The plan's vision is to

We need a realistic plan that recognises IF additional development takes place, then the local population WILL grow and there WILL be a significant further increase in car journeys. We urgently need additional road infrastructure and junction upgrades now . Medway is in utter gridlock due the current road infrastructure being unable to cope with recent local population growth. It is a fallacy to think that people WILL NOT use cars if additional houses are built, the evidence to the contrary is all around us. Build additional major road projects and improvements into the plan now, before its too late. Nonsense like "Red Routes" will do absolutely nothing to solve the problems and are just a huge waste of taxpayer money.

Also consider that additional train capacity and car parking at train stations will be needed to cope with increase in number of commuters who will have to travel outside of the are to be able to afford the income needed to buy or rent the types of houses being built locally.

We also need to insist new Doctors and hospitals are built BEFORE additional housing, not ten years too late.

Medway is in need of a local plan, but planners need to remember that you need to put provision in place BEFORE getting people to use it. Much of Medway (esp Chatham, Walderslade, Lordswood etc) are very hilly, and cycling only suitable for the very fittest. We encourage Londoners to move here, but build houses miles from stations. And public transport is slow and expensive. It takes half a day to get from Lordswood to Rainham and back. 20-30mins return by car. Speed us essential when needing to get to vulnerable elderly relatives elsewhere in the towns.

Having been a resident of Medway for over 50 years, I only see it's green spaces shrinking. Vehicle usage chokes routes through the towns at more than the "rush hours". Cycling around our towns is a dangerous not enjoyable. I live on Darland Banks it's a struggle to keep it litter free, stop mindless youths anti social behaviour. More houses in our area means that more green spaces lost. Not just to the housing development, but to the anti social behaviour that comes with them. I feel all your well intentioned ideas are sadly not based in the real world.

This is a good vision, however emphasis needs to be on infrastructure & health care. In fact, this needs to be addressed now, as building is constant & infrastructure hasn't been supported to deal with this.

It's great to see a plan provide actual access to the waterfront and continuous riverside paths - something seriously lacking at the moment.

In addition, it's great to see the mention of greater public transport & a return of local area grocery shopping & places to socialise/exercise, rather than everything being in retail parks, especially when relying on public transport.

Under this plan it is projected that the population of Medway will increase by a third. Currently roads throughout Medway are overly congested add another potential 60,000 vehicles will be added to the area. I can not see how the increase in housing can be allowed without plans for vastly improved road and public transport plans. Air pollution will increase and subsequent rise in medical needs.
As I suspect most of these plans will be forced through then at least make the builders include Medical health care centres more schools and make significant financial contributions to these needs and ensure that they are built at the same time as these estates.

Using the river is a great idea. So much more can be made if that.
The hilly nature of Chatham and surrounding areas make cycling pretty impossible for anyone of average fitness, and public transport is not fit for purpose. A trip to Rainham to help my mum would take half a day by bus, but a couple of hours in total by car.

We aim to walk to places where possible, often do our grocery shopping on foot at Sainsbury's. It would be great to have more choice of Supermarkets in the town centre, with later opening hours, (old Tesco building?) focus more on local shops that people can walk to rather than having to drive. I'll miss Wilko, handy for so many things. The £2 bus fares are great. More of a walk by the river in Chatham would be great. Retain as much heritage as possible and make it accessible, I'd love to go in the School for Ragged Boys.

Medway housing/chidren's services sometimes feel like an overflow from London - residential houses in Gillingham are being rented out as children's homes for those from London Boroughs. We need to keep the housing stock available for local residents.

Improve transport quality - more frequent, trams, use of boats as mode of transport.
Housing - greener - solar panels already installed on new homes, affordable green schemes for existing homes, not means assessed in any way but available to all.
Affordable space for small businesses.
Improved street lighting, more bins.
Bring high streets back to life with affordable shops - this will bring in more money for economy.
More schools and GP surgeries.
New and existing schools to teach life skills, I.e. tax, cooking, voting, budgeting, saving, property ladder.
Cleaner waters.

