What price our natural world? Dover planners to decide Betteshanger fate

Planning committee votes on plans for hotel, spa and surf lagoon at country park tonight

Today (Thursday, March 7) Dover District Council will show how much it cares for our natural environment when its planning committee decides the fate of Betteshanger Country Park.

The committee agreed in July last year to refuse planning permission for Quinn Estates to build a 120-bed hotel and spa on the protected open space and community asset of the country park.

After the planning committee had met, and without DDC posting the notice of refusal, Quinn Estates withdrew its planning application.

Almost two months later, the developer submitted a revised application with changes it said would benefit wildlife – these included relocation of the spa to allow the retention of two ponds; dropping the plan for an outdoor pool; and provision of an additional nine acres of managed land for turtle doves.

In a separate application, the developer has since also submitted a proposal to build a surf lagoon on the site.

Both applications are due to be heard this evening.

CPRE Kent, the countryside charity, has been working closely with Friends of Betteshanger, the RSPB, Buglife and Kent Wildlife Trust to protect the country park. The former spoil tip of Betteshanger colliery, it was established some 20 years ago and now hosts a wonderful array of wildlife, some of which is nationally rare or in rapid decline.

Water voles, turtle doves, slow-worms and lizard orchids are just some of the species to make it their home, but in 2019 the site was sold on to Quinn Estates, which subsequently unveiled its plans to build a surf lagoon, hotel and spa there.

The scheme, if permitted, will destroy priority habitat, several wildlife mitigation and translocation sites and the second-largest colony of lizard orchids in the country.

• There will be a silent demonstration outside the Dover council offices at Whitfield (CT16 3PJ) at 5pm this evening before the planning meeting, which is due to begin at 6pm.
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