Medway Local Plan (Regulation 19, 2025)

Object

Representation ID: 4921

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Sarah Harrington

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

I object to the re-designation of SNF1–SNF3 from Greenbelt to ‘Greybelt’. National planning policy (NPPF) mandates that Greenbelt boundary changes require exceptional circumstances. The GreenBelt Review and Sustainability Appraisal doesn't convincingly demonstrate such circumstances, especially in light of brownfield-first alternatives. Furthermore, these parcels perform vital functions in preventing urban sprawl and maintaining the separation between Strood and Gravesend, and their release risks undermining landscape openness. Evidence for ‘greybelt’ status lacks sufficient transparency and independent validation. Lastly, although cross-boundary cooperation with Gravesham is noted, it should not alone suffice to justify boundary revision. Together, these grounds render the re-designation legally unsound