The quiet village being ‘completely ruined’ by new homes

Residents of the village of Teynham (Image: SWNS) Residents of a quiet English village have claimed their town is being ‘completely ruined’ by new housing which will see hundreds of people move into the area. Teynham, England, has seen work begin on 300 extra homes this year with 380 more approved just outside its parish boundary. The  pretty Kentish village  has seen its population rise by just nine in the decade up to 2011. However, locals have been left outraged by the thought of hundreds of people moving to an area which saw the first cherries grown in England under Henry VIII . Alongside a rise in population, current residents are also annoyed at the declining local economy. Teynham is set to have 300 new homes be built this year (Image: SWNS) Heather Whitehouse, 68, said: ‘Teynham used to be a proper community, it was an idyllic village. ‘There were rows of shops, shoe shops, butchers, grocers – it was known as Green Street. Everyone knew everyone. ‘But now there are no shops and there isn’t even a GP anymore. There were orchards and hop gardens, it was brilliant here, but now it’s all gone.’ Following the rise in new properties, Ms Whitehouse said she was considering the unthinkable. A local business in Teynham (Image: SWNS) She said: ‘I’m thinking of selling up for the first time in my life. I don’t want to be here, over the last few years it’s gone from bad to worse.’ The latest housing development to be completed in the area is Blossom Grove, an estate which will host 130 homes. Earlier this year, it was announced that work on another access road to another estate will begin. The decision was confirmed by housing developer Chartway Partnerships Group who said construction of 300 homes will begin off Frognal Lane. Later, Swale council’s planning committee gave the green light for the properties to be built by the Eurolink industrial estate, developments which have infuriated local residents. David Steel, 58, said all the villages along the A2 London Road were ‘overwhelmed’ by new properties. Mr Steel said: ‘It’s the same in all villages. No matter what village you’re in along the A2 London Road they’re all overwhelmed and overdeveloped. ‘The people who buy these houses are not from the local area either so there isn’t a sense of community or people wanting to connect and get to know each other.’ Councillor Lloyd Bowen said: ‘Teynham has become a dumping ground for new housing developments. If you don’t live in Teynham and you drive through the village from Faversham to Sittingbourne you can still see that buffer between the village and the town. But we are now on the edge of crossing that buffer and losing our identity, community, and history.’ A spokesperson for Swale Council said: ‘Planning applications, including the developments in Teynham, can only be approved once the funding for necessary infrastructure enhancements has been secured through developer contributions (Section 106 agreements). ‘Swale has a rich heritage and we will always work towards preserving any new archaeological discoveries. When building on land that has important heritage value, such as the Roman sites in Teynham, we look to the advice of Historic England on preserving archaeological remains. ‘This means when sites are discovered, they need to be excavated before construction begins or find a design that allows the remains to be retained beneath or adjacent to the new development. ‘The development in Teynham will utilise both, with the preservation of some items, such as the statue, off-site and the other heritage assets being preserved under the new developments.’