Hoo Development Framework

Re. 1 & 4: I can't see how these principles fit with the planned second highway onto the Hoo Peninsula, as it will cut through the green spaces you have marked to be kept, on Figure 4.9 from 'Hoo Development Framework - Public Consultation Summary'. The imposed traffic noise, exhaust fumes and street lighting will destroy this wonderful rural landscape, gobbling it up into the spreading townscape. Instead, changes can be limited to upgrading current paths for walkers and cyclists as is planned, keeping an attractive access to the Hoo Peninsula beyond. The need for this second highway seems unnecessary, when the already planned slip roads at Four Elms roundabout will aid quicker access. The A4 into West London has the same size of carriageway - two lanes each way. It is unclear why the Hoo Peninsula needs more access than the main artery into West London . Re. 2. If 'accessible' could also include the large swathe of the Hoo Peninsula in the west and north of as well - Cliffe Woods, Cliffe, Cooling etc - that would be excellent. There is currently only a fast running single carriageway - the B2000 - running between 'town' and 'country', where the pathway on it runs out very early on, close by the junction with Bunter's Hill Road. After this, there is no safe way to walk or cycle to get to these communities - the only way is by car. There is a bridleway, but it is basically a muddy path, often churned up in wet weather by the horses. It is also incorrectly marked on various maps, variously as an all-weather path and even as a tarmacked road, but it is only a path by the edge of a field off the Lea Green Road/Common Road/Haven Street junction, running up into the woodland to Cliffe Woods. A possible all-weather path could run past what was the Higham Cricket ground to Cliffe Woods - where there was road access a few years ago - and could give off-road access to the Hoo Peninsula beyond. Re. 4. Smaller developers seem to create far more interesting & attractive places for people to live than the larger well-known names. Esquire Developments, for example, have created hugely attractive places to live - 'Appleyard Quarter' at Hoo, Cliffe Woods and also around Cliffe. Instead of the ubiquitous, uninteresting houses seen in most new builds - loud red roof tiles, little planting, no room for cars and outside space - Esquire has used an attractive mix of building materials that signal 'country living', within a well landscaped space.

Somewhat agree

Searching through the document, the 'Overall Framework Plan' incompasses everything - "The overall Framework plan combines a new vision for Hoo, aspirations and four key principles into an illustrative plan." I agree with some points, but there are important things that I don't agree with - please see my previous comments. Re. housing and infrastructure: I agree that houses need to be built, but hopefully this can be done with care and attention while not needlessly destroying the attractiveness of the area. For example, creating a second highway through beautiful countryside to run alongside the current one just widens the town area into the countryside, creating an even larger pollution zone of fumes, noise and light. Hopefully, good infrastructure - schools, shops, businesses, bus routes, green areas, play areas etc - will benefit both new and current residents. Including a new NHS Minor Injuries Unit here as they have in Faversham - where it is open daily and where X-rays can be taken - would be of huge benefit to those on this side of the Medway, taking the pressure off Medway Maritime hospital.

There is a lot of building planned, and it is at an early stage so there is no deep detail to comment on. The proposed green buffer spaces around them will help, and hopefully there will be green spaces in-between as well to stop the various communities losing their identity and becoming just one very large town. Hopefully connectivity consideration will also be given to the west and north of the Hoo Peninsula as it is currently not well linked when it comes to all-weather footpaths/cycle tracks, so hard to access except by car.

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