General Comments:
Given the extreme urgency and the vital importance to society as a whole of decarbonising the world economy and given the current government’s wavering on the vital measures required in order to achieve net zero by 2050. It falls to Local Government to make the right sustainable choices in their Local Plan in order to move the sustainable agenda forward.
As such the emerging Medway Local plan has a key role in the UK achieving its targets of net zero by 2050. The principles of sustainable development which are referred to as key goals for the emerging local plan are essential and fully supported.
Specifically, the following concepts are seen as effective and evidenced based strategies which will provide for sustainable development over the plan period.

1. Locating residential and commercial development adjacent to and within existing service centres with good public transport links. Providing community and commercial services within walking and cycling distance (typically 800 meters) is supported by the National Planning Policy Framework and is therefore complaint to national policy in addition to being a sound sustainable design principle.
2. Linked to the point above the reduction of car dependency is essential and fully supported. Increasing dependency on car use is unsustainable due to the carbon footprint traditional fuelled cars. Additionally newer electric cars are not without a significant indirect carbon footprint and are therefore not a panacea. The new local plan has the ability to design for and encourage the vital modal shift from individual car journeys to mass public transport. Medway is blessed with 7 railways stations which connect west-east and north-south. The existing transport hubs Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham Halling and Cuxton give the Local Plan ample opportunity to locate development in sustainable locations within the confines of existing built-up areas.
3. The outlined focus on existing town/ settlement centres for development is supported as this will provide for sustainable communities which have critical mass and footfall to ensure commercial success and community vibrancy.
2. Context
2.2 We support with the aspiration expressed in this paragraph.
2.4 We agree that for the plan to be successful it needs to be ambitious with regard to the demands identified and the sustainable manner in which the issues outlined are resolved. The Council should take inspiration from the International Energy Agency’s report entitled “Net Zero Roadmap” published September 2023 which states that staggering growth in renewable energy infrastructure projects means that net zero targets and limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees is feasible. The work undertaken for the Medway Local plan can build on these positive moves by designing a truly sustainable future for Medway.
2.5 We think that this statement could be reinforced the threat of climate change to human society in general and Medway specifically is vast and life threatening. Having the capability to undermine societal norms as we have come to accept them.
It is vital that the new Local Plan recognises that this is the critical moment in terms of preventing global climate instability. Medway Council cannot take all the responsibility for this on a global scale, but it must within its own area of geographical, political and social responsibility lead in sustainable initiatives. The Key test in any of the proposed allocations within the plan should be “does the development increase or decrease the ability of achieving true net zero development before 2050.”
2.6 The issue of reduction on car dependency is vital in terms of not only achieving sustainable development but also in terms of the quality-of-life and life expectancy experienced by the residents of Medway.
As is noted later in the consulation document the road network in Medway is at or beyond capacity. A situation which is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. In the meantime, there is a real need to resolve the housing shortage which is having negative consequences in everyday life of many of the younger residents of Medway. As evidenced by the difficulty of finding affordable housing for purchase or rent due to high demand and inadequate supply.
We support the initiative and ambition to think differently about how people travel short, medium, and longer journeys. We agree that the reliance on single use car journeys is no longer a sustainable choice. The Local Plan presents an enormous opportunity to propose alternative solutions which will reduce road congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions.
2.7 Housing should not be looked at in isolation. We would propose that the concept of the 15-minute city where communities are designed so that all key services are within a maximum 15 minutes’ walk of any residential unit. This concept combined with the increase of work form home practices across many industries has the ability to reduce traffic generation, provide local footfall and activity for local businesses and provide the structure within which sustainable communities can build up over time.

3. Vision for Medway 2040
3.1 We support the vision statement.

Broadly agree with the vision and welcome the references to net zero and climate change. However the phrase 'sustainable development' is used widely in the document without an obvious definition of what this means in practice (hopefully this will be clarified in the Local Plan itself). Also a glaring omission to me is any reference to addressing the biodiversity crisis we are now facing as a country - especially since much of the Medway area is rural in character. The only emphasis seems to be on building stuff - I see little reference to nature or wildlife.

