Hartley New Town - Departmental Meeting 20.3.1946 - Hartley-Kent: Covering Hartley, Longfield & District

National Archives TNA HLG 90/202

23rd Meeting

Minutes of the 23rd Meeting held at 3 P.M. on the 20th March. 1946. at the Ministry of Town and Country Planning

PRESENT:-

Mr. L.E. Neal (Chairman)

Mr B Engholm, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

Mr H Tapper, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

Mr. D.C. Murphy, Ministry of Fuel and Power

Mr. E.W. Prior, Ministry of Fuel and Power

Mr. S. Mayne, Ministry of Health

Mr. H.W. Cauthery, Ministry of Health

Mr. J.D. Morley, Ministry of Health

Miss M.R.D. Stephen, Ministry of Labour and National Service

Mr. P.D. Ward, Ministry of Labour and National Service

Mr. J.W. Eldridge, Ministry of Labour and National Service

Miss R. Jevons, Board of Trade

Miss N.S. Hampshire, Board of Trade

Mr. W.R. Matheson, Board of Trade

Mr. R.A.L. Haworth, Board of Trade

Mr H.R. Lintern, Ministry of War Transport

Col G.R.S Wilson, Ministry of War Transport

Mr C.D. Buchanan, Ministry of WarTransport

Mr. S.L.G. Beaufoy, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Mr. L.P. Ellicott, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Miss H. Champ, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Mr. H. Heady, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Mr. H. Stewart, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Mr. H.S. Senior, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Miss Lees, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Mr. J. Crocker, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Mr. L. Mann, Ministry of Town and Country Planning

Miss J.F. Figgis (Secretary)

1. The minutes of the 21st and 22nd meetings were approved subject to the following amendments:-

21st Meeting

(1) Paragraph 3, lines 24. and 25, delete "and that the proposed expansion necessary".

(2) Paragraph 9, line 6, instead of "there is a particular need for male labour", insert "when industry is eventually required in Slough there should be a bias towards industry that would employ male labour".

(3) Add to end of paragraph 12, "The Ministry of Agriculture said that the line of the major traffic road to the south caused difficulties from the agricultural point, of view, and they would like to discuss with the Ministry of War Transport whether a diversion was possible"

(4) Paragraph 13, lines 3 and 1F., ,delete "the G.W.R. main line ... througli traffic".

On the London line the two main improvements required would be double-tracking

between Purley and7indmill Junction*, which was now a bottlene'ck, sand an extension

of the colour-light signalling systeM; the latter would come in any case witAkieezzas

the next ten years.

........

12. In the case of Meopham or Hartley-Longfield, two double lines converged into a double line at Swanley Junction, and. the development of a satellite at either place would necessitate the quadrupling of the Swanley-Bickley Section. Unlike the Crowhurst line which was easily graded, the line to Meopham was a switchback, and the major and expensive works required would not be undertaken in the normal course; they would necessitate very heavy earthworks. Freight traffic would have to pass through London to the Midlands. A reduction in the total population proposed for Meopham and St. Paul's Cray would not materially improve the position, as there was already no margin for extra traffic on this line.

13. In connection with the last sentence of paragraph 11 of G.L.P. 46, Colonel Wilson asked if the Board of Trade could give the Railway Companies any assistance in estimating the volume of freight traffic for a satellite town. The Chairman suggested that the Railway Companies should take an average of freight traffic for existing well-balanced towns of similar size to the proposed satellites, say 30,000 to 60,000 population.

14. On G.L.P. 47, paragraph 4, the Ministry of Transport pointed out that there was a small difference between Meopham and Hartley-Longfield, the latter site being slightly more adverse from the railway point of view than the former. Development at Hartley-Longfield was likely to cause an immediate demand for electrification of the Longfield Halt-Gravesend line

15. Paragraph 5, line 3. The Ministry of Fuel and Power said there would, in fact, be no material difference in the cost of distribution services.

16 Regarding ease of development, Mr. Ellicott pointed out that as between the Hartley-Longfield and Meopham sites there were three distinct areas in the former free for development, of which only one was near the station, the other two being 1-1½ miles away. This meant that development would be slower on the two sites distant from the station, since they could not be readily served from it, whereas at Meopham the site was compact and development could begin around the station and spread outwards from it. Mr Tapper suggested that existing development at Hartley Longfield was not solid but included intervening plots and should not be quoted as an argument against the site. It was pointed out in answer that the sporadic development which had already taken place would have to be bought out before development could begin, and, therefore, would retard it.

