Dartford Borough Council News

Dartford’s development plan, known as the Core Strategy, has been approved following examination by an independent planning inspector.

The Strategy sets out a plan for managing change and development in the Borough of Dartford over the next 15 years. It identifies those parts of the Borough where development will be encouraged, as well as those areas to be protected from development, including the Green Belt. The infrastructure needed to support that development is identified, including public transport, roads, schools, health facilities and green spaces. Key sites proposed for development are Ebbsfleet, Eastern Quarry, the Northern Gateway and Lowfield Street.

The plan sets out requirements that any developer must take into account and Council Leader Jeremy Kite says he is delighted that some of the common-sense planning principles that he wished to see applied to Dartford have been acceptable to the Inspector. Councillor Kite said, “We didn’t want Dartford to just go along with development because everyone else does. I believe that the first duty of the Council is to see that our existing character and population are protected while we grow. Our firm approach to planning means, for example, that large developments must include 30% green space and housing development should normally provide 70% family houses and only 30% flats.”

Four public consultations were carried out during the preparation of the plan. All the comments received were considered by the Council in preparing the final plan.

The inspector approved the Core Strategy, saying that the plan “…provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the Borough over the next 15 years. The Council has sufficient evidence to support the strategy and can show that it has a reasonable chance of being delivered.”

Dartford Borough Council is one of only a third of English local authorities that have had their plan approved since new planning legislation was introduced.

To view the inspector’s report, visit www.dartford.gov.uk/planningpolicy/CoreStrategyExamination.htm

ENDS

A former resident of Alamein Gardens, Dartford has had an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) imposed on him following his recent second prosecution for breaching an Abatement Notice served on him in 2009.
 
Neighbours of James Dean Caird complained to Dartford Borough Council’s environmental health team regarding disturbances caused by noise from Mr Caird’s flat, including parties, loud music and banging. The Abatement Notice was served on him on 8 October 2009.
 
The noise continued, breaching the Abatement Notice and Mr Caird was successfully prosecuted by Dartford Borough Council in February 2010 for five offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. He was fined £815 in total and had noise-making equipment seized.
 
Further complaints were received and evidence collected via noise recorders and visits from Council officers, led to Mr Caird being prosecuted for a second time.
 
At Dartford Magistrates Court on 9 March 2011, Mr Caird was found guilty on six counts of breaching a noise Abatement Notice. He was fined £300 (£50 per count), plus £973.22 costs and a £15 victim surcharge - £1,288.22 in total.
 
The Abatement Notice has now been lifted on Mr Caird as he is no longer residing at Alamein Gardens. However, an ASBO was imposed on Mr Caird by Dartford Magistrates Court on Thursday 31 March 2011 for a period of 36 months. The ASBO prohibits him from shouting foul and abusive language; banging on walls, floors and ceilings; allowing music to be audible outside of any property in which he resides or visits; and acting in a manner which causes or is likely to cause nuisance, alarm and distress to any person.
 
The ASBO was seen by the Court to be “necessary and proportionate” to protect the residents of Dartford.

Local Government Minister Bob Neill praised Dartford Council for listening to the public on keeping weekly bin collections alive on a visit to the area today.
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In the summer of 2007 Dartford Borough Council officers discovered that a swimming pool house at Tudor Court Green Street Green Road was being converted into a separate bungalow and the grounds were divided off from the house making two distinct properties without any planning applications either having been submitted or approved. This came to light as a result of illegal damage to ancient woodland next door to Tudor Court, for which the owner of Tudor Court, Anthony Filugelli, was convicted and heavily fined. (more…)

The Kent Wildlife Gardening Awards officially launches today. Local residents are being encouraged to transform their gardens into wildlife havens as part of this year’s Kent Wildlife Gardening Awards Scheme.
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Dartford Borough Council’s Environmental Protection team successfully brought a prosecution at Dartford Magistrates Court on the 12th February 2010, when Mr. James Dean Caird pleaded guilty to five counts of breaching a noise Abatement Notice. This action was taken following several complaints from neighbours about excessive noise over a period of weeks. The Council gathered the evidence with a noise recorder. (more…)

In recent weeks new shop fronts and bright red shutters appeared at two properties; 123 and 125 Milton Road, Swanscombe. Planning permission for the shop fronts and shutters had not been sought from the owner of the premises to Dartford Borough Council. (more…)