Medway Local Plan (Regulation 18, 2023)

COMMENT ON PARA. 4.2, BULLET POINT 3

Chatham Docks is vital to maintaining a ‘robust…blue infrastructure network…’ The river-borne and sea-borne traffic associated with Chatham Docks allows direct sustainable connections with the rest of the South-East and with European ports, rather than just lorry deliveries in and out.

ArcelorMittal strongly supports the Council’s Strategic Objectives to secure jobs and develop skills for a competitive economy – these objectives must be carried forward in continuing to protect Chatham Docks in the new Local Plan.

Chatham Docks is a vibrant, working dock operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

The current Local Plan protects existing employment uses for Chatham Docks and states in Policy ED1: Existing Employment Areas that ‘proposals for development resulting in the loss of existing industrial, business or storage and distribution development to other uses will not be permitted.’

In addition, Policy ED9: Chatham Docks states, ‘port-related development and an expansion of the commercial port, as defined on the Proposals Map will be permitted.’

If the Council is truly seeking to ‘boost the performance of the local economy by supporting local businesses to grow and innovate…’ and ‘build on existing strengths and expertise, such as engineering…and raise the profile of key sectors…’ then these protective policies specific to Chatham Docks must be carried forward into the new Local Plan.

Chatham Docks employs local people who rely on its operation for their livelihoods. It must not be lost and redeveloped for housing.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

ArcelorMittal has submitted a series of technical reports to Medway Borough Council to demonstrate that Chatham Docks is viable and has a future in particular the submitted economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks by Independent Port Consultants concludes that ‘in view of the cost estimate, financial viability and impact on jobs and revenue if the operation is made to close, ending the operation to render the land available for alternative uses does not make economic sense.’

A copy of the economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks (and others) has been re-submitted to the Council as part of these representations. The reports and representations have been emailed to: futuremedway@medway.gov.uk

COMMENT ON PARA. 5.1

It is imperative that Chatham Docks continues to be protected within the new Local Plan as a site protected for port-related development including industrial, business or storage and distribution development both as a designation on the Proposals Map and in Policies within the new Local Plan.

ArcelorMittal objects to Chatham Docks' designation as an urban regeneration site for housing development.

COMMENT ON 5.14

ArcelorMittal submitted representations to the Call for Sites consultation requesting that Chatham Docks be retained as a working, vibrant dock and be promoted for development for continued port use in line with current Local Plan policies ED1 – Existing Employment Areas and Policy E9 – Chatham Docks.

The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan.

COMMENTS ON MAP 1

We note that the Chatham Docks site has been marked for regeneration on the Map 1 as a potential regeneration site for housing.

ArcelorMittal objects to this designation.

Peel L & P – freeholder of Chatham Docks – has promoted Chatham Docks as part of the Call for Sites consultation for residential use stating that the existing dock operation is unviable. This is incorrect.

Evidence has been submitted to the Council on behalf of ArcelorMittal – long leaseholders at the docks - and confirms that Chatham Docks is viable and has an important and significant role in Medway and the South-East.

In particular, the submitted economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks by Independent Port Consultants concludes that ‘in view of the cost estimate, financial viability and impact on jobs and revenue if the operation is made to close, ending the operation to render the land available for alternative uses does not make economic sense.’

ArcelorMittal also submitted representations to the Call for Sites consultation requesting that Chatham Docks be retained as a working, vibrant dock and be promoted for development for continued port use in line with current Local Plan policies ED1 – Existing Employment Areas and Policy E9 – Chatham Docks.

As demonstrated in the submitted technical evidence, Chatham Docks is a thriving industrial dock. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

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

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan and not allowed to be lost to the detriment of people living within this Borough and their existing jobs at the docks.

COMMENT ON PARA. 5.15

ArcelorMittal submitted representations to the Call for Sites consultation requesting that Chatham Docks be retained as a working, vibrant dock and be promoted for development for continued port use in line with current Local Plan policies ED1 – Existing Employment Areas and Policy E9 – Chatham Docks.

ArcelorMittal notes the reference to ‘this level of housebuilding would mean the transformation of…waterfront areas…’ This should not and cannot be to the detriment of existing, viable employment generating sites such as Chatham Docks.

Evidence submitted to the Council on behalf of ArcelorMittal confirms that Chatham Docks is viable and has an important and significant role in Medway and the South-East.

In particular, the submitted economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks by Independent Port Consultants concludes that ‘in view of the cost estimate, financial viability and impact on jobs and revenue if the operation is made to close, ending the operation to render the land available for alternative uses does not make economic sense.’

Chatham Docks is a thriving industrial dock. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan.

COMMENTS ON PARA. 5.21

Peel L & P – freeholder of Chatham Docks – has promoted Chatham Docks as part of the Call for Sites consultation for residential use stating that the existing dock operation is unviable. This is incorrect.

Evidence has been submitted to the Council on behalf of ArcelorMittal – long leaseholders at the docks - and confirms that Chatham Docks is viable and has an important and significant role in Medway and the South-East. In particular, the submitted economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks by Independent Port Consultants concludes that ‘in view of the cost estimate, financial viability and impact on jobs and revenue if the operation is made to close, ending the operation to render the land available for alternative uses does not make economic sense.’

ArcelorMittal also submitted representations to the Call for Sites consultation requesting that Chatham Docks be retained as a working, vibrant dock and be promoted for development for continued port use in line with current Local Plan policies ED1 – Existing Employment Areas and Policy E9 – Chatham Docks.

As demonstrated in the submitted technical evidence, Chatham Docks is a thriving industrial dock. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

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

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan and not allowed to be lost to housing development to the detriment of people living within this Borough and their existing jobs at the docks.

COMMENT ON PARA. 5.28

Peel L & P – freeholder of Chatham Docks – has promoted Chatham Docks as part of the Call for Sites consultation for residential use stating that the existing dock operation is unviable. This is incorrect.

Evidence has been submitted to the Council on behalf of Arcelor Mittal – long leaseholders at the docks - and confirms that Chatham Docks is viable and has an important and significant role in Medway and the South-East. In particular, the submitted economic and financial assessment of Chatham Docks by Independent Port Consultants concludes that ‘in view of the cost estimate, financial viability and impact on jobs and revenue if the operation is made to close, ending the operation to render the land available for alternative uses does not make economic sense.’

ArcelorMittal also submitted representations to the Call for Sites consultation requesting that Chatham Docks be retained as a working, vibrant dock and be promoted for development for continued port use in line with current Local Plan policies ED1 – Existing Employment Areas and Policy E9 – Chatham Docks.

Chatham Docks is a thriving industrial dock. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the Dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

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

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan and not allowed to be lost to the detriment of people living within this Borough and their jobs at the docks.

COMMENT ON PARA. 5.55

ArcelorMittal agrees that it is important to draw up a balanced plan for Medway in terms of providing homes, jobs and services. However, the future of Medway must not include the closure of a viable, active, employment generating, working port at Chatham Docks for housing redevelopment to seek to meet housing numbers. This would lead to the loss of at least 800 jobs and a potential further loss of jobs in the supply chains.

Chatham Docks is a thriving industrial dock. The docks employ over 800 people – many of whom are local. There are also existing jobs in the supply chains. Overall, there are over 2000 jobs dependent on the docks.

There are approximately 180 ship movements a year taking advantage of the non-tidal docks – it is a very sustainable operation taking full advantage of the Dockside access. The dock use cannot be re-located, there is no other suitable site in Medway for its operation.

Chatham Docks must continue to be both supported and protected in the new Local Plan and not allowed to be lost to the detriment of people living within this Borough and their existing jobs at the docks.