Medway Council

Comment

Medway Local Plan (Regulation 18, 2024)

Representation ID: 2760

Received: 06/09/2024

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Representation Summary:

CPRE welcomes proposals to address existing deficiencies to meets the needs of existing local residents, but it cannot support the Council turning its back on these communities and siting such provision outside existing village centres (paragraph 8.2.1).

While addressing needs of existing residents is to be welcomed, this draft policy should not be seen as a green light accepting a development strategy which in its own right is unsustainable (in terms of identifying the Hoo Peninsula as an area of significant growth for housing).

Full text:

In response to Q28

No.

Please see CPRE Kent's specific comments on development at the Hoo Peninsular in response to the Council’s preferred spatial strategy at section 3.2 of the Plan.

While addressing the needs of existing residents is to be welcomed, this draft policy should not be seen as a green light accepting a development strategy which in its own right is unsustainable (in terms of identifying the Hoo Peninsula as an area of significant growth for housing).

Residents may well want better shopping facilities that are easily accessible (15-minute walk), but not at the expense of an environmentally damaging and unsustainably located large-scale housing development.

If the Council drew up a strategy that placed the environment at the heart of its sustainability objectives, there would be no requirement for infrastructure to support new growth on the Hoo Peninsula.

Paragraph 8.12.1 of the draft local plan confirms that a development strategy has not yet been finalised. If this is the case, it’s not clear why the first sentence contradicts the second by saying that there is potential for significant development on the Hoo Peninsula.

For any major growth to take place, it follows that it should be accompanied by the day-to-day services and facilities that new residents would need. However, to specifically identify the Hoo Peninsula as a location for new (shopping) centres undermines the consultation currently being undertaken whereby views are being sought on the Council’s preferred option for development. Nothing is yet set in stone.

For the purposes of this consultation, this policy should have been firmly caveated in terms of Hoo being one of many potential growth sites - and a similar policy drafted for the other potential locations across the district.

While CPRE welcomes proposals to address existing deficiencies to meets the needs of existing local residents, it cannot support the Council turning its back on these communities and siting such provision outside existing village centres (paragraph 8.2.1).