RAVENSBOURNE PLACE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BROMLEY UK

This short film reflects my thoughts on the latest proposal for mass housing — around 2,000 dwellings — on green-belt land in Bromley, Kent. The area’s natural potential is now at serious risk. The Norman family reportedly plan to sell the land to Berkeley Homes, subject to planning permission, yet the land carries a covenant stating it is for the people of Bromley.
Already, the area has been encroached upon by the expansion of Bromley FC, whose new training pitches occupy what was once open grassland adjoining a small river. This river corridor is vital for both aquatic and avian life, and its protection should be an absolute priority.
Past development gives cause for concern: in one small project, swallow nests in farm stables were destroyed without remedy — hardly a promising precedent. The current plans indicate development of a belt of trees and parkland that borders large private residences near the A21.
In my view, the only way such a project could work for local biodiversity would be through the creation of an extensive natural buffer, implemented well before construction begins, extending toward Hook Farm to provide real ecological continuity.
I don’t claim expertise on infrastructure, though the absence of community amenities in the proposed plans seems an obvious shortcoming.
I hope you enjoy the film — and if you’d like to discuss or explore further, please contact me at [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. You can also visit www.londonbutterflysurvey.org.uk http://www.londonbutterflysurvey.org.uk
this is a fifty-year citizen-science record of London’s and nearby Kent's butterflies, delving into past history and with reflections on our changing climate.
Rodney Compton