Supporting people to lead healthy lives and strengthening our communities

We endorse the above objective.

Green space and open countryside promotes healthy living. Not over-development and changing rural villages forever.

I agree with these objectives.

I am concerned about the high number of drive thru, fast food outlets. these do not help people lead healthy life styles.
There are high levels of obesity, this needs addressing.

More focus on devising specific health strategies should be made : by working clsoely with Primary Care and providers; agree the specification of metrics which are personalised e.g. 45% of people will engaged with personal fitness plans which seek specific healthy outcomes e.g 75% of population will be regarded as of healthy wait, deaths by heart disease will have decreased by 50%

Hoo (or close by) - 1980s, 1990s, 00s
BP club - gone (housing)
Deangate golf - gone ?
Deangate athletics - allowed to become almost derelict
Jordan house - gone housing
Sturdee club - gone - derelict
Arethusa - gone -?
School playing fields and courts - fenced off
Hundred of Hoo swimming pool - no investment. Land adjoining it that could have been used to extend the facilities given over to housing development
Leisure facilities in Hoo for young people have been steadily eradicated over the years.

To truly achieve high quality housing (which I agree is immensely important) we need a systematic approach including looking at the wider infrastructure and how the housing connects to systems on which the habitants depend.

Create a Medway Gold Standard that developers have to follow.

Developments should be less dense than is the current norm. It is well known that inhabitants of high rise flats are at a higher risk of suffering depression and other mental health related problems. Now that high rise building is less favourable, developers are turning their hands to making traditional housing as dense as possible. Houses are now built taller than previously, closer together, they're lacking front gardens/drives and streets are narrower (apparently to make them safer for pedestrians but in reality, it boosts the developers profits while making residents feel cramped and the buildings oppressive.). Medway should develop a gold standard for building with thought for residents such that they have gardens, front driveways with EV charging points and sufficient space so as not to feel like they live in an oppressive area. Coming home should be a delight, not a chore. Opening your curtains should be pleasant, not depressing. Horsted Park is a good example of how not to build. The houses are tall, narrow, there are no views from within the streets, there are very few detached houses, no one has a front garden, very few have actual drives and the streets are narrow.

Dwellings need sufficient storage to actually live. Time and again we see new builds with very little storage, blocks of flats end up with people having to store their belongings on their balconies, houses like Capstone Green end up with people having to actually store their own property outside the houses. As above, this makes for a depressing existence and serves as a constant reminder that you don't actually have enough space in your life to live.

As part of our gold standard, we should be requiring new builds have Passivhaus standard levels of insulation. No greenwashing, no offsetting, actual high quality building, designed with thought to ensure low bills from the outset.

It should be a requirement that developments should be designed such that houses have in roof solar panel systems instead of tiles. The orientation of the houses should be designed in conjunction with the solar panel systems to ensure every house has a good coverage of panels and a battery that will actually cover the expected net usage of the property. Too often we see greenwashing or commitments to do xyz instead of actually installing something that will make a difference, and when we do see solar panels on new builds, there's a paltry 4 or 5 rather than a useful 10+. We wouldn't be installing anything other than air source heat pumps (ASHPs) as part of the gold standard so the power requirements of those need to be taken into account when connecting these properties to the grid. There's likely to be a need for significant upgrades to the DNO's infrastructure as a result which should be funded by the development.

We should consider using air to air ASHPs and an immersion heated water tank instead of air to water ASHPs. This allows residents to use their solar generated power to cool their property in the ever hotter summers that are expected as a result of climate change. Time and again I have personally witnessed some awful driving in Medway as temperatures soar in the summer months due to people not sleeping properly. On the hottest day of the year in 2023 I witnessed three RTCs as a result of people's lapse of concentration. Air to air ASHPs also have other benefits over wet systems. They provide higher SCOPs than wet ones, they significantly reduce the risk of water escape in a property and are cheaper to install. In a Passivhaus build they can be integrated into the MVHR system to provide a very comfortable living space.

Builders need to be held to account for their build quality with council appointed inspections of properties throughout the build process. Too often the new build purchase process is marred by poor build quality which people have now come to expect. This could be avoided if there were penalties for builders not producing quality products. Warranties provided by developers are nearly useless and residents can currently find themselves stuck with poorly finished properties for months or even years.

