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Former West Hill Hospital Site: Planning and Design Brief
1) The QED Allotments Group welcomes the publication of the Consultation Draft of the Planning and Design Brief, and is pleased to note the incorporation of many of the principles of local sustainable development into the design of the proposed "walkable neighbourhood".
2) We note that there is almost no reference to private gardening space attached to individual residences (other than the "minimal rear gardens" mentioned in Section 6.1.5), and assume that such space will be very limited, given the density of housing proposed for the site.
3) Under the heading "Public Open Space" (Section 5.3), we see no reference to allotments, community gardens or other forms of public gardening space within the 0.5 hectares allocated to public open space use, although we are pleased to see reference (in Section 6.1.5) to natural landscaping.
4) We note that the summary of Site Surroundings (Section 2.1) contains no reference to the Tredegar Allotments site, which is located in the railway "loop" defined by the Crayford and Greenwich lines and the Crayford loop, and is thus within very easy walking (and cycling) distance of the West Hill Hospital site.
5) The QED Allotments Group is committed to assisting Dartford Borough Council in the design, organisation and maintenance of the proposed allotments provision within the much larger Eastern Quarry development. In the case of the West Hill Hospital development, we recognise that the availability of public gardening space at the nearby Tredegar Allotments site provides ample justification for NOT making provision for public gardening within the West Hill Hospital site itself.
6) The Tredegar Allotments site has been the focus of regeneration activities organised by QED, which have included the provision of a nature pond and a teaching apiary. We look forward to encouraging the new residents on the West Hill Hospital site to make maximum use of the facilities at Tredegar Allotments, and to developing these facilities as a model for what might be achieved at a later date in the Eastern Quarry. In this endeavour we will draw upon the considerable expertise in allotments regeneration which already exists within the Group, and seek whatever funding is required to enhance the on-site facilities from charitable sources.
7) We therefore see the Tredegar site as a significant local asset which can add to the attractiveness and functionality of the proposed walkable neighbourhood, and look forward to working with the Borough Council to realise the synergies between the two sites.
Richard Wiltshire, Research Officer, QED Allotments Group.