Medway Local Plan (Regulation 19, 2025)

Object

Representation ID: 4596

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Loss of BMV has not been properly evidenced.
If it is demonstrated that loss of BMV and impacts of this functionally linked land has been evidenced and justified, the yield should be optimised and an uplift made in affordable housing provision.
In accordance with the National Design Code ranges of 60-120dph should be applied. Once greenfields are built out they are no longer rural areas, so densities should reflect those of built-up areas.
No reference to proposals demonstrating a landscape-led approach, as is the case with policies SA6, SA7 and SA8. Is this an oversight?

Object

Representation ID: 4609

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

CPRE Kent would like to see the introduction to chapter 7 (economic development) amended to include specific reference to agriculture in terms of what it offers to the local economy in general, and not just the rural economy. As stated at section 7.8 of the 19,354ha of land across Medway almost half of it (8,845ha) is agricultural.
We would also like to see a standalone policy in relation to loss of best and most and most versatile agricultural land. See for example policy E16 from the Thanet Local Plan (adopted 2020).

Object

Representation ID: 4610

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

We are concerned about potential unintended consequences of new local/rural centres in relation to the impact they will have on existing facilities and whether these developments will be truly sustainably located in terms of being accessible on foot/bike or bus and not making the expense of running a car (in terms of actual personal cost, impact on the environment in terms of congestion and air quality) a prerequisite for buying groceries.

Object

Representation ID: 4611

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

We are concerned about potential unintended consequences of new local/rural centres in relation to the impact they will have on existing facilities and whether these developments will be truly sustainably located in terms of being accessible on foot/bike or bus and not making the expense of running a car (in terms of actual personal cost, impact on the environment in terms of congestion and air quality) a prerequisite for buying groceries.

Object

Representation ID: 4612

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

We are concerned about potential unintended consequences of new local/rural centres in relation to the impact they will have on existing facilities and whether these developments will be truly sustainably located in terms of being accessible on foot/bike or bus and not making the expense of running a car (in terms of actual personal cost, impact on the environment in terms of congestion and air quality) a prerequisite for buying groceries.

Object

Representation ID: 4613

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Addressing the needs of existing residents is welcomed, this policy should not be seen as a green light for accepting a development strategy which in its own right is unsustainable (in terms of identifying the Hoo Peninsula as an area of significant growth for housing).

Object

Representation ID: 4614

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Welcome safeguarding of the Grain branch line, but note that any sustainability offset against land allocated under SA8 will not be delivered.

Object

Representation ID: 4615

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Rename policy to make its purpose clearer and cross reference it to the Fast Track services mentioned in policies SA6 and SA8.

Object

Representation ID: 4616

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Criteria should be specified against which applications for solar panels will be assessed. This should include support for rooftop solar and the avoidance of green belt and BMV.

Object

Representation ID: 4617

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: CPRE Kent

Agent: Mr Richard Thompson

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Loss of green belt and BMV has not been properly evidenced. Development on brownfield land should be prioritised.
If it is demonstrated that loss of BMV has been evidenced and justified, yield should be optimised and an uplift made in affordable housing provision.
In accordance with the National Design Code ranges of 60-120dph should be applied. Once greenfields are built out they are no longer rural areas, so densities should reflect those of built-up areas.