ArcelorMittal strongly supports the Council’s Strategic Objectives to secure jobs and develop skills for a competitive economy – these objectives must be carried forward in continuing to protect Chatham Docks in the new Local Plan.

Chatham Docks is a vibrant, working dock operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

The current Local Plan protects existing employment uses for Chatham Docks and states in Policy ED1: Existing Employment Areas that ‘proposals for development resulting in the loss of existing industrial, business or storage and distribution development to other uses will not be permitted.’

In addition, Policy ED9: Chatham Docks states, ‘port-related development and an expansion of the commercial port, as defined on the Proposals Map will be permitted.’

If the Council is truly seeking to ‘boost the performance of the local economy by supporting local businesses to grow and innovate…’ and ‘build on existing strengths and expertise, such as engineering…and raise the profile of key sectors…’ then these protective policies specific to Chatham Docks must be carried forward into the new Local Plan.

Chatham Docks employs local people who rely on its operation for their livelihoods. It must not be lost and redeveloped for housing.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

ArcelorMittal has submitted a series of technical reports to Medway Borough Council to demonstrate that Chatham Docks is viable and has a future in particular the submitted economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks by Independent Port Consultants concludes that ‘in view of the cost estimate, financial viability and impact on jobs and revenue if the operation is made to close, ending the operation to render the land available for alternative uses does not make economic sense.’

A copy of the economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks (and others) has been re-submitted to the Council as part of these representations. The reports and representations have been emailed to: futuremedway@medway.gov.uk