1990 Dover Structure Plan identified Aylesham as strategically suitable for the release of land to deliver around 1000 dwellings. This provision was made to help meet Canterbury District's housing needs which could not be met at the City itself, due to environmental and infrastructure constraints, and to attract new investment to the former East Kent Coalfield to regenerate this area. Further to this, Aylesham was identified as a strategic development opportunity site in the Dover District Local Plan 2002, for the provision of 1,000 new homes, a primary school extension, employment uses, retail and an associated mix of uses. A masterplan was then prepared to guide the development of this site and this was adopted by the Council on the 21st July 2004. The site was granted outline permission for 1,210 units (App no 07/01081) in November 2012 with an additional 150 units (App no 19/00821) granted in August 2020 bringing a total of 1360 units permitted for the site. To date 785 units have been delivered with 575 remaining.
Aylesham is identified as a Rural Service Centre in the settlement hierarchy (see Appendix 1) and is well supported by a range of services and facilities including two primary schools, village hall, two churches, fire station, sports club, social club, leisure centre and a library. Aylesham has two industrial areas and a small neighbourhood centre of nine shops including a post office, a co-op and a butchers, four take-aways and four cashpoints. There is also a bus service to Dover and Canterbury with buses every hour on weekdays, and railway station which also provides access to Dover and Canterbury.
Through the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment work the Council has identified two sites for development in Aylesham, one to the North of Aylesham (HELAA Ref: AYL004) for the delivery of approximately 500 new homes and the second to the south of Aylesham (HELAA Ref: AYL003) for the delivery of approximately 640 new homes. Strategic Policies 5 and 6 allocate these sites for development in accordance with the growth and settlement strategy of the Plan. Whilst it is recognised that constraints do exist on these sites, primarily in relation to the cumulative impact upon the local road network, work is on-going to address this and develop an appropriate mitigation scheme.
To support the delivery of the Local Plan the Council is working with key stakeholders to produce an Infrastructure Delivery Plan. This is an iterative document that sets out the infrastructure required to support the planned development set out within this Plan. As part of the Regulation 18 consultation on the draft Local Plan the council will be engaging with infrastructure providers, on site specific infrastructure requirements. These comments will be used to inform the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The Infrastructure Delivery Plan will be published as part of the Regulation 19 consultation on the Local Plan.
Strategic Policy 5 North Aylesham
An extension is planned to the North of the Rural Service Centre of Aylesham to create a new neighbourhood, incorporating garden village principles.
Land to the North of Aylesham is allocated to deliver approximately 500 new homes over the Plan period.
A masterplan is required to set out the quantum and distribution of land uses, access, sustainable design and layout principles. This should be prepared by the land owner, working jointly with the Council and key stakeholders. Any application for development should be preceded by, and consistent with, the agreed Masterplan.
In accordance with the relevant Local Plan policies the sites will provide:
1. A wide mix of housing types, sizes and tenures, including affordable housing; housing for older people; serviced plots of land to contribute towards meeting evidenced demand for self-build and custom housebuilding;
2. Suitable access arrangements and any necessary wider strategic and local highway mitigation measures, including addressing impacts on the A2, B2046, A257 and local roads;
3. Sustainable transport measures including the improvement of pedestrian links, cycle paths, passenger transport and community transport initiatives;
4. Community facilities, and a new small convenience shop in an accessible location to meet the day-to-day convenience shopping needs of new residents;
5. Formal and informal open spaces for leisure and recreation, including play areas, sports fields, allotments and community orchards. Spaces will contribute to wider ecological networks and as such, spaces should:
- be accessible to new and existing communities;
- provide upgraded routes for walkers and cyclists;
- improve connections between and enhancements to existing habitats;
- provide safe routes for wildlife, protecting and enhancing wildlife assets.
6. Protection and enhancement of heritage assets and their settings through appropriate mitigation measures;
7. Landscaping and planting, including a generous landscape buffer to the west to minimise visual impact on the surrounding landscape;
8. Sustainable drainage;
9. Necessary utilities, including integrated communications infrastructure to facilitate home-working.
10. Financial contributions towards the delivery of required off-site infrastructure and community facilities in accordance with Strategic Policy 13.
11. In order to ensure that each site is planned and delivered comprehensively, any application for development on part of the site will be assessed against its contribution to the masterplan, and will not prejudice the implementation of the site as a whole.
12. The HRA has identified the need for a wintering bird survey to be undertaken on this site as part of any future planning application. If the bird survey identifies that proposed new development will exceed the threshold of significance mitigation will be required.
Strategic Policy 6 South Aylesham
An extension is planned to the South of the Rural Service Centre of Aylesham to create a new neighbourhood, incorporating garden village principles.
Land to the South of Aylesham is allocated to deliver approximately 640 new homes over the Plan period.
A masterplan is required to set out the quantum and distribution of land uses, access, sustainable design and layout principles. This should be prepared by the land owner, working jointly with the Council and key stakeholders. Any application for development should be preceded by, and consistent with, the agreed Masterplan.
In accordance with the relevant Local Plan policies the site will provide:
1. A wide mix of housing types, sizes and tenures, including affordable housing; housing for older people; and serviced plots of land to contribute towards meeting evidenced demand for self-build and custom housebuilding;
2. Provision for 10 permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches to meet the council's identified need. This should be provided on the land directly to the east of the site, on Aylesham Rd, which is within the control of the land owner, as shown on the draft policies map;
3. Suitable access arrangements and any necessary wider strategic and local highway mitigation measures, including addressing impacts on the A2, B2046, A257 and local roads;
4. Sustainable transport measures including the improvement of pedestrian links, cycle paths, passenger transport and community transport initiatives;
5. Employment opportunities, community facilities, and a new small convenience shop in an accessible location to meet the day-to-day convenience shopping needs of new residents;
6. Formal and informal open spaces for leisure and recreation, including play areas, sports fields, allotments and community orchards. Spaces will contribute to wider ecological networks and as such, spaces should:
- be accessible to new and existing communities;
- provide upgraded routes for walkers and cyclists;
- improve connections between and enhancements to existing habitats;
- provide safe routes for wildlife, protecting and enhancing wildlife assets.
7. Protection and enhancement of heritage assets and their settings through appropriate mitigation measures;
8. Protection and enhancement of the area of ancient woodland identified on site (Ackholt Woods). This should include a 15 metre buffer zone around the wood;
9. Landscaping and planting, including a generous landscape buffer to the south and west to minimise visual impact on the surrounding landscape;
10. Sustainable drainage;
11. Necessary utilities, including integrated communications infrastructure to facilitate home-working.
12. Financial contributions towards the delivery of required off-site infrastructure and community facilities in accordance with Strategic Policy 13.
13. In order to ensure that each site is planned and delivered comprehensively, any application for development on part of the site will be assessed against its contribution to the masterplan, and will not prejudice the implementation of the site as a whole.
14. The HRA has identified the need for a wintering bird survey to be undertaken on this site as part of any future planning application. If the bird survey identifies that proposed new development will exceed the threshold of significance mitigation will be required.