People living in the Kent village of Biddenden are raising the alarm over a surge of heavy goods vehicles linked to a major project at Chart Hills Golf Club.
Homeowners are worried that their properties, many of which are centuries old, will not survive the vibrations caused by more than 100 lorries passing daily. The work involves moving huge quantities of soil to the championship course. However, the scale of the operation has left the local community feeling overwhelmed.
The village is situated in a part of Kent known for its narrow, winding roads and high density of listed buildings. Residents argue that the infrastructure was never designed to handle a sustained industrial operation of this magnitude.
Historic houses at risk
The biggest worry for many in the village is structural. Biddenden is well known for its timber-framed heritage buildings and distinctive Flemish weaver cottages. These old structures often sit on very shallow foundations. Residents argue that the weight of 32 tonne trucks passing so close to their front doors is causing physical damage that may be irreversible.
One resident, who lives on the main haulage route, called the situation totally ludicrous. They explained that the roads are so narrow that lorries often have to drive on the pavements just to get through. When two large vehicles meet from opposite directions, the resulting gridlock often leads to heavy engines idling directly outside bedroom windows.
Road safety is another major issue. The rural lanes leading to the club have tight bends and almost no continuous footpaths. This has led to fears that pedestrians and cyclists are being put in danger by the constant flow of trucks. Parents in the village have expressed particular concern about the safety of children walking to the local primary school.
The scale of the redevelopment
The work at Chart Hills is part of an investment by owners Ramac Holdings. Since they took over the course in 2019, they have been working to modernize the site. This championship course was originally designed by Sir Nick Faldo and is considered a significant asset to the regional sporting economy.
This current phase requires a massive amount of soil to reshape the land and improve drainage. It is estimated that thousands of tonnes of material are being brought in from outside the area.
The details of the operation include:
- Up to 120 lorry movements every day during peak times.
- A project timeline that spans several months of continuous work.
- A route that forces every truck through the very heart of the village.
- Operating hours that start early in the morning, impacting the quiet of the rural area.
While local councils have approved the plans, villagers feel the actual impact on the ground is much worse than predicted. Many residents claim they were not fully consulted on the sheer volume of traffic that would be required to complete the land-filling phase.
Roads under pressure
Campaigners say the A272 and nearby lanes are not built for this kind of weight. There are reports of the road surface beginning to fail, with new cracks and potholes appearing regularly. The edges of the roads are particularly vulnerable, with several verges being churned into mud as trucks attempt to pass one another.
The roads simply cannot cope, one local campaigner said. There is a feeling of unfairness that the golf club gets an upgrade while the public is left with crumbling infrastructure and cracked walls. There are concerns that the cost of repairing the public highway will eventually fall on the taxpayer rather than the developers.
The club response
Chart Hills has stated it wants to be a good neighbour. The club says it has a traffic management plan and that the work is necessary to support local jobs and tourism. By improving the course, the club hopes to attract more visitors to the Ashford area, which provides a knock-on benefit to local pubs and hotels.
Developers often describe this as short term disruption for long term benefit. But for a resident whose windows are rattling every ten minutes, that disruption feels far from short term. The club has pointed out that they are operating within the permissions granted by the local planning authority.
Protecting the village
Biddenden Parish Council is monitoring the traffic closely. Some members want to see a ban on lorries during the school run to protect local children. There have also been calls for a reduced speed limit for the heavy vehicles as they pass through the residential areas of the village.
In the meantime, villagers are being told to take photos of their homes. They want to have proof of any new damage that appears as the project continues. This documentation may be used in future insurance claims if structural cracks worsen. For now, the people of Biddenden are left waiting to see how much more their historic streets can take before the project reaches its conclusion.
