Medway Local Plan (Regulation 19, 2025)

Object

Representation ID: 4379

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

I welcome the Reg 19 draft local plan in all aspects bar one. It is an excellent piece of work, put together by a dedicated team of highly professional council officers. The flaw in the plan is the naming of the Strood’s Greenbelt as a council approved Residential-led Site Allocation for a major housing development.

That flaw includes an error in the Residential-led Site Allocation numbers. It excludes the 130 residential dwellings at Commissioners Rd Pit, Strood. See my comments at the end below. There may well be other such errors. The plan’s Site Allocation (residential-led) requires a full review.

Object

Representation ID: 4380

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

Referring to the Green Belt Policy S7 found in section 4.12 of the Medway Local Plan 2041 (Reg 19).

The Green Belt policy is significantly changed from the Medway Council’s previous policy position expressed during in the previous drafts of the Medway Local Plan, at Regulation 18 and earlier. That previous policy position was supported by studies and other documentation.

Object

Representation ID: 4381

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

Referring to the Land West of Strood Policy SA6 found in section 4.10.

The Green Belt policy is significantly changed from the Medway Council’s previous policy position expressed during in the previous drafts of the Medway Local Plan, at Regulation 18 and earlier. That previous policy position was supported by studies and other documentation.

Object

Representation ID: 4382

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The Strood’s Greenbelt proposal came out of the blue as the developing policies found in Reg 18 had seeming safeguarded all of Medway’s Greenbelt land. Strood’s Greenbelt land some of which is located in Gravesham BC, is bounded by the A289 (Halsted Road), and lays to the immediate Northwest of Strood’s current urban area. If developed would it increase Strood by nearly a third. This massive hit on Strood’s infrastructure is unacceptable and the removal of Strood’s green lung will cut off resident’s access to the countryside’s open and green spaces.

Object

Representation ID: 4383

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

With reference to the Policies Map – South West.
The is other evidence that the review of the Greenbelt and the Residential-led Site Allocation was a rushed affair, with extremely poor attention to detail. There may well be other such errors. The plan’s Site Allocation (residential-led) requires a full review.

Object

Representation ID: 4384

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The Green Belt policy is significantly changed from the Medway Council’s previous policy position expressed during in the previous drafts of the Medway Local Plan, at Regulation 18 and earlier. That previous policy position was supported by studies and other documentation.

Object

Representation ID: 4385

Received: 19/07/2025

Respondent: Mr Stephen Hubbard

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The Strood’s Greenbelt proposal came out of the blue as the developing policies found in Reg 18 had seeming safeguarded all of Medway’s Greenbelt land. Strood’s Greenbelt land some of which is located in Gravesham BC, is bounded by the A289 (Halsted Road), and lays to the immediate Northwest of Strood’s current urban area. If developed would it increase Strood by nearly a third. This massive hit on Strood’s infrastructure is unacceptable and the removal of Strood’s green lung will cut off resident’s access to the countryside’s open and green spaces.