Elmtree Farm, Sellindge: FHDC Approves 105 Homes from Quinn Homes

Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s Planning Committee has given the green light – unanimously, no less – to an outline proposal for 105 new homes in Sellindge. In a decision on 9 September 2025, councillors approved planning application 23/1413/FH for a major housing scheme at Land at Elm Tree Farm, Main Road, Sellindge. This is no minor infill: the site lies outside the village’s existing settlement boundary on open farmland. Yet not a single committee member opposed the scheme, indicating that in today’s planning world, a five-year housing supply deficit can make even a field outside the plan seem a perfectly logical place for “sustainable development.”

The approved outline application (with all matters reserved except access) will permit the demolition of modern farm buildings and construction of up to 105 homes, including a policy-compliant 22% affordable housing (23 homes) and a number of self-build/custom-build plots. The scheme, put forward by Quinn Homes, also promises new commercial and community facilities – notably land for expanding the primary school, a new GP surgery building, a dental practice and a convenience store – plus public open space with ecological mitigation, and associated infrastructure. In planning-speak, it’s a classic “village extension”; in plain English, Sellindge is set to sprawl further into its surrounding fields. Given the council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year housing supply (currently stuck around 3.1 years), the presumption in favour of development in the National Planning Policy Framework has swung into effect. The Planning Officer’s report concluded that although “the site is located outside of the settlement boundary and is not allocated for residential development,” the proposal for 105 homes adjacent to the village was generally in line with the area’s spatial strategy on windfall sites. In short, the housing shortfall trumped local plan boundaries.

“Thrilled” Developer and Transformational Promises

Quinn Homes – the developer behind the scheme – could hardly contain its delight at the committee’s verdict. A spokesperson said the company was “thrilled that the Planning Committee at FHDC has unanimously approved our high-quality village extension”, and promised “architecturally distinctive engery efficient homes” with a “full provision of policy compliant affordable housing.” The pitch also leaned heavily on community benefits: “A brand new GP practice to serve both existing and future residents,” “land allocated for the expansion of the local primary school.” and “A new food store and dental surgery to enhance local amenties.” All of which, Quinn argued, would “support and enrich what is already a vibrant and growing community.”

Quinn Homes’ enthusiasm for “supporting and enriching” the community is certainly on message – albeit locals might note that many of these “transformational community benefits” are simply the basic infrastructure any large development ought to provide. A brand-new GP premises sounds lovely, but residents have pointed out that bricks and mortar alone won’t conjure up additional doctors or nurses for an already overstretched surgery. (In fact, Sellindge’s existing GP practice acknowledged its current building lease is ending and the new health centre would essentially be a needed replacement, not an extra service.) Likewise, land reserved for the primary school’s expansion is welcome – if funding materialises for new classrooms and teachers to fill them. Still, Quinn’s message paints a rosy picture of a thriving village hub springing up around the new homes: a dental surgery to keep everyone smiling, a convenience store to save a drive to the supermarket, and all homes boasting high energy efficiency. The developer is keen to advertise that its design will feature a “range of architecturally distinctive energy efficient homes” to suit first-time buyers, downsizers and growing families alike. (One can almost hear the sales pitch: “Something for everyone in our thoughtfully designed community!”)

It’s worth noting that Quinn Homes has employed similar strategies before. The company’s CEO, Mark Quinn (pictured), has made a name building large housing schemes in Kent that come packaged with community amenities and green space. In Sellindge itself, Quinn’s previous project – the Grove Park development on the village’s east side – was marketed as “Kent’s first large-scale development of EPC ‘A’ rated new homes”, replete with solar panels and heat pumps. That 162-home scheme (granted permission in 2019) was described by the council as a “neighbourhood extension” of Sellindge, complete with promised extras like business space, sports pitches, allotments and a nature reserve. In practice only the first phase (34 houses and 20 self-build plots) has been built so far – but Quinn’s talent for branding housing estates as holistic “village extensions” is clearly in full force. 

A Village Overwhelmed? Development In Context

For many in Sellindge, the approval of another 105 houses raises deja vu – and blood pressure. This once-sleepy village on the A20 has been growing at an alarming rate in recent years. “The village has already seen a high amount of development,” one weary resident told the committee, echoing a common refrain. They’re not exaggerating: in the past 7 years, Sellindge has added or approved over 500 new dwellings. Taylor Wimpey built around 250 homes in the village not long ago, and Quinn’s own Grove Park project contributed another 162. Adding the 105 from Elm Tree Farm means 517 new homes for the parish which means the village has grown by nearly a quarter – quite an extraordinary 7-year surge. “How much more ‘vibrant and growing’ do we need to get?” quipped one local wag upon hearing Quinn’s celebratory line.

