We are writing on behalf of our client, Richard Castle, in respect of the Medway Local Plan (Regulation 18, 2024) consultation and its supporting background documents.
Our client continues to promote the sites now referred to as AS14, AS15 and AS17 in the consultation document and located at Middle Stoke on the Isle of Grain as suitable for residential led schemes in future Medway Local Plan (MLP). These sites, which extend to approximately 2.72ha, 0.86 ha and 7.83 ha respectively are identified as suitable for “reasonable alternative development”, with each having a possible capacity of 90, 15 and 180 units respectively. Given the adjacent landownership being the same as these sites, there is potential for greater delivery should the Council so require.
This consultation response provides feedback on both the main Regulation 18 documents and its background documents, specifically the Sustainability Appraisal and the Viability Assessment.
This representation supports the inclusion of sites AS14, AS15 and AS17 for inclusion in the future Local Plan for Medway and provides detailed feedback on individual paragraph numbers and policies as follows:
• Paragraph 1.2.2:- We support the vision for the plan which seeks to identify sites that will enable people to live healthier and longer lives. We consider that sites AS14, AS15 and AS17, will provide a safe, connected and sustainable place to live and work.
• Paragraph 1.2.8:- We support the statement that ‘Housing-led growth can support wider investment in services and businesses and contribute to shaping the character of new and existing communities’.
Section 2.3 ‘Spatial Development Strategy’ :- The aspirations of the Spatial Development Strategy for Medway are supported, specifically, “Outside of the urban regeneration areas, the Council will support the expansion of identified suburban neighbourhoods and villages, where the principles of sustainable development can be met, and where unacceptable impacts on infrastructure and the environment can be avoided”.
Sites AS14, AS15 and AS17 form part of a grouping of sites located centrally on the Isle of Grain, which have been identified as suitable for residential development. The fact that the land parcels of the 3 sites are all under the family ownership means they can be delivered more easily, whilst allowing for a phased release. These sites, when developed together and having regard to their surrounding will prevent isolated development and create a neighbourhood area which would meet the aspirations of sustainable development.
Furthermore, section 2.3, sets out that “Development will respond positively to the environmental context and realise opportunities to boost biodiversity and resilience”. The current land has limited biodiversity value, but given the wider land ownership by our client, has the potential to enable the provision of biodiversity enhancements and the creation of a green infrastructure which will connect the sites to the wider countryside. On this basis, the development of the site for residential uses would enhance biodiversity in accordance with National policy aspirations and the draft proposals in the Local Plan.