The King Charles III England Coast Path is a new National Trail that will pass around the entire English coastline, securing access rights for the public that provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and active travel. The trail will provide public health benefits and attract visitors to the region, which can boost coastal economies and communities, but if the benefits are to maximised, planning policy must support the trail in accordance with the NPPF. It is therefore requested that the Medway Local Plan includes a policy stipulating that new development will only be approved whereby the Trail is protected and enhanced.

Medway it’s not a regional city. The distinct towns need to maintain their own character with clear boundary signage.

Then why are you so intent on destroying our local countryside? The development in and around the Hoo Peninsula is extremely damaging environmentally and once the countryside is paved over there can be no going back. Protect rather than develop it. The proposed developments are totally contradictory to this stated aim.

A thriving economy needs to be available to all. I've had a good education, worked hard (for the public sector) and, with all my qualifications and experience, still only get paid just above minimum wage. There isn't much that is available to my family.
I agree with addressing climate change but would never be able to afford an electric car and the buses are too expensive and don't go to the places that I need to reach or at the time I need to go there.
My quality of life has deteriorated rapidly over the years - partly because of my deplorable wages but also because of the unavailability of shops, doctors or any help at all. My local high street has just about become a no-go area, with people shouting and swearing and openly dealing drugs.

Despite being alluded to in the Vision, there appears to be scant consideration or articulation of provision for biodiversity and wildlife connectivity in the documents to follow. Net zero ambitions are articulated, however to my understanding, the council has also declared a biodiversity crisis. The rapid urbanisation described risks destroying and fragmenting habitat, driving further local extinctions and critically threatening species for whom Medway may be a rare refuge.
Human and ecosystem health are intrinsically interwoven - our gut microbiomes are populated by microorganisms in our environments - evidence shows lack of contact with healthy ecosystems compromises immune systems and lies behind inflammatory illnesses. Seeing, connecting and immersing ourselves in nature also protects our mental health and physical wellness. Given the dire situation of GP access and persistent health inequalities, Medway Council should prioritise infusing Medway with connected and thriving habitats for nature, where native vegetation (not show-home-style architectural planting) and nature-based design enhances everyone's lives and life-chances; bringing air and water purification and urban cooling effects and health and wellbeing benefits - not only in rural locations, but (especially) welcoming nature throughout urban spaces.

This vision encapsulates an exciting future for Medway and I fully support it. I commend the council's ambition to deliver the necessary infrastructure to meet our future development needs in a sustainable way.

By 2040, Medway is a place that acknowledges noise as harmful pollution and a health hazard and has implemented measures allowing residents to sleep with an open window, like residents of much bigger cities are able to. Vegetal sound barriers, less road traffic, crackdown on bad neighbour practices (loud music, shouting, etc.) in terraced houses, education campaigns, etc.

Please stop building - Medway cannot cope with the population as it is. We have one inefficient hospital, doctors you can never get an appointment with, regular traffic chaos , shortage of school and nursery spaces and geeen sites disappearing fast. Added to that Medway gets saddled with people being moved into this area from other councils .Medway cannot cope with any more strain on its population by encouraging more people to move here.

I am very concerned at any suggestion of development in the metropolitan green belt or AONB. These areas are vitally important and must be protected at all costs. Brownfield development over greenbelt development must be the main consideration. No development should be considered without appropriate investment in infrastructure to ensure local roads and services are not overwhelmed particularly in villages.
No more development along the A228, it is becoming an ever increasing urban sprawl that is coalescing the communities that live along its length.
No development in Cuxton, the Bush Road/A228 junction is overloaded and dangerous to pull out of for villagers. The school was increased in size with no thought as to the effect on the village of the 40+% of children that travel into and out of the village daily. The busses frequently cannot get around the village and the cessation of services is a constant threat by the bus companies. A previous Section 106 Agreement from the St Andrews Park development was meant to improve the Bush Road/A228 junction but no improvements have been made some 15 years later.
I have absolutely no faith that Medway Council will put in infrastructure improvements in the future and think that infrastructure improvements should be made before first occupation of any future development in Medway.
All houses to be built with sustainable features such as solar panels, heat pumps, EV charging points etc regardless of when planning permission was granted.
I disagree with the statement that all ages can find somewhere to live. Affordable housing needs to be actually affordable and within reach of first time buyers living in Medway and earning the average wage for the area. Currently much new housing is brought by people moving out from London, some must be made available for local people and actually affordable.
High streets are not thriving unless you count the proliferation of coffee and charity shops. Very little is done to encourage any other type of shop which reduces options for residents and encourages out of town shopping.
I have not noticed any improvements in infrastructure that have reduced reliance on motor cars or improved my ability to use my bicycle safely instead. Cuxton is not a sustainable location because of the A228 and the large volumes of vehicles including large numbers of HGV's.
Stop triple taxation on new housing developments. Residents on these developments should not be burdened with Council Tax, Parish Precepts and a further developer tax for the maintenance of their community areas. Community assets should be handed to the local authority for management and paid for by existing precepts.

