On Saturday, 25th May, representatives from Kent Wildlife Trust joined 350 people to protest against the inclusion of a 2,000 house development in Blean which has been incorporated into the area's draft local plan.

The group met in Dane John Gardens and marched to the University’s Registry on Darwin Road to hand deliver a letter to the University of Kent’s management urging them not to continue plans for the housing development on a huge greenfield site in the Blean.

Wilder Blean Landscape Manager, Helen Pitman addressed the protesters before the march: "The biodiversity and climate crisis is getting worse with one in seven species facing extinction across the UK, that's nearly 400 species in Kent alone gone forever from our landscapes largely due to habitat loss. So we must speak up for nature and safeguard wildlife havens like the Blean for future generations.

"By 2040, Kent’s population is set to rise by 20%, as a result over 200,000 new homes are planned. Yes, we need homes but we also need to preserve nature and the benefits it provides for people – clean air and water, flood prevention and a good sense of wellbeing. We need to consider how we house people sustainably in Kent, but Blean is not the place to do it."

The charity has also responded to the public consultation which closes on 3rd June and is urging others to do the same.

Save the Blean Campaigner Julia Kirby-Smith said: "The huge protest march last weekend, attended by 350 people, shows the deep concern among Canterbury residents, wildlife organisations and countryside campaigners about the University of Kent's proposal. Building a new town of 2,000 houses, shops and offices on a swathe of countryside in the heart of the Blean Woodland Complex would be destructive and nonsensical. There are also big questions about the deliverability and soundness of what is proposed.

"The public consultation by Canterbury City Council is open until 5pm on Monday, and we urge everyone who cares about biodiversity, farming and sustainable development to make their voice heard. Details of how to take part in the consultation can be found here on SavetheBlean.org or here the Council's website."

Canterbury City Council has published its draft Local Plan, which sets out where development will take place up until 2040. Part of the process of creating the plan involves putting a call out for sites. Kent University have put forward fields they own between Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common which equates to more than 100 hectares of land.

The University is proposing a new 'rural settlement' on a greenfield site in the heart of The Blean. This sprawling project threatens three local villages - Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common - as well as quality agricultural land, multiple heritage sites and an important nature corridor between East Blean Woods National Nature Reserve and RSPB Blean Woods.

The area earmarked is twice the size of the central, walled part of Canterbury. The Blean is an area of ancient woodlands, heritage sites, the Sarre Penn Valley and the villages of Tyler Hill, Blean and Rough Common sited to the north of Canterbury. Locals say the plan is unworkable as well as hugely detrimental to biodiversity and the environment.

Save the Blean campaigners say the area already suffers from poor drainage and regularly floods, due to the extensive clay soil. Covering the area in concrete will only make this worse. The process is likely to involve widening roads and turning Rough Common into a major arterial traffic route into Canterbury.

The group also are worried about the threat to public services saying the development would turn three distinct villages into a giant suburb on the outskirts of Canterbury and that it would dramatically increase traffic across the north of the city, and heap pressure on Canterbury's already overwhelmed GPs, schools and public services.

Residents were not consulted before it appeared in the draft Local Plan and the proposal goes against all of the University's stated objectives around community, sustainability and biodiversity.

In addition to Kent Wildlife Trust, the charity CPRE Kent (The Countryside Charity) is also backing the campaign.

Follow the campaign to find out more: sign up to the mailing list at www.savetheblean.org or follow Save the Blean on Facebook.