COMMENT ON PARA. 5.55

ArcelorMittal agrees that it is important to draw up a balanced plan for Medway in terms of providing homes, jobs and services. However, the future of Medway must not include the closure of a viable, active, employment generating, working port at Chatham Docks for housing redevelopment to seek to meet housing numbers. This would lead to the loss of at least 800 jobs and a potential further loss of jobs in the supply chains.

Chatham Docks is a thriving industrial dock. 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.

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.

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan and not allowed to be lost to the detriment of people living within this Borough and their existing jobs at the docks.