17. Discussion arose on "speed of development" (G.L.P. 48, paragraph 4), and it was agreed that there were two aspects: (1) the timing of the development, and (2) the actual speed of construction. In the case of Hartley Longfield, the latter would be hampered by existing development, quite apart from the preliminary difficulties of purchase and incorporation in the lay-out plans, by having to pay regard to what was already there, e.g underground works while constructing roads; by distances to contractors in moving from one vacant plot to another.

18. On the timing of development, the Board of Trade were anxious that development at Meopham or Hartley Longfield should not prejudice either the projected development at Crawley-Three Bridges or the interests of the Medway towns. They, therefore, wished to see development at Meopham or at Crowhurst take place later than at these other places, and suggested. that it should be accorded a low priority in satellite development.

19. Mr. Mayne pointed out that Meopham would be drawing on a different neighbourhood from other proposed satellite development, and would, therefore, tend to stand out on its own. If priorities were to be accorded, they should operate amongst satellites serving the same areas. The carrying out of the operations would be in different hands in each case, so that there was no necessity for according Meopham a low priority. The Ministry of Health would not like to see Meopham wait until, say, the 6th post-war year before a start was made. An outlet for decentralisation into Kent would have to be found, or encroachment on the Green Belt or existing open spaces within the Boroughs, would be inevitable. Mr. Mayne doubted whether Local Authorities in the South of London, would be willing to decentralise except in their own general direction.

20. Mr. Matheson stated that the only possible unemployment in the area  near London that the Board of Trade could foresee was centred primarily in the Medway towns. They were, therefore, trying to build up industrial development there, and they saw in Neopham a competitor for industries moving out of London to that area. The industrial survey which they were carrying out in the Medway area had so far thrown up 160 acres of extra land suitable as industrial

sites, and the survey was not yet complete.

21. Mr. Beaufoy pointed out as an advantage of the proposed site that its proximity to the Thames-side and Medway towns offered the possibility of alternative employment in case of fluctuation of employment in any of these three centres.

22. Regarding roads in relation to the Meopham site, Mr. Lintern pointed out that the main Gravesend-Wrotham road, A. 227, divided the site. It was suggested that the line of the road might be diverted along Gorse Bottom to by-pass the site, and Mr. Lintern promised to look into the possibility of the suggestion.

23. The Departments were asked to express their preferences as between the three alternative sites:-

Ministry of Agriculture: Hartley Longfield, Crowhurst, Meopham,

The Ministry of Agriculture were willing to withdraw their objections to Crowhurst if other Departments proved in favour of that site.

Board of Trade: Meopham, Crowhurst, Hartley Longfield,

Ministry of Labour: no individual preference; they followed the Board of Trade, Meopham, Crowhurst, Hartley Longfield.

Ministry of Fuel and Power: Hartley Longfield, Meopham, Crowhurst.

There was little to choose between the three sites and all three were acceptable, but capital expenditure at Hartley Longfield would be less than at Meopham or Crowhurst.

Ministry of Transport: Railways: Crowhurst; then Meopham and Hartley Longfield equal.

Roads: Crowhurst, Hartley Longfield, Meopham. Provided, however, that the difficulty of the line of A.227 could be cleared, there was a great deal to be said for the Meopham site.

Ministry of Health: Meopham, Crowhurst, Hartley Longfield.

Ministry of Town and Country Planning: Meopham, Crowhurst, Hartley Longfield.

24. The Chairman said it was clear that agreement could not be reached and the alternatives would have to be put to Ministers. He suggested that the Ministry of Town and Country Planning should prepare a draft Cabinet paper, for comment by other Departments and incorporating the attitude of other Departments. It was stated that the Ministry of Agriculture would probably wish to put forward a separate paper, but it was agreed to await consideration of the paper to be prepared by the Ministry of Town and Country Planning.

25. The advice which Departments would be bound to give their respective Ministers would be:

Ministry of Agriculture: The Meopham site should definitely not be chosen on account of its agricultural value.

Ministry of Town and Country Planning: the Hartley Longfield site should definitely not be chosen, since it would be impossible to create a corporate town on it.

Ministry of Transport:  would have utmost difficulty in advising their Minister if the road difficulty could be resolved at Meopham. there was a great deal in favour of that site, but on the other hand they would have to have regard to the superior advantage of the railway position at Crowhurst.

Ministry of Health: the necessity for a Kent outlet, or alternatively greater freedom nearer in to London. If industry was not to be moved out, then housing must be near the industry.

Board of Trade: diversification of industry in the Medway towns first.

26. Conclusion: the Ministry of Town and Country Planning to prepare a paper for Ministers, showing the clash between the Departments, and giving a factual exposition of the differences and the points agreed; the paper also to incorporate reference to the industrial position in the Medway towns.

27. Date of next meeting: 27th March, at 2.0 p.m.

Provisional agenda:

Dunstable and Luton.

Boreham Wood,

Population and industrial trends.

