Winery plans for Cobham House Vineyard in Luddesdown approved by councillors despite objections
Villagers have slammed a decision to approve plans for a winery, claiming the area, which was meant to be Kent's answer to the Lake District, is now a "laughing stock". The owner of Cobham House Vineyard initially asked Gravesham council if he needed prior approval to erect the agricultural building last year.
Pallab Sengupta, who lives in Andorra, bought the almost 29-acre estate, off Gold Street, between Luddesdown and Sole Street, intending to harvest the grapes. Around 22 acres are used for growing vines, meaning 61 tonnes of fruit is expected per year, and 60,000 bottles of sparkling and still wines could be produced by 2027.
According to the submitted planning statement, the winery is needed to support the expansion of the business. KentOnline previously spoke to residents[1] in Gold Street who branded the scheme "monstrous", claiming it would be "taller than the Berlin Wall" and a "blot on the landscape". At the time, Dr Rubin Minhas, who lives near the vineyard, emphasised that he was not opposed to the plans in principle, but had concerns about the size of the building and its impact on the area.
In April, planning officers decided that Mr Sengupta did require prior approval, and details were sought on the landscaping, noise assessment and preliminary ecological appraisal.
The barn, which will be more than 40m long and 9m tall and stained black, is a permitted development as case law states that wine-making and vineyards are an agricultural use.
Therefore, only the siting, design and external appearance of the winery could be taken into account. Members of the council's planning committee discussed the details last month and approved the scheme, with five voting for it and four against. Reacting to the decision, Dr Minhas said he was not impressed with how several assessments had been completed.
He added: "Residents support viticulture; their concern is the traffic and speed survey was done while the road was closed, bottling-plant noise was measured without any bottles, and at the entrance, a refuse lorry was captured emergency braking to avoid a cyclist. "People think it is a good idea to count traffic when the road is open, test bottling with bottles, and ensure large vehicles can actually get into entrances, preferably without hitting cyclists or pedestrians.
"This is meant to be Gravesham's equal of the Lake District, a national landscape, not a national laughing stock. "With a planning department this atrocious, what is in store for villages like Meopham does not bear thinking about."
Similar concerns were raised around the lack of bottles in the noise assessment during the meeting by ward councillor for Istead Rise, Cobham and Luddesdown, Dakota Dibben (Con).
He said: "It is like testing a school fire alarm with the batteries out. It is like measuring M25 traffic noise after you close the motorway." Planning officers said that noise measurements were taken from a similar-sized wine-making facility in Kent, but, because of the time of year, bottling was not taking place.
However, they said that tests were run on equipment, some of which were larger and noisier than those proposed, and the noise levels were acceptable.
Their report added that it would "not be detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring residents", and bottling would only take place for 20 hours a year over three or four days. Cllr Dibben and the chairman of Cobham Paris Council, Steve Dyer, also spoke against the siting of the winery, claiming it was "vanity" and "at the expense of a national landscape".
The building is planned to be placed on the north of the vineyard, near the back gardens of the homes in Gold Street. Cllr Dibben added: "It is like building a nightclub in a cathedral tower because you like the skyline.
"Our residents feel as heavily squeezed as grapes in a wine press from both sides." In their report, planning officers said the development would not have "detrimental impacts" on neighbours in terms of vehicle movement, siting and disturbance as it is a "small-scale operation".
Mr Sengupta previously said he was aware "neighbours have concerns for their amenity"; however, he believed the size and location of the winery was "necessary".
Speaking during the meeting, his legal representative said councillors had a "very robust, very thorough and very fair assessment" of the issues raised and her client had "gone above and beyond" to address them. To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.[2]
There has been previous support for the winery, with one saying it would "champion British agriculture" and "enhance the beautiful Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty".
Another said it would be an "asset to everyone in the area".
References
- ^ previously spoke to residents (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ click here (publicnoticeportal.uk)