Medway Local Plan (Regulation 18, 2023)

• Plan to meet its full objectively assessed need. The Council has persistently under delivered against its housing requirement, resulting in a significant housing need, both market and affordable;
• Extend the Plan period until at least 2042, to ensure it covers the required 15yrs at the point of adoption (NPPF, para 22);
• Amend the “Vision” (para 3.1) to include reference to housing. Whilst the “Vision” in general is supported, it is a significant failing that it does not mention the delivery of housing a significant element of the Plan. In not addressing the need to deliver housing as an integral part of the “Vision” it fails to accord with the NPPF (para 15);
• Amend the “Strategic Objectives” to include as an objective on its own the need to deliver housing to meet identified needs. This is necessary to accord with the NPPF (para 20) which requires the inclusion of strategic policies that set out the overall strategy and pattern for spatial growth, including for the provision of housing. The “Strategic Objectives” can therefore not be silent on this matter.
• Ensure the potential supply of housing identified is deliverable and reliable, especially within the early part of the Plan period. Concerns are raised that the identified housing capacity of the respective housing pipelines identified are not accurate and/or are not deliverable within the Plan period, a wide range of sites therefore need to be allocated for development, such as land at Mill Road, Gillingham.
• There is no one spatial strategy that can deliver the Council’s full housing need. However, the spatial strategy must include “Suburban Expansion” sites

See e-mailed representations for the full comments oin the Plan, beyonf just the vision

Submitted on behalf of Bellway Strategic

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The “Vision” for Medway encompasses broad policy principles for the future
emerging Local Plan covering transport, employment, the environment, retail,
waste and minerals.

It is noted that the “Vision” seeks to provide more sustainable and resilient
development, strengthen and enhance the character of Medway including
supporting green infrastructure, create a healthy place in which to live and work
and provide decent places to live for all sectors and ages of the community. It
further highlights Medway as a leading economic player in the region where it can
support the business space attracting new investment. Alongside development,
there should also be the provision of improved travel choices and infrastructure
provision.

However, the “Vision” is silent on its intention to meet its identified housing need.
It is similarly silent on its intention of addressing economic/employment needs.
In-deed, the overarching principles for the “Vision” fails to identify housing at all
(para 3.1) as forming an important component of the Plan.