West Kent Local News
Sevenoaks District Local Plan updated as council faces 17,460-home target
Sites for thousands of new homes across Sevenoaks district are being reconsidered as the council updates its Local Plan to meet higher Government housing targets.
Sevenoaks District Council says it must plan for 17,460 new homes over the next 15 years, a figure it says is 63% higher than the previous target. The plan covers the wider district, not just Sevenoaks town, and will help decide where development can happen between 2027 and 2042.
The issue is likely to divide opinion locally. Some residents will welcome the prospect of more homes, including affordable housing, especially at a time when many people struggle to buy or rent in West Kent. Others will be concerned about pressure on roads, schools, GP services and the loss of countryside, particularly where Green Belt land is being considered.
The council says national planning changes have forced it to look again at some sites. It says the Government’s changes to Green Belt policy, including the introduction of “Grey Belt”, mean some land that previously had stronger protection must now be assessed for possible development.
More than 28,000 comments were submitted by over 5,000 residents and organisations during the previous consultation. After reviewing those responses, the council has removed some sites from the plan, either because they are no longer considered suitable or because landowners have withdrawn them.
One major proposal that has been dropped is the Wasps Rugby Club stadium scheme. The council says there was not enough evidence to show the proposal was suitable, particularly around how important local infrastructure would be dealt with.
However, several new sites have now been added to the updated Local Plan. These include 10 additional homes north of Glyn Davies Close in Dunton Green, 810 homes at Broke Hill Golf Course near Knockholt, 300 homes through the conversion of the One 60 building at 160 London Road in Sevenoaks, and 228 homes at Brittains Lane in Sevenoaks.
The plan also includes 20 gypsy and traveller pitches at Goss Hill Lodge in Hextable and 12,000 square metres of employment space west of Old Otford Road.
The Broke Hill Golf Course site is still not straightforward. A planning application for the site is already being considered, after a similar application was previously refused by the district council. Because of this, the site is being treated as “pending” while the planning application is decided.
Councillors on the Development and Infrastructure Advisory Committee are due to consider the updated Local Plan on 30 June 2026, followed by Cabinet on 7 July 2026.
If Cabinet gives approval, residents will then have another chance to comment between 23 July and 17 September 2026. This stage is known as the Regulation 19 Publication.
However, this will not be the same as an earlier consultation. At this stage, people will not be able to suggest completely new development options. Comments will need to focus on whether the plan is legally compliant and “sound”, meaning whether it is based on evidence, deliverable, meets future need and supports sustainable development.
Cllr Nigel Williams, Sevenoaks District Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Infrastructure, said the Government had “moved the goalposts again” while the council was preparing the plan.
He said the council had no choice but to produce a new Local Plan that meets the Government’s housing target, warning that failure to do so could lead to the plan being rejected by a Planning Inspector and possible Government intervention.
The council argues that without an up-to-date plan, the district could face more speculative development, planning appeals and piecemeal building, making it harder to secure the roads, schools, health facilities and public transport needed alongside new homes.
The Local Plan is expected to be submitted to Government later this year after the Regulation 19 stage closes. A Government-appointed Planning Inspector is then expected to examine it in 2027.
If approved, the new Local Plan would be used to help decide planning applications from 2028.
