Vision

Redrow, who has an interest in land to the west of Pump Lane, Rainham (RN9), fully support the Vision and recognise that the countryside, coast and the urban open spaces are valued and benefit as joined up environmental assets in a resilient green infrastructure network. Important wildlife and heritage assets are protected and enhanced. Medway has transitioned to a low carbon economy, with a clear path mapped out to reaching ‘net zero’. Development brought forward by Redrow, on a series of sites, can contribute to the Vision.

It is considered that green growth can and should be supported across the Borough and this should be inclusive of delivering the new homes required. Redrow believe that suburban expansion at Rainham is one way to sensitively deliver homes where they are needed, whilst still protecting and enhancing valued heritage and environmental assets. These should be embraced and incorporated within well designed development, rather than being seen or used as constraints to development at locations where development could be sustainable.

Redrow support the scope for improved travel choices and infrastructure that can reduce use of the private car across Medway, with people benefitting from better provision for pedestrians and cyclists, and a greater public transport offer. This has already transformed how people move through the central urban areas and strengthened the connections with wider neighbourhoods and villages and, looking forward, will be means to mitigate and alleviate against existing highway capacity constraints.

These transport initiatives can and should be incorporated into new development on the edges of the suburban areas, such as at Rainham, to deliver the growth required in a sustainable way and the Local Plan is the way to achieve that. This may include wider strategic planning and masterplanning to enable an integrated approach across a range of sites located at the edge of the main suburban area. While some sites could come forward on their own, such masterplanning could look to integrate and co-ordinate the delivery of wider transport initiatives, together with the provision of social infrastructure and green infrastructure required, while enhancing local heritage and landscape assets.