Policy DM21: New Open Space, Outdoor Sports and Play Spaces

Support

Representation ID: 4434

Received: 29/07/2025

Respondent: Sports England

Medway council will have its own evidence, therefore FiT standards should not be used.

Object

Representation ID: 4556

Received: 05/08/2025

Respondent: Blueberry Homes

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Please see above.

Support

Representation ID: 4602

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Ms Bridget Fox (Woodland Trust)

We support this policy especially the section on Design of new open space points a) requiring connection to nature and h) promoting biodiversity.
We recommend including standards for access to wild/natural greenspace and woodland, in line with Natural England's guidance and the Woodland Trust's Woodland Access Standard. This recommends that:
– That no person should live more than 500m from at least one area of accessible woodland of no less than 2ha in size.
– That there should also be at least one area of accessible woodland of no less than 20ha within 4km (8km round trip) of people’s homes.

Support

Representation ID: 4664

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr David Hopkins

I support this ambition.

Support

Representation ID: 4939

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Medway Council

Re-read this with Senior Landscape Officer please can we make slight amendments.
- Lettering is bit confusing as its same under both sections. Would be best to make it 1a, b, c, and then 2a, b,c

New open space:
a. include education, wildlife and play
d.Integrate formal sports provision into wider open space networks 'and landscape'.
h. Be resilient, comfortable in changing climate.
h. ...BNG, landscape & open space
Include allotments & community garden in policy
PPS & BFS due 2025/26
2025 Local Football Facility Plan highlights need for 8 new full size 3G football pitches & improve facilities

Support

Representation ID: 4966

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Medway Council

Having read through this with the Senior Landscape Officer, the ordering of the points needs to be amended so that the more important points are closer to the top - point f needs to be above c so the emphasis is more on what is expected and the exceptional circumstances is the last point.