The other context looming over Sellindge is the planned Otterpool Park new town nearby. That colossal project aims for up to 10,000 homes on former Folkestone Racecourse and surrounding land, barely a couple hundred of metres from the Sellindge Parish boundary. With Otterpool Park inching forward, some villagers argue their area is already slated to take more than its fair share of new housing. Why, they ask, does Sellindge itself need yet another estate on top? However, defenders of the Elm Tree Farm scheme point out that Otterpool’s build-out will stretch over decades – no actual homes will rise at Otterpool for at least three to five years or more due to detailed approvals and financing hurdles. By contrast, these 105 homes in Sellindge can be delivered relatively sooner to meet pressing housing demand. The district’s lack of a 5-year housing supply also means that in planning terms each additional deliverable site carries significant weight. As the officer’s report flatly noted, Folkestone & Hythe can only demonstrate about a 3.1-year supply of housing land, so under national policy “relevant policies for the supply of housing are considered out of date” and the presumption in favour of sustainable development is engaged. In other words, the council is under pressure to approve almost any reasonable housing proposal – even one “not allocated” in the Local Plan and on unplanned countryside – unless the harms clearly outweigh the benefits.

Local objectors aren’t entirely convinced by this bigger-picture rationale. Sellindge’s Neighbourhood Plan respondents emphatically stated a few years back that “no further large development was wanted” in the village. They feel their wishes have been overridden time and again. At the committee meeting, multiple public speakers pleaded with councillors to consider the cumulative impact of continual expansion. One speaker highlighted that Sellindge has already absorbed huge growth relative to its size, effectively doubling the village in short order, and warned that the rural character of the community is being steadily eroded. “The site is not even in the council’s plan – it’s open countryside,” another objector stressed, reminding the committee that Elm Tree Farm lies outside the designated development boundary. There were serious concerns about infrastructure too: the prospect of yet more cars pouring onto the A20 and narrow lanes, new children overwhelming the primary school, and additional patients for a GP surgery that’s already struggling. Traffic safety by the school was a particular worry – Moorstock Lane by the school can barely handle the current drop-off chaos, let alone extra estates-worth of cars. (Quinn Homes, to its credit, has included a new drop-off parking area in the plans to mitigate this – replacing the existing lay-by on Ashford Road with dedicated bays alongside the site – but locals remain skeptical that it will solve the inevitable traffic surge.)

Landscape & Heritage: Barrow Lives and Listed Buildings

The landscape impact of developing Elm Tree Farm was another sticking point for opponents. The site’s fields abut the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the north, raising the spectre of village sprawl creeping towards protected landscapes. “Irreversible environmental harm including loss of agricultural land” was feared, as well as the alteration of “the village’s rural character” by introducing a large housing estate on what is currently green space. To address such concerns, the masterplan is “landscape-led,” according to planning officers – meaning generous green buffers and retained trees. In fact, Quinn’s plan claims that only about 31% of the 44-acre site will be built on, with roughly 19% for roads and the remaining 50% left as green open space (parks, play areas, attenuation ponds, and the like). The idea is that the new homes will nestle within ample greenery, softening their visual impact – a design approach intended to placate fears of an ugly blot on Sellindge’s horizon. Whether that comforts those who remember open countryside where brick and block will soon sit is another matter.

On the heritage front, there were also voices of caution. Elm Tree Farm and its surroundings are not without historic interest. A cluster of Grade II listed cottages (Lees Cottages) lies adjacent, and Elm Tree Farmhouse itself, along with an old barn, has local heritage value. The thought of modern housing encroaching near these was unsettling to some. “Impacts to the local landscape character and nearby heritage assets” were highlighted in some of the 213 objections. The developer’s heritage assessment acknowledged there would be some harm to the setting of the listed buildings – though it contended this harm would be “less than substantial” and at the “lowest end” of the scale, thanks to planned landscaping buffers to “maintain their immediate rural settings”. In plainer terms, they promise to leave some breathing room (trees, hedgerows, open space) around the old farmstead and cottages so they won’t be directly hemmed in by new-build houses. The council’s duty is to weigh this heritage harm against the public benefits of the scheme – and in the end, the promised 105 homes, affordable housing, new local centre, school land and other goodies were deemed to tip the balance in favour, outweighing the limited harm.

If any hidden heritage lies beneath those fields, one imagines Quinn Homes will handle it with a mix of pragmatism and showmanship. After all, Mark Quinn’s last Sellindge venture famously unearthed a Bronze Age burial ground. During the construction of Grove Park, archaeologists discovered an extensive prehistoric and Roman cemetery on site – including two Bronze Age barrows (burial mounds) of significant importance. In an unusual twist, the developer chose not only to preserve the ancient burial mounds in situ but will actually reconstruct them as a feature in a public heritage park within the estate. Instead of being destroyed, the barrows will be rebuilt as grassy mounds and set aside as open space with informative plaques. No housing will be built atop those sacred spots – a decision praised by archaeologists and no doubt highlighted in Quinn’s marketing as a sign of corporate benevolence. The Shepway Vox Team reported that by agreeing to this preservation, “Quinn Estates are significantly contributing to the dissemination of the results of archaeological investigation and will create another must-visit heritage-related place in the County” – not a typical selling point for a new housing estate, but certainly a unique one.

