THE owner of green-belt land which could have 34 homes built on has hit out at campaigners opposing the scheme.
Trevor Lloyd's family owns five acres of land at Kiln Lane, in Brockham, for which Paul Hunt Developments submitted a planning application this month. The developer has had two bids to build homes on the site refused.
The latest bid sparked villagers to launch a poster campaign this month, which featured the slogan "Save Brockham's green belt from the developers".
But speaking to the Advertiser this week, Mr Lloyd said: "The Brockham Housing group vigorously opposes all housing development in Brockham and is supported by a small number of Brockham residents.
"The population of Brockham is approximately 3,000 and the last planning application for the development of the Kiln Lane site received 250 letters opposing the development and 250 letters supporting the application. It must be noted a number of both the supporting and opposing letters were not from Brockham residents.
"Therefore it can be concluded that the majority of the population of Brockham either support or have no intense feelings either way about the development.
"The voices of the supporters of the Brockham Housing group have been heard, but unfortunately they do not represent the whole of the community."
He continued: "I have run my pet food business from the old buildings on the Kiln Lane site for more than 20 years.
"The buildings were redundant after the closure of the nursery business back in the 1990s. Had the buildings not been put to use they would have become derelict and a target for graffiti and other more sinister social problems.
"If this group was faced with a number of trashed, unsightly buildings, would they be more inclined to support a programme of building development on the land – which would then be termed as a brown field site?
"There is a need for housing in Brockham, it has an appalling track record for new properties."
In response, Roger Abbott, spokesman for Brockham Housing, said: "It is clear that Mr Lloyd has lost contact with the people of Brockham if he believes that building high density housing on prominent green belt is popular.
"If there is genuine support for the type of housing proposed by Mr Lloyd, why is it that those who have written in support of the Kiln Lane development failed conspicuously to write even one letter in support of very similar plans for Tanners Meadow?
"Most people agree the need in Brockham is for a series of small developments. Primarily starter homes, some must be reserved at affordable rent for long term Brockham residents who are being forced away by high prices.
"There are plenty of village locations where up to six or seven houses can be built without damaging the green belt."