Developments should be built around existing trees. With a lot of this development inevitably falling on greenfield spaces, trees need to be saved at all costs. Planting new trees does not offset the removal of old ones. These trees should not just be a feature of a development but the development should be designed such they are visible from as many windows as possible and from the streets too. Trees planted as part of the development shouldn't count towards this goal as they take decades to reach a level where they can be visible above roof tops. It has been proven that the ability to see trees positively impacts one's mental health. We shouldn't be just aiming for trees to be within walking distance, they should be visible wherever possible and saved from destruction. Having trees visible from windows of homes helps quell the feeling of being hemmed in. If you can look out of your bedroom window and see trees in the distance instead of row after row of houses, your immediate environment feels that much bigger. That's not to say the houses shouldn't be there either but just a row of trees in the distance achieves this effect.

Ensure good mobile phone signal for at least two major networks at all points within a development. If required, ensure that new masts are installed as part of the development. These connectivity requirements are essential for everyone these days but people working in Medway will now include those who used to commute to London but now work from home. These are no longer commuters in the traditional sense but will have previously chosen Medway due to its proximity to London. With the provision of full fibre broadband and good mobile phone reception, we can ensure Medway remains attractive to these potential high earners.

High quality housing for downsizers needs to include detached properties if they are to match the quality of these individual's previous homes (or possibly even better them). If you have got to a point in your life where you need to downsize, chances are you have some capital behind you and will have become accustomed to a certain way of living. Semi detached bungalows with no front garden and no driveway will not be attractive to them.

How is building more houses supporting healthier lives ? More people equals more pollution . Building more does not strengthen communities it isolated existing ones . Surely promoting existing community activities strengthens them. Moving more people into a particular area is just that not building communities.

Local high streets in Medway town is an excellent place to reduce social isolation. It is also where current bus routes are in placed. The long term strategy should be more enhanced than an unsustainable free parking scheme. There should be a local bus pass which allow residents to travel across Medway with a return trip costing no more than £3 (in today's money).

Healthy Living Centres should include an accessible exercise facility for all ages. True well-being promote fitness and the mentality for HLC should not be fixed on curing illness.

By developing in these areas, it will put increased pressure on an already struggling Medway hospital and local GP surgeries and medical centres. The areas planned for development already provide beautiful places to enjoy walks in nature, which my family and I benefit from. To destroy the nature that’s already there seems illogical. As with retail, there are already shopping centres (Dockside, Pentagon, Hempstead Valley) with empty units, surely it would be better to fill these up before creating any more retail spaces that could end up staying empty

Medway is ranked in the 30% most deprived local authorities nationally in the 2019 Indices of Deprivation and the 93rd most deprived local authority of 317 in England, with fourteen neighbourhoods ranked in the 105 most deprived nationally. Paragraph 4.29 of the Medway Local Housing Need Assessment (LHNA) 2021 states there is an annual need for 621 new affordable homes a year which represents 37% of the overall housing need. There are also 20,651 families in Medway on the social housing waiting list, a jump of 215% from those on the same waiting list in 2005. It is clear that the impacts of not delivering the amount of affordable houses needed in the
authority will exasperate the current deprivation levels and affordability issues Medway faces. Evidence suggests that low-cost, decent quality housing, in a healthy job market could make a substantial contribution to increasing disposable income, preventing material deprivation and maintaining work incentives. It is therefore imperative that the Council allocate a significant quantum of sites in the emerging Local Plan, so that affordable housing need can be met.

Our site that we are submitting as part of these representations is adjacent to the built-up area of Strood and would form a logical extension in a highly sustainable location for future development. The Land North of Rede Court has the potential to deliver market and affordable dwellings, including much needed family housing that can be delivered within the first five years of the Plan period and contribute to the housing needs of the District. Any proposals on the site would emphasise healthy living, contribute play areas and open space on site and provide opportunities to access local amenities, schools and community facilities by foot and cycle, so car use is kept to a minimum.

