The Issue — Updated

Residents of Rectory Close are seeking support in opposing the latest proposal under planning application 26/00139/FUL. This follows earlier permissions and amendments linked to development at Sherman Close / Evans Court (including 21/01708/FUL and 25/00748/FUL), which have already had a serious and ongoing impact on neighbouring households.

My husband and I moved to Rectory Close after receiving our keys in October 2024 and settling into our home in January 2025. At the time, we were unaware that flats were planned at Evans Court and had not received any notification or letter from the council about the development.

Within just a few weeks of moving in, we were visited by the developer, who informed us that building work would begin shortly and that fencing would be installed along what he described as his boundary. We were reassured that nothing would affect our home or neighbouring properties.

Soon afterwards, residents witnessed contractors entering gardens on Rectory Close and marking out a boundary line across areas that form part of neighbouring land. This caused immediate concern and dispute, as residents questioned the accuracy of the boundary and asked for work to stop until matters were properly clarified.

In March 2025, further distress was caused when contractors accessed the rear of my neighbour garden and carried out ground works affecting a retaining wall and boundary area, leaving part of the land in a dangerous condition. This caused serious alarm for neighbours, particularly as families and young children live nearby and the drop between Rectory Close and Sherman Close is significant.

Residents submitted objections at the time, but permission for the wider development was later approved. Since then, further amendments and applications have continued to come forward, including the latest proposal now open for comment until 3 March.

Over time, the situation has escalated beyond what residents were originally led to expect. There have been continued concerns about boundary alignment, privacy, safety and the treatment of neighbouring land. The newest plans show amenity space and landscaping extending towards — and potentially into — private gardens on Rectory Close, raising further alarm among those living closest to the site.

There are also fears about the loss of trees and established foliage located on residents’ land, which form an important natural boundary and contribute to privacy, safety and the character of the area.

For many residents, this is no longer just a planning issue. It is affecting daily life, wellbeing and the sense of security within our community. People feel uncertain about the future of their homes, their land and their environment, and elderly and vulnerable neighbours in particular are feeling the strain.

We are asking Bexley Council to fully consider the cumulative impact of these proposals and to prioritise the protection of existing residents — their homes, land, boundaries, trees and safety — before allowing any further development to proceed.

We need your support.

Please stand with Rectory Close by submitting an objection and sharing this petition. Together we can ensure development in our area is lawful, responsible and respectful of the people who already live here.

Thank you.