Draft cabinet paper on satellites (the greatest urgency attached to this paper).

Open spaces.

? Guildford and Godalming.

G.L.P. (Final Text)

Greater London Plan - Proposed New Towns at Meopham and Crowhurst

1. Among the ten sites suggested in the Greater London Plan as providing a suitable selection for eight new towns, three were in Kent and Surrey,viz. Meopham, Holmwood and Crowhurst. Between them these three towns were intended to deal, in planned and speedy manner with the resettlement respectively of 57,200, 57,200 and 38,100 persons moving out of the congested areas in and around south-eastern and southern London.

Topography and other factors severely limited tho range of suitable sites.

2. The Interdepartmental Committee have suggested modifications in two ways - first, that decentralisation towards the south-east and south, which is away from the main industrial trend, should be on a rather smaller scale, and secondly; that a larger part of the reduced quota should be contributed by the expansion of existing small centres in these areas, including Tonbridge and Horsham.

3. On the basis of the decentralisation programme for London, already accepted by Ministers, there is a need for new towns in these areas, which has been agreed by the Committee at 70,000 persons in place of the 150,000 proposed in the Greater London Plan. More than half of the reduced total will be secured by the establishment (in substitution for Holmwood) of a new town to accommodate 40,000 decentralised persons at Crawley Three Bridges. This will leave 30,000 to be accoimaodated either in the Meopham district, which lies south-east of London, or in the Crowhurst district, which lies south of London. The Ministries of Health, Labour and Town and Country Planning, consider that, other things being equal, the case for relieving the population pressure is somewhat stronger to the south-east than to the south.

4. Sir Patrick Abercrowbie's original suggestion for Meopham was to site the town on virgin land about 23 miles from London, slightly to the west of the existing village of Meopham but this interfered with a water-gathering ground and would have taken good agricultural land. Accordingly another site a little to the east, centred on the village itself, has been considered by the Committee.  This site also meets with objection because it would affect good class agricultural land, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries have instead requested consideration of an

alternative site in the Hartley-Longfield district two miles or so to the west. The comparative merits of these two sites are dealt with before passing to consideration of the alternative possibilities of the Crowhurst area.

5. Both sites are in attractive country, but the more wooded and undulating nature of the Hartley-Longfield area is somewhat to its advantage. For a town of 30,000, three neighbourhood units will be wanted. In the case of Hartley-Longfield, one of these units would lie to the north of the main east-west valley in whioh runs the railway to Chatham, and would be separated from the other two by that valley, whereas at Meopham the residential neighbourhood would not be separated in this way. Both at Hartley-Longfield and at Meopham however, the character of the sites is suited to the growth of satisfactory neighbourhood units. The Meopham site is the flatter of the two, and there is a well-knit centre on which the new town could be based; 1,800 acres would be required and the whole area could be used for immediate development except for the 300 acres already built up. The site at Hartley—Longfield comprises some 2,000 acres and includes about 200 acres of land contours.  There has already been a good deal of scattered development, not only of temporary construction, but bungalows and houses of a more substantial kind, principally for people who have retired from London and sought rural surroundings. Some 600 acres are occupied in this way. Nevertheless there are some 1,200 acres of unbuilt-on land available for development at Hartley-Longfield, of whieh half is available for immediate development in substantial units. These 600 acres would accommodate some 12,090 people or nearly half the ultimate population.

6. Both Meopham and Hartley-Longfield are situated on the Downs, and the Ministry of Agriculture describe the land as consisting of clay-with-flints overlying chalk. Frequently the soil is loamy and can be very productive under arable cultivation. Sides of slopes are far less fertile, as the chalk outcrops.  In valley bottoms soil conditions

improve by reason of the greater depth of soil due to downwash, but there is a tendency for the valleys to be frost pockets and some are inclined to be wet.  The fact that Meopham is flatter than Hartley-Longfield is therefore one reason for its inherently higher agricultural value. The area of farm land is in each case approximately the same, namely 1,280 acres at Meopham and 1,140 acres at Hartley-Longfield. There are, however, better farms on better soils in the Meopham site where the standard of management is higher. The siting of a new town at Meopham

would mean the loss of about 1,200 acres of excellent farmland in nine substantial units compared with 5-600 acres with a real agricultural future at Hartley-Longfield. Farm severance is likely to be serious at Meopham and less important at Hartley-Longfield. In the Ministry of Agriculture's view the loss on food production grounds would be far greater if the Meopham site is taken.

7. There is no significant difference between the two areas as regards road or rail access from London. Development of either site would involve major railway works along a line on which gradients are difficult. The Ministry of Transport consider that in the normal course these works would probably not be necessary, at least for a considerable time. Development of the Meopham site would, on grounds of proper planning, involve the re-siting of about 2-3 miles of the present main Gravesend-Wrotham road along the valley between Meopham and Hartley-Longfield, and this would affect good agricultural land.