Section 8 of the NPPF provides guidance on ‘Promoting Healthy and Safe Communities’. The proposed objective in the Medway Local Plan actively meets this objective and is therefore supported. But, respectfully it is considered that there is an omission in how the objective is drafted.

The intentions of the third bullet point, proposes to strengthen the role of Medway's "urban, neighbourhood and village centres…” This position is supported, but it is considered that ‘urban and rural extensions’ should also be included in this objective, especially, as the inclusion of urban and rural extensions are included within the proposed spatial strategy for delivering growth.

It is considered that the provision of such extensions will help to develop and strengthen transport networks and encourage for safe and sustainable travel as advocated elsewhere through the plan.

Medway needs to ensure new dwellings are carbon negative. New development should be focused on producing compact urban areas with a reduced need for travelling in all areas

We support the principle that residential developments should have access to the natural environment, including to woodland. • Everyone should have access to nature-rich green space in walking distance from where they live.

We recommend adopting policy standards for residential developments that support access to the natural environment and woodland for informal recreation.

Natural England’s Accessible Natural Green Space Standard recommends that all people should have accessible natural green space:
– Of at least two hectares in size, no more than 300m (five minutes’ walk) from home.
– At least one accessible 20-hectare site within 2km of home.
– One accessible 100-hectare site within 5km of home.
– One accessible 500-hectare site within 10km of home.
– A minimum of one hectare of statutory local nature reserves per 1,000 people.

The Woodland Trust has developed a Woodland Access Standard to complement the Accessible Natural Green Space 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.

Overall, CCE support the vision and strategic objectives set out in the consultation document. In particular ‘to provide for high quality energy efficient homes that meet the housing needs of Medway’s communities reflecting the range of sizes, types and affordability the area needs’ alongside ‘the provision of a portfolio of good quality employment land’. The objectives also, importantly, recognise development should be of high quality, resilient and supported by the timely provision of infrastructure to facilitate a sustainable and green future. CCE support the intention to deliver sustainable development, meeting the needs of Medway’s communities whilst respecting the natural and historic environment and directing growth to the most suitable locations.

Section 8 of the NPPF provides guidance on ‘Promoting Healthy and Safe Communities’. The proposed objective in the Medway Local Plan actively meets this objective and is therefore supported. But, respectfully it is considered that there is an omission in how the objective is drafted.

The intentions of the third bullet point, proposes to strengthen the role of Medway's urban, neighbourhood and village centres…” This position is supported, but it is considered that ‘rural extensions’ should also be included in this objective, especially, as the rural development sites are included within the proposed spatial strategy for delivering growth.

Strategic Objectives

As stated above, Redrow support the objective to strengthen and develop transport networks to provide safe and effective choices for sustainable travel, including improved opportunities for walking and cycling and enhanced public transport services, and management of the highways network, with associated improvements in air quality. This is seen as key to unlocking development potential at sites where, historically, highway capacity has been seen as a constraint.

Further, Redrow recognise the need to secure a robust green and blue infrastructure network across land and water that protects and enhances the assets of the natural and historic environments in urban and rural Medway; providing resilience for nature through better connectivity and conditions; informing the design and sustainability of new development; and supporting healthier lifestyles.
These can readily be incorporated into development proposals and it is considered that these can best be planned in co-ordination with a growth strategy to deliver the new homes required at the appropriate location. The Local Plan could set out a clear strategy for achieving these objectives within individual site allocations but also across a wider area, such as suburban expansion at Rainham, through masterplanning and co-ordination of development proposals (a Framework).

New housing growth in selected areas can also achieve the objective to reduce inequalities in health by delivering better outcomes for residents, by promoting opportunities for increasing physical activity and mental wellbeing, through green infrastructure and public realm design for walking, cycling, parks and other recreation facilities.

Well designed and co-ordinated new housing growth at the right suburban locations could reduce social isolation by supporting retention and enhancement of local services close to where people live, and inclusive environments that are accessible by all groups in society. It could also strengthen the role of Medway’s existing urban, neighbourhood and village centres, responding with a positive strategy to changes in retail; supporting independent retail and start-ups, encouraging new business uses into the High Street. It would help to secure a range of accessible services and facilities for local communities close to where they live.

