Dover District Council revealed that building 2,024 new homes in Whitfield is a key part of the preferred option for housing numbers in Dover District over the next 20 years. This plan will go forward for a 6 week Public Consultation period in September / October.

This 112% increase means that the Whitfield will more than double in size, Whitfield’s population will rise from 4,438 to 9,412 and this will add over 2,600 cars to the local roads. Whitfield will be 40% larger than the town of Sandwich (Population 6,667).

Under this preferred option, 1,790 homes will be built on land to the East and North of Whitfield within the A2 / A256 boundary on the open countryside adjacent to Newlands, Archers Court Road, Cranleigh Drive, Farncombe Way, Beauxfield, Napchester Road, The Drove and Sandwich Road.

Other areas in Whitfield to be built on under this option are, 200 homes at Old Park, 22 homes on the ESSO Filling Station site, 5 homes on the play area and Brownie Hall site behind Guilford Avenue and 7 on land adjacent to the Royal Oak pub.

Land Owners and Developers are also pursuing separate plans for 200 plus houses to the West of the Village in the Singledge Lane / Lenacre area. This is subject to plans for access to the site being approved by Highways / Dover District Council. If accepted, the houses here would be classed as 'Windfall' development and will be in addition to the 2,024 under the Dover District Council preferred option.

Whitfield Action Group believes that large-scale development of Whitfield is unacceptable. A recent survey of the village showed overwhelming opposition to any more than 300 new homes in Whitfield. The results showed that Whitfield’s residents were against any Greenfield development and that they want Whitfield to remain a Village, not to be included in ‘Urban Dover’.

High-density housing and growth of this scale will bring with it a range of social, economical and environmental issues. House values will be dramatically reduced and the area will be disrupted by a possible 20 year building program.

Whitfield Action Group believes that Dover District Council plans for the District as a whole are ill-conceived and foolish.

All parties know the economic problems that Dover faces. The High speed Rail link is good news and may attract some commuters to the area, but Dover needs a working age population that works in the District to initiate regeneration. Commitment to building 10,000 homes in the District could be a grave mistake. Dover District Council should follow the Government, Regional Assembly and Kent County Council recommendation of 6,100 homes proposed under the South East Plan. Any homes above this figure should only be built as and when new employment opportunities move into the District and when adequate infrastructure and services are provided throughout the District to cope with such large-scale expansion.