Policy SA7: Capstone Valley

Support

Representation ID: 4439

Received: 29/07/2025

Respondent: Sports England

Sport England is supportive of the principles of Policy SA7, however the NPPF paragraph 103 does not support standards it promotes assessments. Therefore the wording to the Fields in Trust Standards (2024), should be replaced reference to Medway’s Playing pitch Strategy recommendations for outdoor sport which may be available prior to the EiP for the Local Plan.

Sport England is in the process with Medway Council in preparing a playing pitch strategy and built facility strategy which should be commissioned in the autumn of this year, 2025, with completing around Easter 2026.

Object

Representation ID: 4445

Received: 29/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Ray Dines

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

It seems very unlikely that it will be appropriate for the new Orbital bus service to be routed via M2 junction 4. Maidstone Road would seem the obvious connection. The concept plan is incredibly vague, there are no street names or indication as to how the major new housing allocations will be connected to the existing highway network. The Transport impact of the development on M2 junction 4 and A278/Sharsted Way in particular are untested. There is no detail of necessary infrastructure improvements.

Support

Representation ID: 4604

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Ms Bridget Fox (Woodland Trust)

The Woodland Trust takes no position on site allocations other than in terms of their impact on woods and trees, in particular ancient woodland and ancient, veteran or notable trees.

We note in 6c) that there is a requirement for appropriate buffer strips close to Ancient Woodland. These buffers can form part of the accessible greenspace for developments but should be free of any hard standing or built elements, and of any non-native planting or invasive species. They should reflect the priorities in the Kent & Medway LNRS, seeking to restore and reconnect habitat.

Object

Representation ID: 4618

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Loss of BMV has not been properly evidenced. Development on brownfield land should be prioritised.
If it is demonstrated that loss of BMV has been evidenced and justified, yield should be optimised and an uplift made in affordable housing provision.
In accordance with the National Design Code ranges of 60-120dph should be applied. Once greenfields are built out they are no longer rural areas, so densities should reflect those of built-up areas.
Query delivery within the plan period and effectiveness of multi-functional landscape corridors.

Object

Representation ID: 4781

Received: 10/08/2025

Respondent: Kent Downs AONB Unit

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The policy wording fails to refer to, or include any requirement for development to respond to the site’s location within the KDNL setting. We consider that given the strategic scale of the proposed allocation, this should be addressed. Without such provisions, we consider it is not demonstrated that the allocation would be consistent with national planning policy and in particular paragraph 189 of the NPPF

Object

Representation ID: 4843

Received: 10/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Emma Aldous

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

I object to the proposed plans for this area.

Object

Representation ID: 4877

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Alison Heine

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The council could and should consider the potential for a Gypsy Traveller sites as part of such a large allocation