With that history in mind, some villagers wryly wonder what archaeological surprises Elm Tree Farm might hold – and whether a similar fate awaits a portion of this new site. “Perhaps Mr. Quinn is hoping for another Bronze Age cemetery – it’s cheaper than installing a playground!” joked one commentator. In truth, the Elm Tree Farm land has been studied and no obvious sign of such treasures emerged in the preliminary surveys. Nonetheless, the planning permission includes conditions for full archaeological investigation prior to construction, just in case any historic finds are lurking under the topsoil. If another ancient find does turn up, expect Quinn to pivot from housebuilder to amateur historian once again – preserving just enough heritage land untouched to keep everyone happy (and maybe naming a street “Barrow Boulevard” for good measure).

Public Voices vs. Political Will

The planning meeting itself saw impassioned pleas from public speakers determined to sway the committee. Heritage, infrastructure and landscape were the holy trinity of concern. “You’re carving up our countryside and destroying our heritage in the process,” admonished one speaker, lamenting that Sellindge’s identity as a rural village was being sacrificed. Another speaker zeroed in on infrastructure, cautioning that “the sewers can’t cope now, the roads can’t cope, the school can’t cope, and a bigger doctor’s box won’t make GPs magically appear.” These arguments drew sympathetic nods from the gallery, and even some councillors murmured agreement – before promptly voting in favour of the scheme regardless. 

In a telling moment, one committee member commented that they did understand residents’ fears, but the housing need and “benefits for the community” were, in their view, compelling. Indeed, each community facility dangled by Quinn Homes was referenced by councillors eager to justify their decision: a new GP premises (desperately needed, they agreed), land for the school (think of the children!), a dental surgery (no more trekking to Hythe, Ashford or Folkestone for a filling), plus the affordable homes and self-build plots checking the policy boxes. It seems the developer’s comprehensive approach – effectively offering a mini village upgrade in exchange for plopping 105 houses on a field – helped quell dissenting voices on the committee.

In the end, the vote was a formality: all committee members backed the officer’s recommendation to approve. The permission will be subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement to secure the promised amenities and contributions (the lawyers will ensure Quinn delivers that GP building and school land, among other things). But barring any last-minute hiccups, Sellindge is now set for yet another growth spurt. As one observer dryly noted, “At this rate Sellindge will soon qualify as a town – perhaps we should start calling it Quinn-dge.” The parish council, which had requested mitigation for community facilities, will at least get a slice of the developer’s CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) – roughly 15% of an estimated £1.5 million levy, meaning some £150k towards local projects. Not exactly transformational, but every little helps.

A New Chapter for Sellindge (Ready or Not)

With the decision made, all parties are gearing up for the next steps. Quinn Homes will undoubtedly move quickly to draw up detailed plans, keen to capitalize on the permission. They will need to come back with reserved matters applications for the layout, design, and all the fine details – a process likely to stretch into 2026. The developer’s track record suggests they’ll continue the charm offensive, showcasing attractive street scenes and perhaps even consulting the community on touches like play area designs (though one imagines “consultation” will be largely a box-ticking exercise at this stage). For the residents of Sellindge, a mix of resignation and pragmatism prevails. The village has largely been here before: each new development is fiercely opposed, then ultimately built, and finally grudgingly integrated into the community’s fabric. Some villagers acknowledge the positives – upgraded facilities and more affordable homes for local young people – but many others fear that the fundamental character of Sellindge as a close-knit rural village is slipping away with each new estate. “We’re not NIMBYs, we’ve taken hundreds of houses already,” said one long-time resident, “but there comes a point when enough is enough.”

That point, however, is not yet reached in the eyes of the powers that be. The district’s housing targets roll on, and Sellindge’s fields remain an attractive canvas for developers. In the coming years, the impact of this decision will be closely watched. If the new GP surgery indeed materialises and eases pressure, if the primary school successfully expands, and if the promised green spaces and community perks genuinely benefit both new and existing residents, perhaps some doubters will be won over. Conversely, if the houses go up while the GP lies empty and the school funding never comes, the cynics will have their “told you so” moment.

For now, the official line is optimistic. The leader of FHDC’s administration praised the scheme as an example of “smart growth” for villages, and ward members – even those who once ran on preserving the countryside – have been notably quiet in opposing such developments. Mark Quinn, meanwhile, can celebrate another victory. He has proven adept at navigating the planning maze: combining just enough community carrot to offset the development stick. As one commentator in the satirical magazine Private Eye might put it, the man has a knack for converting farmland into planning gold. And so, Sellindge braces for its latest addition. One can only hope that the promised “vibrant and growing community” won’t grow so much as to burst apart at the seams. In the world of local planning – much like those Bronze Age barrows – history has a way of repeating itself, and in Sellindge that history is one of persistent growth, passionate protest, and, ultimately, acquiescence.

The ShepwayVox Team

The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness