Medway Local Plan (Regulation 19, 2025)

Support

Representation ID: 4893

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

This representation supports the inclusion of the site known as ‘Parcel south of Ratcliffe Highway’, within the Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan, which has been allocated as a site suitable for residential development with an indicative capacity of 25 dwellings. This site has been included under site reference HHH41 in Policy SA08 ‘Hoo St Werburgh and Chattenden’.
This representation also provides comment on other wider topic policies which are considered to be important in ensuring site delivery and where we consider that clarity or improvements to their drafting would support the wider objectives or delivery of the plan in general.

Support

Representation ID: 4895

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

It is considered that the delivery and allocation of Site HHH41 meets all aspirations of the feedback received on earlier versions of the Plan. Site HHH41 would include the regeneration of a brownfield site, that would provide a residential development bordering other proposed development sites.
The Draft Local Plan sets out the objectives required to deliver the development in Medway, specifically under the title ‘Boost pride in Medway through quality and resilient development’. One of the objectives is to secure the ongoing benefits of Medway’s regeneration, making the ‘best use of brownfield land’.
We fully support this brownfield first approach.

Support

Representation ID: 4897

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

Site HHH41, provides a positive development opportunity for the residential development of a brownfield site in the Hoo Peninsula. The site is located on the main Ratcliffe Highway route, which directly accesses the Peninsula Way between the settlements of Hoo and Chattenden. It is served by good public transport services and a wide range of services/facilities. There are no perceived constraints that could not be overcome to facilitate development of the site.
Availability. The site is available, achievable and deliverable in the first 5 years of the plan period.

Support

Representation ID: 4898

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

As site promoters, we support and welcome the recognition that the Hoo Peninsula could actively contribute to a well-planned and strategic community. Site HHH41 would actively supports this intention and provides a smaller site that would help to support the residential requirements of the district and can be delivered quickly.
Paragraph 73 of the National Planning Policy Framework often sets out that “Small and medium sized sites can make an important contribution to meeting the housing requirement of an area, are essential for Small and Medium Enterprise housebuilders to deliver new homes, and are often built-out relatively quickly”.

Support

Representation ID: 4900

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

The potential to provide new services for both the existing and future occupiers is considered a positive step to supporting the existing community of the Hoo Peninsula, in addition to the potential future occupiers of the strategic new settlement.
Although HHH41 site is only a small site, the intentions to provide new local services will support the sustainability objectives of the future development, which will encourage the use of walking, public transport and reduce the use of the private vehicles.

Object

Representation ID: 4901

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? Yes

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Notwithstanding our support of site HHH41 and the the Local Plan in general, we wish to highlight concern regarding the ambiguity within the policy drafting of development sites in the Hoo Peninsula. Specifically, the HDF, does not form one of the background documents to the Local Plan, and therefore the wider intentions of the area and how this relates to site HHH41 are not fully understood. This position means that we have been unable to respond fully to the consultation.
It's important to our client that there is certainty in the expectations of the site and the Hoo Peninsula area.

Object

Representation ID: 4904

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? Yes

Duty to co-operate? Yes

We support the inclusion of site HHH41 within policy SA8 as a site that could deliver 25 residential units. However, the site should not be constrained or delayed by the delivery of a HDF and the policy should clearly acknowledge that there is a difference between the major and minor sites in respect of their constraints and potential approaches to their delivery.
We would object to delays in delivery of the HHH41 site that could arise from long and protracted discussions regarding master planning, the creation of a development framework and the delivery of infrastructure.

Object

Representation ID: 4905

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? Yes

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The policy fails to make the appropriate recognition of the challenges involved with developing brownfield sites which are often more expensive to deliver, for example due to issues such as contamination or demolition costs.
It is important that the requirements for affordable housing do not conflict with the Local Plan's ‘brownfield first’ approach.
Smaller sites in the high value areas should not considered as part of the wider Hoo Peninsula Strategic sites, this is particularly important if it border a strategic site or is in an area of an accumulation of smaller sites, or if the site is brownfield.

Support

Representation ID: 4906

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

The use of a design policy is supported. However, The Hoo Peninsula is an area identified as a strategic location which will be able to grow and flourish well-beyond the end of the Local Plan period. On this basis, careful consideration on design would need to be taken on sites which will currently mark a transition or are on the edge settlement, but which may in the future form part of a wider development.
The potential to bring forward sites that adjoin site HHH41 by way of windfall developments is considered a positive step.

Support

Representation ID: 4907

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Kitesfield Estates Limited

Agent: Bloomfields Ltd

The provision of site HHH41 as a residential led housing development is supported. However, we highlight that the Local Plan could be improved, by early delivery and production of the HDF. For sites located in this area it is important that the guidelines and aspirations for development are clear early on so that planning and implementation of site delivery can be factored in. Despite this, we look forward to working with the Council in order to support and deliver the site known as HHH41, and would be keen to understand the role of the Hoo Consortium further.