Derry Downs: The Fight to Protect Orpington’s Green Belt
Plans to build 350 new homes on Green Belt land at Derry Downs in St Mary Cray have become one of the biggest local issues facing residents in and around Orpington.
The proposed development would cover approximately 42 acres of agricultural land between Crockenhill Road and Cockmannings Road, to the south of Burrfield Drive.
More than 1,000 objections have been lodged by local residents, with concerns ranging from the loss of Green Belt land and increased pressure on local infrastructure to traffic, flooding and the impact on wildlife.
Reform Orpington supports the need for new homes, but we do not believe sacrificing our Green Belt is the right way to provide them.
What is being proposed?
The application from Lands Improvement Holdings proposes 350 homes across three agricultural fields.
The development would include:
- 40 one-bedroom apartments
- 27 two-bedroom apartments
- 56 two-bedroom houses
- 157 three-bedroom houses
- 70 homes with four or more bedrooms
Half of the proposed homes would be designated as affordable housing.
The plans also include a new common and play area, pedestrian routes connecting the development with St Mary Cray Recreation Ground, areas intended for wildlife and sustainable drainage, and investment in improvements to the recreation ground.
While those elements form part of the developer’s plans, the fundamental issue for many residents remains the location: the homes would be built on land currently designated as Green Belt.
More than 1,000 objections
The proposals have attracted significant opposition locally, with more than 1,000 objections submitted through Bromley Council’s planning process.
Local campaigners are particularly concerned about the permanent loss of agricultural Green Belt land and the potential for further urban sprawl.
Other concerns raised by the campaign include the ability of surrounding roads to accommodate additional traffic, pressure on schools and healthcare services, potential flooding risks and the effect of development on local wildlife and nearby woodland.
For people who know Derry Downs, this isn’t simply an empty space on a planning map. It forms part of the open landscape separating established communities and is valued by residents precisely because it has remained undeveloped.
Council resolves to refuse the application
On 5 June 2026, Bromley Council announced that it had made a resolution to refuse planning permission.
The council said the proposed substantial housing development on Green Belt land was inappropriate and conflicted with Bromley’s planning policy.
The resolution was made under delegated powers after the applicant declined a further extension of the period available for determining the application, rather than the matter proceeding to the next available Development Control Committee meeting.
The case has subsequently continued through the planning process and is now heading towards a Planning Inspectorate inquiry scheduled to begin on 19 January 2027.
That means the future of Derry Downs remains very much a live issue.
Reform Orpington supports the campaign to protect Derry Downs
Reform Orpington believes Britain needs more housing. Young people should have a realistic opportunity to own a home and genuinely affordable housing is badly needed.
But building more homes does not have to mean building over our Green Belt.
We believe the priority should be the development and regeneration of suitable brownfield and previously developed sites before permanently sacrificing valued green spaces.
Once Green Belt land is built upon, it cannot simply be restored if we later decide we made the wrong choice.
Members of Reform Orpington have joined local residents and campaigners in supporting efforts to protect Derry Downs, including taking part in a community walk highlighting opposition to the proposed development.
This is not opposition to new homes.
It is about asking where those homes should be built, whether the infrastructure exists to support them and whether permanently losing Green Belt land is a price Orpington and St Mary Cray should be expected to pay.
The fight isn’t over
Despite the council’s resolution to refuse the development, the planning process continues.
With the Planning Inspectorate inquiry due to begin in January 2027, the coming months will be important for residents campaigning to protect Derry Downs.
Reform UK Orpington will continue to oppose the development of these 350 homes on Green Belt land and support the local campaign to protect Derry Downs.