5.21

Comment

Representation ID: 344

Received: 21/09/2023

Respondent: Mr Declan Kennedy

Chatham Docks should not be closed, as it is a vital working industry in Medway, causing job losses. The site should be regenerated, with better keeping, and supported by the council, as it has been around for 400 years and contributes to the area's versatility and history. It is essential that Chatham Docks remains open. Everywhere shouldn't be homes. Medway City Estate has significant potential for redevelopment, including improved land use, suitable business spaces, suitable homes, and enhanced landscape and streetscape. Medway City Estate would be a great place for a waterfront site.

Comment

Representation ID: 361

Received: 26/09/2023

Respondent: Mrs Monira Ali

New homes around Medway city estate will cause chaos in terms of traffic, generally and at peak times.

Comment

Representation ID: 448

Received: 12/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Max Terry

St marys Island and the Dockside currently have no link to the Chatham Waters area where the Asda is. This is negative for students and does not give them easy access to these areas. Having a redeveloped industrial area that is clean and bright to walk through with the potential tram line to Gillingham High Street can hopefully opne up a whole new link to the redevelopment and brighter look to this area through the local plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 509

Received: 19/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Keith Swaden

Why would you consider re-developing Chatham Docks? This provides a diverse range of commercial business now and potentially in to the future. Surely, such a key site should be maintained as a dock but also developed to make the best commercial use of the site today and in to the future. This would be in-line with the plan's heritage-led approach to managing potential change, reflecting the area's special character and historic significance especially regarding it's maritime heritage.

I am sure a continuous walk/cycle path could still be developed to link St Mary's Island to Chatham Waterfront.

Comment

Representation ID: 521

Received: 20/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Ben Sawyer

For context, the relocation of the steel fabricator ArcelorMittal from berth 1 to berth 4 to allow the building of ASDA cost the business around £3 million. A business that works very hard to be able to make even £1 million in a year and employees around 200 skilled workers. That move was around 300 meters and was done mostly with the businesses own plant. To relocate again outside of Chatham Docks and on public highways could be devastating for the business and would certainly result in redundancies and moving out of Medway.

Comment

Representation ID: 533

Received: 20/10/2023

Respondent: Francesca Baylis

I greatly support the development of new houses near existing employment and amenities.

Comment

Representation ID: 570

Received: 24/10/2023

Respondent: Terance Butler Holdings

Support for the consideration of Medway City Estate as potential development opportunity which is specifically reference in the consultation document. The Council must engage early with landowners and businesses promoting land in order that comprehensive redevelopment can be progressed for mixed-use proposals in the short/medium term. Strategic development of Medway City Estate for a range of uses supports regeneration objectives and offers a logical and sustainable approach with the focus on brownfield land. Sites can come forward individually and as part of a comprehensive redevelopment but the Council needs to engage with interested landowners to crystallise development proposals.

Comment

Representation ID: 651

Received: 25/10/2023

Respondent: Jenni Davis

Medway City Estate should not be developed any further - where will all the cars go? It's hard enough to get out of Upnor now!

Comment

Representation ID: 703

Received: 26/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Kevin Shipp

This is not in line with local jobs, the businesses turn over 250million pounds in the Chatham docks and this will benefit only the shareholders (peel ports) that own the land and will not help local jobs and local turnover, losing the docks is not in the best interests of the local people and we will lose from the area the opportunity for high skilled jobs with an in the docks instance an average salary of 40k. Jobs to construct houses is not a long term income, once the houses are built, jobs disappear.

Comment

Representation ID: 716

Received: 26/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Geoff Addy

My Customer (Arcelor Mittal Kent Wire) imports and exports materials directly from the dockside. Relocating the Factory would mean transporting materials by road. This would have a negative effect on the environment and add more traffic to the local road network. AMKW provides skilled jobs for the area, vital for the local economy. If you tamper with the long established local industry, people won't be able to afford the expensive new Flats that will be erected in its place. AMKW provides construction materials for the UK infrastructure (e.g Crossrail, HS2, and ongoing projects), so a vital industry for the UK.

Comment

Representation ID: 837

Received: 27/10/2023

Respondent: Mrs Patricia Sharp

The development of Chatham Docks would mean valuable businesses there would be lost.

