Reform Opposes 2,200-Home Plan on Bromley Green Belt
Updated: Sep 28
Plans to build up to 2,200 homes on Green Belt land between Bromley and Hayes have triggered widespread local opposition, with thousands of residents raising concerns over the loss of open land, pressure on roads and services, and the long-term impact on the character of the area.
Berkeley Homes has submitted a planning application for Ravensbourne Place, a major development on land around Norman Park and Bromley Football Club, including areas currently used as horse paddocks.
The application is being considered by Bromley Council under reference 26/02199/OUT.
For Reform UK Bromley & Biggin Hill, the principle is straightforward:
Green Belt land should remain protected wherever viable alternatives exist.
Housing is needed, but Reform UK Bromley & Biggin Hill believes that does not mean accepting large-scale development on land which residents value for its openness, wildlife and local character.
What Is Being Proposed?
Berkeley’s plans would create a new neighbourhood of up to 2,200 homes, with 50 per cent designated as affordable housing.
The developer says the scheme would also include more than seven hectares of publicly accessible open space, new walking and cycling routes, a health centre, play areas, community orchards and more than 700 new trees.
The development would be delivered in stages, with the first phase providing 578 homes.
Plans envisage two main neighbourhood areas, known as Bromley Gate and Hayes Mead, with construction potentially taking place over a period stretching from 2028 towards 2049.
Berkeley argues that the scheme would help address Bromley’s housing shortage while opening up land which is currently largely inaccessible to the public.
Strong Local Opposition
The proposals have generated substantial opposition from local residents.
South London News reported that an e-petition opposing the scheme had attracted more than 11,500 signatures, while the Evening Standard reported that nearly 2,000 people had already commented on the application, with the overwhelming majority objecting.
Residents have raised concerns over:
the permanent loss of Green Belt land
increased traffic on Hayes Lane, Bromley Common and surrounding roads
pressure on schools, healthcare and council services
water, sewage and electricity infrastructure
the impact on wildlife and local habitats
the cumulative effect of adding thousands of additional residents to the area
Campaign group Keep Bromley Green has also been established specifically to oppose the scheme and campaign for protection of the area.
Wildlife and Open Space
For many residents, the issue is about much more than housing numbers.
The land includes grassland, woodland, scrub and water environments used by a variety of wildlife.
Residents quoted in local media have reported sightings of red kites, buzzards, owls, badgers, foxes, migratory geese and significant butterfly and moth populations.
That is one reason why opponents argue that development on this scale would represent a permanent change to an area that currently provides an important ecological and visual break between established communities.
Once Green Belt is built upon, it cannot simply be restored later.
Berkeley Says the Scheme Would Bring Benefits
There is another side to the debate.
Berkeley argues that Bromley has a serious housing shortage and says the borough has more than 3,000 residents on its housing register.
The company says Ravensbourne Place would deliver badly needed family homes, with half of the proposed housing affordable, while also providing new green spaces and infrastructure.
Some residents have supported the proposal for precisely those reasons, particularly the provision of affordable housing for younger people and families struggling to remain in Bromley.
Supporters also point to Berkeley’s pledge to open parts of the site to public access and create new parks and walking routes.
Those arguments deserve to be heard.
But they do not remove the fundamental question over whether Green Belt land should be used for development on this scale.
Is This Really ‘Grey Belt’?
Berkeley argues that Ravensbourne Place can be considered under the Government’s newer “grey belt” planning policy.
That policy allows some land currently designated Green Belt to be considered for development where it is judged not to strongly contribute to the traditional purposes of Green Belt, provided other planning requirements are met.
Importantly, designation as potential grey belt does not mean development is automatically approved.
Bromley Council’s own guidance makes clear that Green Belt continues to receive significant protection and that grey-belt proposals must still satisfy planning policy, infrastructure requirements and what are known as the Government’s “golden rules”.
The council also states that it continues to encourage developers to use brownfield land rather than Green Belt sites wherever possible.
What About Brownfield Development?
This is central to Reform UK Bromley & Biggin Hill’s objection.
The borough does need more housing.
But housing policy should not begin with the assumption that Green Belt land must therefore be sacrificed.
Brownfield sites, redevelopment opportunities, unused commercial land and already-developed locations should be fully explored before permanent decisions are taken about protected open countryside.
Even Berkeley itself reported this year that 90 per cent of the homes it delivered nationally were built on underused brownfield land within regeneration areas.
That demonstrates that large-scale housing development does not automatically require Green Belt release.
Bromley Council Has Previously Defended the Green Belt
There is also an important precedent.
Earlier this year, Bromley Council resolved to refuse a separate proposal for 350 homes on Green Belt land south of Burrfield Drive in St Mary Cray.
At the time, the Conservative-led council described that proposal as inappropriate and said it would continue protecting Bromley’s Green Belt through the planning process.
Residents will therefore be watching closely to see whether the same principle is applied to Ravensbourne Place.
If Green Belt protection matters in one part of the borough, residents may reasonably ask why it should matter any less in another.
Reform UK Bromley & Biggin Hill: Protect Our Green Belt
Reform UK Bromley & Biggin Hill recognises the need for additional housing and understands why affordable homes are attractive to many families struggling with the cost of living in London.
But the branch opposes solving that problem by allowing large-scale development on valued Green Belt land where other options can be pursued.
Once open land is built over, that decision is effectively permanent.
The roads, public services and infrastructure surrounding Hayes and Bromley must also be capable of supporting any development proposed for the area.
Reform UK Bromley & Biggin Hill therefore supports protecting Bromley’s Green Belt and prioritising suitable brownfield and previously developed sites for new housing.
The planning application will now continue through Bromley Council’s formal process, where the representations of residents, statutory consultees and other interested parties will be considered.
For local residents, the debate is likely to continue.
And with more than 2,000 homes proposed, it is difficult to imagine a planning decision with more significant long-term consequences for this part of Bromley.