8. The industrial area of the new town, whether at Meopham or Hartley-Longfield, would be situated in the valley in Which runs the railway to Chatham. At Hartley-Longfield two industrial sites totalling 135 acres are available, but could not easily be extended. This acreage may prove to be somewhat inadequate for the town when fully developed. At Meopham where the provision of rail access would be slightly easier, 121 acres are available for industrial development in one estate, and an extension sufficient to meet any anticipated requirements is physically possible at the expense of good agricultural land.

9. The provision of tqproved electricity and gas supplies is practicable on either site.  Similarly there is little difference between them as regards water and sewerage, but the flatter site at Meopham raises fewer practical difficulties.

10. The Ministry of Town and Country Planning consider that notwithstanding the probability that some further development will take place in due course by gradual infilling and extensions, the Hartley-Longfield site is unsuitable for the development of a new town of 30,000 persons for two main reasons. First, by reason. of the topography of the site the community unit to the north would be separated both by the valley and by the industrial zone from the two other units to the south, and would have no satisfactory relation to them or to the town centre. Secondly, the sporadic nature of the existing development aould entail extensive reconstruction and demolition of existing buildings prior to any comprehensive replanning of the site. The majority of these buildings are of modern construction; many of them substantial, and apart from the formidable cost involved, their removal could not be

contemplated for several years. For both these reasons. the Ministry of Town and Country Planning consider that a balanced and integrated new town cannot be developed on this site.  Houses for only some 12,000 people, but not more, could be erected quickly and without difficulty.  Accordingly in the Ministry of Town and Country Planning's

view it would not be possible to carry through the development programme with sufficient speed and on an adequate scale to meet the urgent requireents of decentralisation.  On the Meopham site; on the other hand, there would be no obstruction to quick and satisfactory development on a much larger scale.

11. The Ministry of Agriculture, while recognising the difficulties Which exist on the Hartley-Longfield site, consider that they ought not to be insuperable.  While it is agreed that the valley, and to some extent the industrial site, would separate one neighbourhood unit from the other two, it is suggested that this is mainly a question of the

degree of convenience wanted for the inhabitants.  The overall dimensions of the Hartley-Longfield site are three miles by two miles as compared with two by two miles at Meopham, and it is not felt that the less compact character of a town at Hartley-Longfield should necessarily be a serious obstacle, Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture does not feel that the argument that the Hartley-Longfield site may take longer to develop is necessarily a valid objection. There is by common consent sufficient land already available to house 12,000 people there, and in view of the average time of at least ten years which the establishment of a new town will necessarily take, it is felt that it should be possible to develop the Hartley-Longfield area without jeopardising the requirements of decentralisation. For these reasons the Ministry of Agriculture feel that the arguments advanced against the establishment of a new town at Hartley-Longfield do not outweigh the strong, agricultural reasons against the proposed Meopham site and that it would be more in the national interest to concentrate development in an area of low agricultural importance than take well-farmed virgin agricultural land of high quality at Meopham.

Crowhurst as an alternative to the Meopham / Hartley-Longfield area

12. The site at Crowhurst lies about 22 miles from central London at the junction of the London-Oxted-East Grinstead line and the Tonbridge-Redhill-Reading line. The land is not of the highest agricultural value and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries would be prepared to agree to its use.

13. From the railway point of view, development of a town at Crowhurst presents fewer immediate difficulties than one in the Meopham/Hartley-Longfield area. The Ministry of Transport consider that although electrification of the Oxted line would be necessary, together with widening between Purley and Norwood, the former would probably be carried out in any event, and the latter would also be required to serve the proposed new town at Crawley/Three Bridges.  The Crowhurst site is also served by the Tonbridge-Reading line, which gives a connection to the Midlands, the North, and South Wales, avoiding the congested London junctions.

14. As regards gas supplies, an entirely new installation, would appear to be necessary. The provision of an adequate water supply, although practicable, will be matter of considerable difficulty.

15. From the industrial point of view, the Meopham/Hartley-Longfield area is to be preferred to Crowhurst, which is in a rural area of considerable amenity and residential value.  It would be quite practicable, as a mere matter of

physical development, to plan a town on the latter site.  The Board of Trade, however, consider that this locality possesses no special advantages, apart from the present railway facilities, likely to ensure the success of

industrial development, and therefore the establishment of a satisfactory town. Moreover, the new town proposed in the Crawley/Three Bridges area six miles away, which would be more favourably placed for industrial development, would exercise a competitive pull, and it is open to question whether the area could support two towns in such close proximity. The establishment of a further town at Crowhurst would therefore be a somewhat speculative venture, and in view of the Board of Trade could only safely be undertaken after the development of Crawley/Three Bridges.