Comment

Representation ID: 872

Received: 28/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Keith Harrison

The Chatham docks area would be better suited to something other than unnecessary housing.

Comment

Representation ID: 999

Received: 29/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Leslie Brown

Heritage Centres and land close to flood planes may take more effort to achieve planning permission. Again Flood planes and barriers are now more import nowadays. Circa 25% of housing in the UK may already be below flood plane levels. The recent floods are warnings that insurance companies will be more aware of.

Comment

Representation ID: 1055

Received: 30/10/2023

Respondent: Mrs Maureen Crombie

Chatham Docks provides much needed employment ( helpful in limiting out- commuting) and is an economic asset. It is also historic. These are qualities expressed as important in the proposed plan. Chatham Docks could be extremely helpful with transportation.

Comment

Representation ID: 1085

Received: 30/10/2023

Respondent: Medway Green Party

Chatham Docks has a much bigger and better role to play for the future of Medway than yet more unnecessary housing.

Comment

Representation ID: 1119

Received: 30/10/2023

Respondent: Brunel Planning

ArcelorMittal objects to Chatham Docks designation on Map 1.

PeelL&P has promoted Chatham Docks for residential use stating that the existing dock operation is unviable. This is incorrect.

Evidence submitted confirms that Chatham Docks is viable and has an important and significant role.

The plan cannot state in one place that it supports local businesses and existing employment, but then designate a thriving business employing many local people for housing where that existing use will then be lost.

Chatham Docks must be both supported and protected in the plan and not lost.

See full representations sent by email.

Comment

Representation ID: 1213

Received: 30/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hesketh

Chatham Docks development is nota good idea for an all raft of reasons - losing local businesses, lack of supporting infrastructure etc

Comment

Representation ID: 1342

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Nicholas Chan

Urban waterfronts must remain public accessible at all times. They cannot be blocked off for private use or developments.

Comment

Representation ID: 1356

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mrs Elizabeth Turpin

Strongly disagreement with changing the land use of these areas. Businesses have invested a lot in the area and will provide much instability for them. We will lose these businesses and therefore jobs from Medway. Not only is housing important. For Medway but so is providing local jobs for local people.

Comment

Representation ID: 1535

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mrs Marilyn Stone

If the need for fewer dwellings is accepted we do not need to "provide new homes in the dockyard that necessitate the relocation of existing businesses.

Comment

Representation ID: 1545

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Alexander Cameron

The docks remain special for many and should probably retain their industrial heritage and infrastructure. They are valued for what they are today.
Medway City estate will be under water in due course, how is this being dealt with in the plan. The flood /sea level risk around Medway are very real and must be part of the local plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 1559

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Fred Skipsey

Will the businesses needing to be re-located have their livings safeguarded by the provision of appropriate alternative accommodation?

Comment

Representation ID: 1643

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Matthew Nightingale

The consideration of waterfront development needs to acknowledge the risk of flooding and sea level rise, not just in the short term but long term.

Comment

Representation ID: 1703

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Shaun Delaney

By pushing these maritime businesses out, we will lose some of the industry that defined Chatham's past and that adds context for its future. One lost, it would be impossible to recreate the working docks elsewhere in Medway and we would lose the chance to build on low carbon marine transport.

Comment

Representation ID: 1717

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Mark Clancy

I have resided nearby and worked for more than a decade, at Kentwire on Chatham docks. It has been a great privilege to have been involved in some amazing infrastructure projects all over the country, and overseas, all delivered for this unique site. The work of my colleagues is skilled, productive, forward thinking, and in this time of climate crisis the site has very favourable attributes for logistics.
I urge you to maintain support for the site in its current use, and the balance of working and living it provides to the area.

Comment

Representation ID: 1721

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Rupert Turpin

This should be with the consent of the Businesses and the workers. Chatham Docks is viable and as far as I can see should not be turned into high rise flats. THe businesses there have shown that they are viable and that they want to stay. Similarly Medway City Estate would entail a loss of jobs and it is very important that jobs get equal billing with housing.

Comment

Representation ID: 1743

Received: 31/10/2023

Respondent: Mr Andrew Lawrence

Medway City Estate should be maintained as a purely industrial area and the building of housing should be avoided.