It is essential that all planning policies enable flexibility within the NHS estate. Where it can be demonstrated that health facilities will be changed as part of wider NHS estate reorganisation programmes, it should be accepted that a facility is neither needed nor viable for its current use and Planning policies within the Local Plan must support the principle of alternative uses for NHS land and property. This will ensure that there is not a delay to vital reinvestment in facilities and services for the community.

I am a Medway resident 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. Thank you for your consideration.

Cesare Saguato

The vision refers to countryside surrounding Medway. It is also important to stress the value of existing open spaces particularly Darland Banks/Valley and the Capstone Valley. This Green Corridor is vital for mental and physical well being of local residents and in practise has landscape ,ecology and biodiversity value not inferior to that of the adjacent North Downs AONB. This should be recognised and protected in the Local Plan. Any development in this area must respect the continuity of this open space corridor and avoid the coalescence of the existing urban areas of Lordswood and Hempstead.

The 2 biggest concerns are the woefully inadequate infrastructure for the already over populated Medway and the relentless destruction of our greenspaces for shoddily built houses that locals can not afford. Can the plan reassure citizens that this will cease?
Further, will it include protection for existing sports fields and clubs that provide an invaluable service to the community?

These green policies will have a detrimental effect on the living standards of the population, due to the estimated costs of reaching net zero of c£1tn. The council should in the short concentrate on rejuvenating Medway to make it attractive to live or set up businesses. The infrastructure and the high streets are in need of vast improvements. The bus services are poor and expensive . If anything transport links have got worse with introduction of bus lanes, preventing people moving around more easily. River transport is a positive idea. Medway council need to encourage business and visitors.
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A vision that has not been agreed on since 2003 local plan and now a vision that will completely change parts of Medway and not for the better

As the HIF funding has been withdrawn, the chance of key infrastructure projects being delivered by the timeline required to deliver this plan has already been lost. The consequence of this will be houses being built years before the required infrastructure is in place to support the increased population, further congesting already congested road systems.

I am imposing to Chatham Docks being sold off for housing.
800 skilled workers 80% local medway residents work there. To be relocated is not viable. Medway needs jobs not luxury housing. Medway Council need to support their people and fight to keep Chatham Docks.

I have lived in my present house for 51 years. I understand that we need more houses in Medway but firstly we need better schools doctors and hospital facilities for a town that is struggling in all these areas I live alone in a 3bedroom semi just off Lower Rainham road Firstly I would like to downsize but the options available are not cost effective, as they are usually freehold properties which carry a large ground rent which is not affordable. Seems silly when a family could enjoy my home. I just need something which is not necessarily for elderly people but smaller and more manageable. The continued building along Lower Rainham road makes it a “ no go” area from 8.30 to 9.30. Bottleneck at bottom of Pump Lane This will only increase as more pupils attend the Leigh Academy which at present has only years 7-9 attending. Unfortunately the idea of people using public transport is just a “dream”. I would welcome a face to face debate with council leaders and planners and land owners. I think as a long term resident with 3 grandchildren growing up in Medway I should be able to have a voice I speak on behalf of many of my close friends in a similar position. Thank you for letting me voice my opinion.

I welcome the idea of new river transport and better utilisation of riverside space which as you've so rightly put defines Medway. I agree that the rural nature of the Medway valley is highly valued and therefore must be protected, especially that within the AONB.