A husband runs to take his seriously ill wife home and needs court approval for a boarding house to care for her.
David Marks, from Wateringbury, near Maidstone, wants to build a three-bedroom house in Smarden, near Ashford, with a care room for wife Yvonne, who has dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
It is the third time Mr Marks has applied to develop the scheme behind The Bell pub in Bell Lane, with the first carbon-free property project by Grand Designs rejected on appeal.
The site is part of what was Church Farm, a former industrial estate, which Mr Marks has converted during the Covid pandemic into eight new homes, known as the Ciderworks.
Under the plans, which have been submitted to Ashford Borough Council (ABC), a single-storey, three-bedroom house will be built, including an adjoining private care room.
Mr Marks, managing director of development company DaVinci Properties, plans to move to care for his wife, who has been in a care home for more than two years.
However, the 77-year-old man says it’s a difficult time to complete this project.
“If we were to accept the other part, we would probably have finished that by mid-2024,” he said.
“My wife had to move in at the end of 2023. She’s been there for two and a half years now, and I’m not sure how long she’s been gone.
He became very weak in the last two and a half years, and he would be somewhere else if we could.
“But we still have hope that we have time to do it.” He obviously needs 24-hour care now, and I’d love to be there with him to provide it, but that’s not really part of any plan.
“It has to be accepted for what it is and how it fits into that area.”
Mr Marks added that he still hoped the project would be completed within the next 18 months if he was given the go-ahead by the ABC.
Currently, two opinions in favor and one against the plans have been uploaded to the local government’s planning portal.
David Kickham has raised concerns about drainage issues, with the system currently unable to handle large amounts of water during heavy rains.
“All the rainwater from the Ciderworks boundary flows through the large paved boundary area and exits the area above ground and into the road.
“It then flows down the road to the same area between The Bell Inn and Bell Cottage.
“During heavy rains, a real stream flows on that part of the road into one lane, where the water is completely there.
“Until the Ciderworks development process is resolved, I must object to any further development.”
Russell Hall added: “The proposal is in keeping with the character of the area and is consistent with local planning policies.
“A single-storey bungalow would improve the appearance of the area.
“We believe that any traffic impact will be minimal and will be appropriately addressed in the submitted plans.”
Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notices page.
Smarden Parish Council has also registered its support for the new plans.
In the past, they have strongly opposed Mr Marks’ plans for a “zero carbon” home, which they have described as an inappropriate “overdevelopment” of the countryside, which will “urbanize” the feel of neighboring listed estates.
A decision on ABC’s new plan is expected this month.
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