16. The Meopham/Hartley-Longfield area, on the other hand, has certain advantages because of its proximity to the established industrial group of Medway towns, and to the Thames-side towns round Gravesend (both about five miles distant), in both of which areas diversification of industry is desirable and where some industry is being encouraged to settle.  The industrial position in the Medway towns in particular presents some difficulties, since the area is almost the only one in the Greater London region where it is possible that an unemployment problem may arise.  Expansion of the Medway towns was examined as a possible alternative to the development of a new town, but would not be practicable in view of the restricted amount of land available both for industry and housing and the considerable reconstruction and re-housing problem existing in these towns. If a town in the Meopham/Hartley-Longfield area were successfully established, there might be created an opportunity for diversity of employment advantageous to all three areas. further advantage of the area is its proximity to the proposed Dartford-Purflect Tunnel which has early priority in the Ministry of Transport's post-war programme. The completion of this tunnel will provide an outlet to the north, thus giving the Meopham/Hartley-Longfield area added industrial advantages over Crowhurst from the point of view of road traffic. On the other hand, there is no direct rail connection with the midlands and the north.

17. To sum up:

(a) There is need for an outlet either on the south-eastern or southern side of London to accommodate 30,000 decentralised persons. There are three possible sites for a new town, namely Meopham, Hartley-Longfield, and Crowhurst.

(b) Meopham is regarded as a good site on general planning grounds, but there are strong objections to the site from the agricultural point of view.

(c) Hartley-Longfield is acceptable from the agricultural point of view, The Ministry of Town and Country Planning, however, consider that a satisfactory new town cannot be auvelo:ed on this site.

(d) The Meopham/ Hartley-Longfield area will have improved road comnlunications to the north when the Dartford-Purfleet tunnel is constructed; and its proximity to the Thames-side and Medway industrial areas offers a field of alternative employment for all three.

(e) As regards railways, Crowhurst will be well served when the works for the new town at Crawley/Three Bridges are completed and electrification of the Oxted line, already contemplated, is carried out. Meopham and Hartley-Longfield, on the other hand, will involve major widening works not otherwise contemplated.

(f) At Crowhurst the land is only of medium agricultural value, and the site is acceptable to the Ministry of Agriculture.  On the other hand the locality possesses no special advantages, apart from the readily adaptable railway facilities, likely to ensure the success of industrial developuent, and therefore the establishment of a satisfactory town. Further, it is within close range of Crawley/Three Bridges, which might militate against its success.

(g) The Board of Trade regard a site in the Meopham/Hartley-Longfield area as a more solid venture, and the developuent of Crowhurst as more speculative.  In their view the latter could only safely be undertaken after the development of Crawley/Three Bridges.

G.L.P. 21

INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON THE GREATER LONDON PLAN Proposed. Satellite Town at Meopham

Paper by the Ministry Of Town and Country Planning with an Appendix by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

1. Two of the satellites proposed in the Greater London Plan, namely at Stevenage and Harlow, have been considered by the Committee (G.L.P. 5, 9, 10). The present paper deals with the proposed satellite town near Meopham, described in paragraphs 4.26 and 221 and in Appendix 12 of the plan.

2. To the north of the site and about four miles distant lie the Thameside towns of Swansconle, Northfleet, and Gravesend, and to the east about six miles away, the Medway towns. Southwards and running roughly east and west, are the North Downs whole northern slopes consist mainly of long sloping hills running out into the Thameside marshlands, and giving way first to a belt of good. arable land and then, immediately adjoining the Thameside towns, to very valuable fertile land, intensively cultivated for market gardens and. orchards. This belt runs from Orpington and the Cray Valley through Swanley, Sutton-at-Hone, and Southfleet to Cliffe and the Isle of Grain, and again from Rochester and Chatham to Faversham and Canterbury.

3. Attention is drawn in the Plan to the difficulty experienced in finding a suitable site in North-west Kent in view of the topography and the necessity for avoiding this first-class agricultural land, into which considereblo inroads have already been made between the two wars by housing and industrial development. The chalk belt on the northern slopes of the Downs about 400 feet above sea level between Longfield and Meopham is stated in the Plan to be the only possible location, and the site selected by Professor Abercrombie lies just to the west of Meopham village and east of Hartley. The land in the vicinity of Meopham is undulating in character, with surrounding, valleys and woodlands.

