Border facility ‘lights the sky like a sports stadium’
Furious residents say a huge border facility “bleaches” the sky and “casts the glow of a sports stadium” as plans to give it permanent status move forward
Furious residents say a huge border facility “bleaches” the sky and “casts the glow of a sports stadium” as plans to give it permanent status move forward.
Sevington Inland Border Facility (IBF) in Ashford was built in order to carry out checks on goods going in and out of the UK following Brexit.
The 230-acre site opened next to Junction 10a in 2021, but only under a five-year temporary arrangement after a Special Development Order (SDO) was granted by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
With that arrangement running out in December, the government is now seeking permanent permission for the site.
But concerns over the look of the facility were shared at a meeting of Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) planning committee last week – with one resident saying it “looks like a prison”.
Ashford Borough Council (ABC) cannot make a decision on the scheme, but has to be consulted for its views on it before the government’s planning inspectorate has the final say.
Presenting pictures of the facilities as they stand now, an ABC planning officer said the state of the greenery near the site’s fences is “not good by any stretch of the imagination”.
Pictures show many tree saplings planted around the edge of the IBF have been dislodged, lying sideways and not growing, with plastic guards still around the base of their stems.
Cllr Jessamy Blanford (Con) decried this, saying she was “very disappointed to see how the planting has gone almost completely out of the window”.
“Quite a lot of expense must have gone into the trees and so on and I’m wondering why nobody put forward a maintenance plan at the time – you can’t just shove trees into the ground and forget about them,” she said.
The look and lighting of the facility was the main sticking point, however.
In a statement, Cllr Gavin Murphy, chairman of Mersham Parish Council, told the committee how the site “resembles a prison wall”.
“While we understand the urgency at the time of Brexit, times have changed,” he said.
“Our public footpaths and bridleways now run alongside a facility which is both visually oppressive and acoustically disruptive.
“We ask that the fencing be screened, softened or replaced altogether.
“The site is lit to a level far beyond its actual operational use.
“By our estimate only 10% to 15% of its actual footprint is ever in active use yet the entire facility is illuminated each night, casting the glow of a sports stadium across our skies.
“This is unnecessary, environmentally damaging and intrusive on residents’ quality of life.”
Pictures taken as far away as The Devil’s Kneading Trough, on the North Downs near Wye, show the glow of the facility’s lights at night.
Sevington and Finberry Parish Council concurred, saying in a statement how “the site does not blend into its surroundings, with residents comparing it to a prison”.
While ABC cannot reject the application, it is responsible for making sure that planning permission is implemented correctly if it is given.
An officer told the meeting: “We are a little disappointed that things haven’t moved further with firm details, but the idea is we can have a lighting implementation strategy dealt with through discharge of conditions.”
This means ABC hopes the lighting situation will be improved – with the authority approving any changes.
“It would be nice to have something firm on the table saying we will do this or won’t do that,” the officer continued.
“There is a lighting assessment with the application that sets out a range of recommendations and I hope that’s taken seriously.”
Cllr Simon Betty (Ashford Independents) said that even as far away as Hastingleigh, residents “do suffer quite badly from the glow”.
“It’s not just from the Downs,” added Cllr Linda Harman (Ashford Independents).
“Aldington is only slightly higher than Mersham but I can assure you that looking towards Junction 10a from any point in Aldington the sky is bleached, completely bleached.
“It’s very important that we stress the concerns of the immediate neighbours – I cannot imagine what it must have been like to have this built and lit next to you in Mersham. It’s bad enough from Aldington.”
ABC’s planning committee voted unanimously to tell the planning inspectorate they support the development, but with recommendations to come up with a plan for ensuring tree planting works, and minimising the noise and light disruption from the IBF.
Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.
If the inspectorate grants permission and accepts these proposals, ABC will be involved in future plans to control the light, sound, and landscaping around the IBF.
In a statement, a government spokesman said the site “plays a vital role in maintaining the UK’s border security and biosecurity”.
“We recognise the impact of the site on the local community, and we will consider any concerns raised by consultees as part of the planning application process,” they added.