We urgently need to reduce Sevenoaks car pollution levels

Dear Sevenoaks Chronicle Editor,

As the Sevenoaks District car park in Bradbourne Park Road nears completion, Council bosses will be counting the money they expect to take. But local residents are counting the cost, and asking serious questions.

First, and perhaps most critical, how did the Council give itself planning permission to bring 350 cars into a road which is already busy, and where well over 1,000 children come to school.

The evidence from John Morrison in last week's Chronicle shows we should be reducing young people's exposure to car pollution. With three major schools in Bradbourne Park Road, SDC needs to start thinking how it will avoid poisoning their pupils. None of this was done at the planning stage.

Second, the immediate neighbours now know that the assurances they were given by the Council on the impact on their homes were worthless. Flats at The Acorns now look as if they are cowering in the shadow of the Soviet Iron Curtain - watchtowers and all.

For flats at the back of The Acorns the outlook is even worse, their views of the sky have been obliterated by parked cars two stories above them. If this is how Sevenoaks Council treats its neighbours in deciding plans, we should be very sceptical of any claims that it is objective.

The idea that a car park like this could be built next to Knole Park - as SDC wants to do - without causing serious damage has been shown to be a sham. What do you think?

Yours sincerely

Tony Clayton