4. The Ministry of Town and Country Planning have carefully examined the area and recommend that from the planning point of view the main site should lie around the villages of Meopham, Meopham Green and Hook Green, about a mile to the east of the original site, with subsidiary development around Longfield and Hartley. Topographically, the site is a good one, being comparatively level with natural definitions to the east, south, and west, while except for the industrial site it is bounded on the north by the railway from Swanley Junction to Rochester: The lie of the land is favourable to planning the town in community units, and would enable development to take place round an existing village, which, although it would need to be greatly extended, is satisfactorily located in relation to the remainder of the site. Access to the site by road and rail is good, and there is a sufficient acreage of land suitable for industry adjoining the railway on the north side.

5. On the other hand. the Ministry of Agriculture and. Fisheries from their point of view prefer that the satellite' should. be located entirely around Hartley and Longfield to the west of Meopham. In G.L.P.3 they stated: "Serious objection is not raised to the Meopham site especially if it can be moved about one mile to the west where incomplete development has already led to a reduction in agricultural value". Detailed examination of the area by the

Ministry of Agriculture has reinforced this opinion from the agricultural point of view (see Appendix).

6. Considerations which have led the Ministry of Town and Country Planning to their conclusion that a site to the west is unsuitable, include the following:-

(a) The original site recommended in the Plan would be of an awkward hogs-back shape unlikely to give, a satisfactory plan for the town. It might also involve difficulties in drainage.

(b) The site recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, about a mile to the west of the original site, is much more heavily Contoured than the site to the east, with steep gradients - some as steep as 1 in 4 - which would make building difficult and expensive. It is moreover cut up by four narrow valleys with steep slopes which would make it difficult to obtain satisfactory communities.

(c) As pointed out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (see Appendix) the site to the west contains a good deal of sporadic development, some of it of a well-built permanent type but the majority of poor suburban type with some shacks. The development is such that wholesale acquisition and clearance, with all their attendant delays and difficulties, would be necessary before wholesale planned. development could commence. This alone destroys the value of the site for rapid satellite development.

(d) Both the site proposed in the Plan and the site at Hartley contain the boreholes at Hartley-Walnuts Wood, which provide water for the Gravesend district. While it would be possible to move the bore-holes, it would be a difficult and major undertaking. Unless they are moved development might involve risk of pollution.

(e) The provision of sufficient suitable industrial land for a town of 40,000 would be one of extreme difficulty. One hundred acres of suitable land is available near Fawkham station, but to be self-contained the town will require a total of about 300 acres.

(f) Road access is not so good as that available to the site at Meopham.

7. Nevertheless the Ministry of Town and Country Planning agree that development subsidiary to the satellite proper and centred upon it should be carried out.around Hartley and Longfield on as such of the land as is suitable for: building and can be incorporated into community units. The total acreage that is calculated to be suitable is approximately 1225 acres, of which 190 acres are already built up. This land follows the natural contours and would accommodate about 15,000 persons in two separate units of 12,000 at Hartley and 3,000 at Longfield, with the industrial site already mentioned of about l00 acres adjoining the railway at Fawkham. This acreage would be sufficient to accommodate the industry required to give employment to the population proposed in this area.

8. This would enable the main town development immediately adjoining Meopham itself to be reduced in scale from the total of 40,000 recommended in the Greater Landon Plan to a population of 30,000, for which it is calculated a total of 1,665 acres (of which 85 acres are already built up) will be required (as compared with the total of 2,400 acres anticipated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries). Development could be so arranged as to involve minimum interference with the boundaries of farm units. Suitable land is available for industry on the north side of the railway at Meopham station, and it is suggested that about 200 acres would be required, but this site is considered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to be some of the best land in the vicinity.

9. As regards transport faoilities, the main Gravesend-Wrotham road (A.227) passes through the site now recommended at Meopham, linking it with Watling Street (A.2) to the north and with the trunk road (A.20) at Wrotham. If traffic on A.227 warrants it, it would be possible to by-pass the site to the west along the valley known as Gorse Bottom. The site at Longfield and Hartley is not so well placed for road facilities and depends upon a winding secondary

road (B.260 which links with A.227 at Meopham.and with A.225 just before Dartford, which in turn joins Watling Street at the Dartford Bypass. If the proposal in the Greater London Plan for an express arterial road to Canterbury and Margate (G.L.P.8) is accepted, this will run just south of the proposed satellite.

10. Rail communications comprise the electrified main line to Chatham, and a branch running northwards from Fawkham to Gravesend. The Ministry of War Transport in G.L.P.14 state that the proposal to establish a satellite at Meopham would necessitate four-tracking between Swanley Junction and Bickley and considerable extension to the colour-light signal system between Bickley and London. The implications of the Plan's proposals as a whole from the railway point of view are at present under examination by the Ministry of War Transport and the Ministry of Town and Country Planning in conjunction with the Railway companies concerned and this examination will involve consideration of the above

assessment.

11. As regards water, it is understood that the provision of an adequate supply may cause difficulty, since new sources may have to be found. As regards sewerage there appear to be about equal possibilitics of sewering either east to the Medway, or west to the Darenth. The method recommended, in the Plan is to discharge effluent, treated to a high standard, into the chalk, and the  Ministry of Health is asked to report on this aspect.

12. For electricity the proposed site is in the area of supply by the Kent Electric Power Company, and for gas in that of the Mid-Kent Gaslight and Coke Company. There is no gas supply at present in the area, and the Ministry of Fuel and Power in G.L.P.7 state that such supply is at present being considered as part of a bigger scheme by the South-Eastern Gas Corporation, who intend to link expanded works at Rochester with the existing Gravesend Works, the main affording the link to pass through the Meopham area. This main would afford any necessary supplies.  Over the Greater London Region as a whole electricity supply can be adequately dealt with by existing or proposed new power stations, and no difficulty is anticipated; but the Ministry of Fuel and Power point to the necessity for early provision of sub-stations in the new satellites (see G.L.P.7 and minute of the 5th meeting, paragraph 4(b)).

13. It is proposed in the Plan that the satellite should be limited to an ultimate population of 40,000 and that some industry should be provided, but that it should function in part as a dormitory for the nearby industries of the

Thameside area. The Ministry of Town and Country Planning agree with this limitation in principle, but as already stated recommend a total population of about 45,000 including the existing population, of about 3,000.

14. With regard to the type of industry suitable for the proposed satellite; it is emphasized in the Plan that in the satellites on the southern side of London, industries should be based upon the London market in view of the barrier which the metropolis would form to industries linked with the Midlands or northwest. The natural industrial tendency is to favour the north-west side of London, and industry will need encouragement to establish itself in the proposed satellite by selection of the type of industry suitable for such a location. At the same time, it should be noted that before the war industry was increasing (mainly in light engineering and paper-making) in and around Dartford.

15. It is desirable that the now site should be considered in relation to the towns in the neighbourhood, that is to the Thameside towns of Gravusend, Northfleet, and Swanscombe, and to the Medway towns of Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham.

16. As regards the total .population increase proposed for the neighbouring area as a whole, the position is briefly as follows:-

In the Thameside towns of Gravesend, Northfleot and Swanscombe, the 1938 population of the built-up areas was 58,750 (population figure in 1939.within the Local Authorities' boundaries was 6,000). It is proposed under the Plan that approximately 8,000 population should be decentralised to the area, and that they should be housed at Gravesend

which is the only town of the three with suitable land available for housing, giving an ultimate population within the built-up area of 67,000 (74,000 within the Local Authority areas). Fairly close physical limits to expansion are set around SwanscoMbe by the cement excavations, to the south by Watling Street and the belt of very valuable agricultural

land, to the south-west by the aerodrome, and to the east along the coast by marshlands, which are valuable grazing lands. To the extent also that suitable housing land is available at Gravesend, and as the houses became obsolete, it is considered that in view of the chalk workings, which create exceedingly unpleasant living conditions, the existing population at SwanscoMbe should be gradually transferred to the Gravesend district. The physical limits set to expansion combined with the proposal to transfer the population at Swanscombe mean that any further decentralisation to the area must be accommodate in the satellite. The Ministry of Town and Country Planning is in agreement with the proposed decentralisation figure of 8,000, and recommend its acceptance.

(b) The Medway towns of Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester; in 1939 had a population of about 158,000; these towns are surrounded by the very fertile, agricultural belt already mentioned, and housing development has already begun to encroach upon it. The Ministry of Town and Country Planning considers that the population of these towns is already sufficiently large in relation to their physical environment and the. amount of employment provided, and should not  increase materially above the 1939 figure. Internal readjustment will take up such building land as is available.

Over and above the number of 45,000 proposed to be accommodated in the satellite at Meopham, an increase of only 8,000 is proposed for the whole area.

17. The industrial and employment aspects of the neighbouring area are as follows:- '

(a) In the Thameside towns of Gravesend, Northfleet, and Swanscombe, the principal industries, which are situated mainly along the waterfront, arc cement manufacture, paper making, engineering and metal manufacture. Unemployment before the war was not very serious and was below the national average figure (8.6% as compared with 10.75%), and

is at present non-existent. The effect of the war upon these industries has been: Paper-making - approximately to halve the number of employees; cement manufacture - to increase slightly the number employed; engineering and metal manufacture - to cause considerable expansion of the number employed. It is estimated that extra manufacturing industry for about 2,000 persons will have to be provided to give employment for the extra population proposed and for those unemployed before the war. This would mean that about 40-50 acres of new factory sites would be required, and whilst some are readily available, they will not be sufficient to meet the full requirements. Serious consideration would need to be given to the reclamation of land made derelict by chalk workings. Attention is drawn to this aspect in the Greater London Plan (paragnanh 372).

