Hoo Development Framework

Thank you for consulting Gravesham Borough Council (GBC) on the above document. Please note that this is an officer level response only, prepared by the Planning Policy team. GBC has engaged with Medway over a prolonged period on local plan issues, consistent with statutory obligations under the duty to co-operate. In this instance, the draft Hoo Development Framework has been produced in advance of any site allocations to be made within your emerging local plan, which we understand will now be progressed by consulting on a fresh Regulation 18 document next Summer. The consultation on the Development Framework and its status as a planning document is therefore still contingent on your local plan progressing to adoption following examination, notwithstanding the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) allocation to improve road, rail and green infrastructure to support such development. As the Development Framework is largely about layout and design of the future settlement and this is internal to Medway, GBC has no substantive comments to make on the document itself. However, it is noted that the green infrastructure related elements don’t appear to refer to the scale of provision of allotments or where these might be located and this may be helpful in guiding future development. It is also noted that whilst the document refers at 2.8 Environmental Designation Areas to the Thames Estuary and Marshes RAMSAR etc and that the highest regard will be had to such designation, there is no mention of the SAMMS system of payments agreed across the North Kent area with Natural England as a way of managing impacts of development. Other cross boundary strategic duty to co-operate issues applicable here relate to the transport impacts of developing the new settlement at Hoo. Whilst it is intended to enhance public transport; reintroduce passenger rail services on the Hundred of Hoo line; promote active travel; and provide local services to reduce car-based trips, it is clear that there will be increased traffic on the local road network – hence the improvements proposed to key junctions and links through the HIF proposals. However, very little supporting evidence has been made publicly available to date by which this impact and the effectiveness of proposed mitigation can be assessed. This is important to GBC as it progresses its own local plan, which may also load additional traffic onto the wider local road network in the area. There are also likely to be implications arising from development at Hoo as a result of people using rural roads within Gravesham as a means of avoiding the main road network, particularly should the Lower Thames Crossing progress with restrictions placed on routes during the construction period, as well as in the event of congestion on the A2 in the longer term. . Other cross-boundary strategic issues are also likely to arise in relation to service and infrastructure provision as both GBC and Medway progress their local plans. These will also potentially include GBC’s continued request for neighbouring authorities to consider meeting some of our housing need to avoid or reduce Green Belt release; meeting the needs of gypsy and travellers; and the potential for co-ordinating sustainable development options adjacent to Strood should Green Belt release options there prove necessary. GBC looks forward to discussing these and other issues with you through duty to co-operate meetings in the coming months in order that we can agree a Statement of Common Ground in advance of submission and examination of our respective local plans.