Medway Local Plan (Regulation 19, 2025)

Support

Representation ID: 4506

Received: 04/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Whilst this strategic ambition is supported the approach of declassifying some areas of Green Belt is inconsistent with this Strategic objective.

Support

Representation ID: 4507

Received: 04/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

The strategic objective is supported but the proposals in the plan are not consistent with the objective, in particular the approach to changing lan use at Chatham Docks contradicts reference to use of the river.

Object

Representation ID: 4634

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The statement is mis-leading as the developments to the west of Strood does not have the infrastructure to support growth of the scale and nature proposed. There are already issues with doctor appointments, school availability and utilities supplies. The greenfield areas identified in west Strood are sensitive and proposals have caused enormous concern and particularly as previous agricultural land that has been in food production for generations will be lost.

Object

Representation ID: 4635

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The Green Belt Review was published in June 2025 and contradicts the councils previous review in 2018 but does not give adequate information on changing its assessment for the west of Strood and does not properly reflect Government policy regarding Grey Belt. The council failed to publish the independent review of the Green Belt. The impression given [REDCATED] at consultation events is that Medway has been pressured by Gravesham to surrender Green Belt and loose a key feature of the green belt in reducing urban sprawl with unacceptable expansion of Strood with a meaningful border.

Object

Representation ID: 4636

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The Medway Green Belt Review does not provide a strong case for exceptional circumstances to release the land to the west of Strood.

Object

Representation ID: 4637

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Historically the council has a poor record of actual development of brownfield sites, the proposal also reduce employment opportunities at Chatham Docks, they will fact cause employees to be made redundant.

Object

Representation ID: 4638

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The Green Belt Review was published in June 2025 and contradicts the councils previous review in 2018 but does not give adequate information on changing its assessment for the west of Strood and does not properly reflect Government policy regarding Grey Belt. The council failed to publish the independent review of the Green Belt. The impression given [REDACTED] at consultation events is that Medway has been pressured by Gravesham to surrender Green Belt and loose a key feature of the green belt in reducing urban sprawl with unacceptable expansion of Strood with a meaningful border.

Object

Representation ID: 4639

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

It is contradictory to emphasis the environmental quality of the draft plan while re-designating productive agricultural land with boarders that support wildlife as grey belt for the development of houses and their associated pressure on the environment e.g air quality and traffic congestion.

Object

Representation ID: 4640

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The council has acknowledged that the European Landscape Convention recognises that landscape has an impact on everyone's lives and that policies should contribute to enhancing the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and natural landscape but this is not reflected in the decision to develop on the green belt. This will have a negative impact on the countryside adjoining Strood and residents in the west of Strood.

Object

Representation ID: 4641

Received: 08/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Kevin Smith

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Green Belt land to the west of Strood which provides air quality mitigation and acts as a break between existing residential development and the A289 bypass is currently considered to have poor air quality but the draft local plan would allow development of large scale housing on this site. Significant increases and traffic and traffic congestion will be generated by large scale development on current Green Belt land. The approach to developments on Green Bet Land is not consistent with paragraph 4.10.1.