(b) In the immediate future, industrial employment in the Nedway towns will largely depend upon Messrs. Shorts' Aircraft Works and Dockyard, whose plans are at present not known. Although it is not proposed that the population of the area should increase, some new industries may be needed. There is, however, also in these towns a shortage of suitable land for industrial development, and this aspect is at present under investigation by the D.I. Panel. The conclusions from these facts seem therefore to be as follows:-

(i) If their population were expanded by 8,000, the Thameside towns will need extra industry. The Medway towns may do so in any case.

(ii) Until the chalk workings have been reclaimed sufficient industrial sites for the new population referred to in (i) will only be available near the new satellite.

18. the urgency of development of this satellite is at present considered to be less than that of Stevenage and Harlow, but might increase if the London County Council decided to decentralise there, rather than to proceed with the full development at presen contemplated at St. Paul's Cray.

APPENDIX

Establishment of a New Satellite at Meopham

Memorandum by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

1. In G.L.P. 3 the Ministry of Agriculture commenting from an agricultural point of view on the sites for new towns proposed by Professor Abercrombie, said: "Serious objection is not raised to the Meopham site especially if it can be moved about one mile to the west, where incomplete development has already led to a reduction in agricultural value".

2. A detailed examination of the area has strongly reinforced the opinion that the suggested, move westwards to Hartley/Longfield is highly desirable from the agricultural point of view. A site of 3,600 acres within which the new town could be developed with least damage to agricultural interests is shown at A. in blue outline on the attached map.

3. It is understood, however, that on other planning grounds the site preferred is the more important agricultural area around Meopham approximately as outlined in red at B.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

4. Land on the top of plateaux on the Downs in this part of Kent consists of clay with flints overlying chalk. Frequently the soil is loamy and can be very productive under arable cultivation. Sides of slopes are far less fertile as the chalk outcrops: pastures are often by no means good but are used for cattle and, where not too steep, for the less exacting cereals. In valley bottoms soil conditions improve by reason of the greater depth of soil due to downwash but there is a tendency for the valleys to be frost pockets and some are inclined to be wet.

Thus the fact that the greater part of area B is fairly level accounts for its higher inherent agricultural value: the standard of farm management is correspondingly higher.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES

5. Approximate figures illustrating the comparative agricultural merits of the two areas areas under:-

Area A Hartley/Longfield

Total Acreage: 3,600 (North of Railway 1,500, South of Railway 2,100)

Acreage of Agricultural land: 1,700

Number of holdings: 38

Average acreage per holding: 45 (Area A is cut up by development)

Number of Cattle: 170

Number of Pigs and Sheep: 380

Acreage and No. of Woodlands: 275 (7)

Area B Meopham

Total Acreage: 2,400

Acreage of Agricultural land: 2,300

Number of holdings: 17

Average acreage per holding: 135

Number of Cattle: 320

Number of Pigs and Sheep: 1,030

Acreage and No. of Woodlands: 25 (1)

These figures clearly show. that Area A is agriculturally far less valuable than Area B

6. Further, Area A contains a substantial amount of sporadic and incomplete development which has already seriously interfered with agricultural practice. For this reason alone the development of the area as a satellite town would prove less injurious to agriculture than the development of Area B, but it may also be considered that its further development would benefit the existing dwellings which are often of poor character and appear to require facilities and services in properly planned communities.

7. On points of detail it is pointed out that the level site near Nurstead Church (1)* under consideration for industrial purposes in Area B included some of the best land in the district. As a possible alternative attention is drawn to land at (2)* east of Fawkham Station, in Area A, which may prove suitable for factories requiring rail access. Market gardening is at present carried on here but its position in relation to existing housing suggests that it is unlikely to remain undeveloped for any appreciable period.

8. So far as possible, four areas adjoining A should be left undeveloped;

Land at (3)* is highly farmed: it includes first class market garden land.

Near Ash at (4)* these are useful small-holdings on land of somewhat better quality than further North vithin the blue line.

Longfield Hill Farm at (5)* comprises good land, fairly level and used for market gardening, fruit and hops.

  

Land 'at Nurstead Hill at (6)* is also of higher quality and comparable with that at (1)* heavy corn and vegetable crops can be and are grown here.

9. From an agricultural standpoint there is undoubtedly a strong case for siting the tovm in Area A rather than B. An early decision is very desirable because the publicity given to the proposed satellite has led to uncertainty among landowners and farmers over a wide area in the part of Kent concerned. The sooner this uncertainty can be removed the better will it be from the Agricultural point of view.