Master Land & Planning presented to over 30 undergraduate students from the UCL Bartlett School of Planning in Chiddingstone, Kent on 9th March for an immersive day of learning about rural housing, community engagement, and the realities of delivering affordable homes in the countryside. The visit formed part of their Rural Planning module, led by Professor Nick Gallent.
The day began at Causeway Hall, where students heard from sector experts, councillors, and practitioners. Martin Collett, Chief Executive of English Rural, opened by highlighting the vital role that affordable rural housing plays in sustaining balanced, thriving village communities. They then heard from Aaron Smith and Henrietta Cole (Master Land & Planning) on the planning context for rural schemes, followed by Tessa O’Sullivan, Kent’s Rural and Community Housing Enabler, who explained how Rural Exception Sites support local needs.
Representatives of Chiddingstone Parish Council – Louise Kleinschmidt and Jonathan Roper – provided insight into the parish perspective and the importance of partnership working for securing community support.
Finally Nick Hughes and Wendy Farrell from English Rural talked through the Association’s local work in the area, introducing the two developments the students would later tour: Chiddingstone Chequers (Bough Beech) and Chiddingstone Causeway.
Thank you to UCL for inviting Master Land & Planning to contribute to the visit and we hope that the next generation of planners now have greater awareness of planning issues facing rural communities.
English Rural Housing Association are a non profit organisation working with rural communities to build and manage affordable homes. Master Land & Planning contribute towards the campaigning work by English Rural through Local Plan representations seeking positive planning policies for rural housing and rural exception sites.
