Dover & Deal Green Party congratulate Friends of Betteshanger following their campaign against a planning application from Quinn Estates for Betteshanger Country Park.
We share their statement here:
On 13th July 2023, Dover Planning Committee rejected the application by Quinn Estates to build a luxury Hotel on Betteshanger Country Park. They are to be congratulated for putting wildlife and the community first and we hope they will take a similar position with regards to the surf lagoon application.
As a nationally important wildlife site, there was deep concern about the impact on habitats and protected species such as Turtle Doves and Water Voles. Environmental organisations such as Kent Wildlife Trust, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (Kent) the RSPB, Plantlife and Buglife strongly objected to the proposals. Their expert opinion played an important part in this win for wildlife. Thanks go to them and to all the people who help and support the Friends of Betteshanger campaign to keep the Country Park an open space for people and wildlife. It was their voice that was heard and their efforts that made this result possible.
We hope that Dover District Council will now take steps to secure the long term protection of the Park for wildlife and for people by revisiting the s106 that obliged them to designate the Park as a Local Nature Reserve.
We congratulate the Dover planning committee on their decision and hope this is the beginning of a new chapter at Dover District Council where the threats to us all from the biodiversity and climate crises are properly taken into account in all decision making.
Sue Sullivan, Friends of Betteshanger