As set out above, Redrow support the objective to boost pride in Medway through quality and resilient development, and this could be achieved with development that is supported by and co-ordinated with the timely provision of good quality effective infrastructure, so that the needs of Medway’s growing and changing communities are well served. As such, it is critical to deliver sustainable development, meeting the needs of Medway’s communities, respecting the natural and historic environment, and directing growth to the most accessible locations, which should include suburban extensions, to best enhance Medway’s existing economic, social and environmental characteristics.

Section 8 of the NPPF provides guidance on ‘Promoting Healthy and Safe Communities’. The proposed objective in the Medway Local Plan actively meets this objective and is therefore supported. But, respectfully it is considered that there is an omission in how the objective is drafted.

The intentions of the third bullet point, proposes to strengthen the role of Medway's urban, neighbourhood and village centres…” This position is supported, but it is considered that ‘rural extensions’ should also be included in this objective, especially, as the rural development sites are included within the proposed spatial strategy for delivering growth.

Similar to the Vision, the Objectives also fail to include reference to the strategic requirement to meet local housing needs. Objective 2 refers to homes and meeting the housing needs of Medway’s communities. Richborough is of the view that the text should be altered to acknowledge the need to meet the development needs in full, rather than limiting this to meeting the needs of existing communities. Richborough is also of the view that the requirement to meet housing needs should be the subject of a standalone objective.
Paragraph 60 of the NPPF not only establishes that housing needs should be met but also sets out the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes. In light of the historic failure to meet the housing targets in Medway, the inclusion of a housing specific objective would stress the importance of the issue and ensure the efficiency of the Local Plan.
Richborough is of the view that the inclusion of Objective 2 alone is not fit for purpose and a new Objective should be provided to explicitly state that the full range of need for new housing should be met and integrate a focus on deliverability.

‘Supporting people to lead healthy lives and strengthening our communities’
11. Catesby Estates supports the need for high quality housing and for a choice of housing that meets the needs of the local communities. Notwithstanding, any associated policies must be evidenced robustly to ensure they are a true reflection of local need. Communities need to grow in order to maintain services. Development in Allhallows presents an opportunity to deliver homes and services which will contribute to strengthening the existing community, as well as providing homes in an area identified for significant employment growth.

12. Catesby Estates also supports the reduction in inequalities related to health and considers that well planned rural homes can offer good access to green and blue infrastructure, which the LP2040 is also focussed on, that will in turn also support the development and retention of local services.

Medway Council must stop using the Hoo Peninsula as a dumping ground for housing for Londoners and people from adjacent councils. The Peninsula has already taken more than its fair share of housing development for the whole Medway Council, the majority of these homes are out of reach of those earning the median income for existing residents of Hoo Peninsula. The Peninsula should be Medway’s equivalent of a National Park and should be treated as such.

The impact on existing communities should be the priority. New developments should not negatively affect existing communities; they should improve / benefit existing communities. For example, existing cul de sacs should not become through roads. Existing through roads should not become rat runs. The existing privacy of residences/gardens should be maintained (new developments should not overlook existing developments). New developments should be separated from existing developments by adequate distance and plant cover. Existing residences should not experience increased levels of noise, light, or environmental pollution. Safe and efficient walking and cycling routes should be a priority.

I am a Medway resident for over 50 years, and I am a Buddhist. We are the only major religious community not to have a home yet in Medway. As a growing religious community we hope an inclusive Local Plan will include a Buddhist Temple/Centre. Our deep commitment to social engagement means that such a centre would very much be for wider community benefit too, including for health and well-being.

Housing is developer led and far too many flats are planned to the detriment of FAMILY LIFE- FAR MORE THAN SIMILAR AREAS. Some flats are marketed in the far east, rather than being local solutions.

The promotion of plant based diets amd increased physical activity is needed to prevent additional strain on medical services as the population ages. Alternative marketing options to be explored that encourage sustainable active lifestyles rather than chastising people for choosing unhealthy options as this makes them want to don't more often.

Green infrastructure sounds glorious but not sure given the geography of the Towns how it can be achieved. Country Parks are situated on the outskirts and largely accessed by car.