Land at Allhallows, Rochester, Medway

31. Catesby Estates is promoting Land at Allhallows, Rochester, Medway (“the Site”) for residential-led development through the LP2040. The Site is identified in the Council’s LAA as one of the sites put forward within the ‘rural areas’. The enclosed Site Location Plan details the extent of the Site and a Vision Document providing more detail regarding its context, opportunities and constraints, and development potential is also enclosed with these representations.

32. The Site directly adjoins Allhallows’ southern and eastern boundaries and has the opportunity to deliver new homes and facilities to support the growth and function of Allhallows as a self-sufficient and sustainable year-round community, alongside supporting nearby employment growth at Hoo St Werburgh, Grain and Kingsnorth. The Site has the capacity to accommodate circa 350 new homes, via a landscape-led development approach.

33. Figure 3 within the accompanying Vision Document details the Site’s immediate context, opportunities and constraints. It also demonstrates the significant caravan/holiday park accommodation that is located within Allhallows, which is considered an issue for its year-round vitality and social prosperity. Given the vision of the LP2040 is to boost economic activity and promote inward commuting patterns, existing settlements such as Allhallows have the opportunity to accommodate new sustainable growth that will benefit existing residents, helping to spread the vision across Medway. Moreover, Allhallows already has key infrastructure such as a primary school, community facilities and a GP surgery, therefore the proposed development will help complement the existing services and facilities, making Allhallows a more sustainable community.

34. Figure 7 within the accompanying Vision Document demonstrates the emerging context of Medway following the publication of the LP2040 consultation. Hoo St Werburgh and the Hoo Peninsula are key areas for Medway, alongside the areas of planned employment growth at Kingsnorth and Isle of Grain. Allhallows is situated on the northern coastline, approximately equidistant from Kingsnorth and Isle of Grain. The Site’s location therefore provides a choice of new homes within a commuting distance of two planned employment growth areas, helping link up existing communities with future economic prosperity.

35. These new homes and year-round population will assist in sustaining the existing services and facilities within Allhallows, as well as supporting enhancements in the range of local services and facilities and therefore the general future sustainability of the settlement. It should be noted that enhanced services and facilities are likely to boost the seasonal population of the holiday parks and lead in to an increase in tourism trade for Allhallows and the surrounding areas.

36. In addition, Investment in on-demand public transport links between Allhallows, the Isle of Grain, Kingsnorth and importantly Strood (for train links and secondary education facilities) will all be explored as part of the development proposals to further reinforce the sustainability and connectivity of Allhallows within the Hoo Peninsular.

37. The Site is considered to support the Councils four strategic objectives set out within the LP2040, as detailed on pages 12 and 13 of the accompanying Vision Document, but in particular support for development on the Hoo Peninsula and at Allhallows.

38. Marrons and our client Catesby Estates would be pleased to discuss the Site and its development potential further with the Council, as appropriate.