Opposition rallying to motocross event

“so Enigma2010 posts another comment which betrays ignorance of the facts, resentment of our town and he misses the point. This is not NIMBYs standing in the way of a creative or productive development which will add to the community, this is rate-paying residents fighting to prevent a destructive, polluting and anti-social activity taking place in an area where it harms the community.

The people who live here (in homes built long before Enduro Kent began shredding the hillside without permission) are not "next to the A21", and anyway the noise from that road is from road legal vehicles driving at a steady speed, so at distance it is tyre noise that is heard. The proposed track does come within 25 metres of some properties, as can be seen from a map in the applicant's planning statement, and at that range the noise and pollution is torture.

Shaun Turner's 500m claim is just as inaccurate and offensive as the others: a 2 stroke dirt bike running full throttle up the steep Beechmont Bank bears no resemblance to a road legal vehicle on the A21 and most bikes would fail an MOT as a result. There is no evidence that this activity brings benefits to the locality, but economic harm to Riverhill and property owners in the area is guaranteed. The only reason new tracks have not been bulldozed is that someone else has done it already.

If that is the way they do business, touting misinformation and ignoring the rules, then granting permission would mean dirt bike events becoming a permanent fixture on this hillside, the main gateway to the town from the South. How do Sevenoaks ratepayers feel about that?”

“Why do people who freely admit that they have no idea of the issue feel the need to comment?

My family lives very close to Beechmont Banks. It is a lovely woodland with badger sets, bats and owls there and a pretty walk through it. In our home there is very little noise from the A21 outside and certainly none inside. But when these events are on, it is difficult to be comfortable inside the house and absolutely impossible for us to sit outside.

Far from being a good thing, the businesses in the area that we have spoken to (i.e. Windmill, Edwards Brasserie and Riverhill) about these events are very much against it as the noise drives business away.

And most of the over one hundred people impacted do not live in Sevenoaks, but in the village of Weald and they come from all walks of life. Please don't let them ruin what really is a lovely area.”

“It is about 150 people who are effected by the noise directly as we live close to the track and a lot more who can't use the public right of way, Riverhill House or the playing fields, let alone our gardens, without this din. Some of the houses are not 500m away but 20m. I love motorbikes and family and friends of mine are bikers, but they have to be in the right place and this isn't it. Sure enough, lets ask the majority of people to decide what should happen but it has to be the people who will pay this price if this is goes ahread. Bulldozers have been used on site (there are witnesses) and the local wide life is being destroyed. No surveys have been done for trees, bio-diversity, waste products, pollution and a whole host of other needs. The noise survey is flawed and the activities have taken place when there has no planning permission. Given the fact that full consents have not been obtained it also brings into question whether any insurance for public liability is valid, something which has been raised with the planning authorities. So far objections have been lodged by the playing fields associations, ramblers groups, the parish council, Kent County Council ecology group, Kent County Council public rights of way officer, Kent Wildlife Trust and the Kent AONB unit as well as dozens of local residents. There are also recommendations the the whole site be restored and put back into the state that it was before all of this started. The only ones in support seem to be people who don't atcually live anywhere near here. Contrary to what is said there are lots of event venues in there south east as any internet search will show, including one just up the road at Pembury.”

“Can i ask if all this is really necessary?? From what i can gather 6 events over the course of a year is hardly causing enough of a nuisance to the few residents that choose to reside right next to the very busy A21! I really don't understand the problem, the area right next to the A21 is hardly an area of outstanding beauty! I cant say me or my family or friends would choose to frequent that area for an afternoon stroll so why not use redundant land to raise the profile of the surrounding area and create something that brings money into the area!!???. If a 100 riders have attended such an event than i presume they are also bringing their business to the local area. I don't feel a 100 riders would just randomly turn up and be able to ride without some sort of organisation and surely organised events are much more desirable than these people having no where to ride and instead choosing to ride illegally and more disruptively through surrounding woods and fields?
Why cant people accept change and difference? Why cant everyone work together to raise the profile of the local area and encourage enterprise and diversity? I am sure these riders are not delinquent folk with no morals as bikers are often perceived to be! So lets ask the majority what they would like, instead of listening to the select few that wish to continue to live in their select sevenoaks bubble!”