local development framework

Medway Local Development FrameworkPublication Draft Core Strategy

August 2011

Publication Draft Core Strategy - August 2011

ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Context and Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Vision and Strategic Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Cross Cutting Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Energy, Waste and Minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Transport and Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

The River Medway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Area Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Implementation, Monitoring and Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Appendix A: Schedule of Superseded (Replaced) Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

Appendix B: Schedule of Current Supplementary Planning Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Appendix C: Housing Trajectory and Sources of Supply 2006 - 2028+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Appendix D: Employment Trajectory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

Appendix E: Transport Objectives, Schemes And Actions In The Third . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172Local Transport Plan (LTP3)

Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177


List of FiguresFigure 1 1 The Planning Policy Cascade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Figure 1 2 Core Strategy Stages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Figure 1 3 Medway Local Development Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Figure 2 1 Local Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Figure 3 1 Medway Core Strategy Key Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Figure 3 2 Spatial Vision & Strategic Objectives Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Figure 4 1 Flood Zones in Medway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Figure 4 2 Agricultural Land Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Figure 4 3 Green Grid Corridors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Figure 4 4 Great Lines Heritage Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Figure 4 5 Nominated World Heritage Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Figure 6 1 Medway Employment Sub Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Figure 7 1 Land Won Sand and Gravels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Figure 7 2 The Waste Hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Figure 7 3 Potential Final Waste Disposal to Land Resource Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Figure 8 1 Main Congestion Hotspots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

Figure 9 1 River Medway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Figure 10 1 Spatial Sub Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Figure 10 2 Strood Town Centre Masterplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Figure 10 3 Strood Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Figure 10 4 Rochester Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

Figure 10 5 Chatham Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Figure 10 6 Gillingham Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Figure 10 7 Rainham Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121


Figure 10 8 Hoo Peninsula Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Figure 10 9 Medway Valley Context Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Figure 10 10 Lodge Hill Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

Figure 10 11 Lodge Hill Strategic Allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Figure 10 12 Lodge Hill Concept Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Copyright

OS maps: All the maps in this document are reproduced from/ based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of theController of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright and database rights 2011 Ordnance Survey licence number 100024225.

Aerial photographs: Getmapping 2009


List of TablesTable 1 1 Core Strategy Timetable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Table 3 1 Employment Growth to 2028 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Table 3 2 Job Requirements to 2028 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Table 5 1 Medway Housing Supply Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Table 5 2 Distribution of New Housing by Sub Areas from 2011/12 to 2028+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Table 5 3 Local Plan Allocations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Table 6 1 Floorspace Requirements by Sub Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Table 6 2 Employment Floorspace Supply by Sub Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Table 6 3 Convenience Floorspace Capacities 2008 - 2026 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Table 6 4 Convenience Floorspace Options 2008 - 2026 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Table 6 5 Comparison Floorspace Options 2008 - 2026 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Table 7 1 Average tonnage per Sector per Annum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Table 7 2 Disposal of Commercial and Industrial Waste 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Table 7 3 Disposal of Construction, Demolition and Excavation Waste, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Table 7 4 Disposal of Hazardous Waste, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Table 10 1 Potential Housing Development in Strood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Table 10 2 Potential Employment Development in Strood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Table 10 3 Potential Retail Development in Strood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Table 10 4 Potential Housing Development in Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Table 10 5 Potential Employment Development in Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Table 10 6 Potential Retail Development in Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Table 10 7 Potential Housing Development in Chatham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Table 10 8 Potential Employment Development in Chatham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Table 10 9 Potential Retail Development in Chatham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113


Table 10 10 Potential Housing Development in Gillingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Table 10 11 Potential Employment Development in Gillingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Table 10 12 Potential Retail Development in Gillingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Table 10 13 Potential Housing Development in Rainham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Table 10 14 Potential Employment Development in Rainham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Table 10 15 Potential Retail Development in Rainham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Table 10 16 Potential Housing Development on Hoo Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Table 10 17 Potential Employment Development on Hoo Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Table 10 18 Potential Retail Development on Hoo Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Table 10 19 Potential Housing Development in Medway Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Table 10 20 Potential Employment Development in Medway Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Table 10 21 Potential Retail Development in Medway Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Table 10 22 Proposed Land Uses at Lodge Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Table 10 23 Monitoring Targets for Lodge Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Table 11 1 Monitoring and Implementation Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Table 11 2 Infrastructure Delivery Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153


List of PoliciesPolicy CS1: Regenerating Medway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Policy CS2: Quality and Sustainable Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Policy CS3: Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Policy CS4: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Policy CS5: Development and Flood Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Policy CS6: Preservation and Enhancement of Natural Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Policy CS7: Countryside and Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Policy CS8: Open Space, Green Grid and Public Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Policy CS9: Health and Social Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Policy CS10: Sport and Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Policy CS11: Culture and Leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Policy CS12: Heritage Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Policy CS13: Housing Provision and Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Policy CS14: Affordable Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Policy CS15: Housing Design and Other Housing Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Policy CS16: Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Policy CS17: Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Policy CS18: Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Policy CS19: Retail and Town Centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Policy CS20: Education and Personal Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Policy CS21: Conventional Energy Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Policy CS22: Provision for Minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Policy CS23: Waste Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Policy CS24: Transport and Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94


Policy CS25: The River Medway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Policy CS26: Strood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Policy CS27: Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Policy CS28: Chatham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Policy CS29: Gillingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Policy CS30: Rainham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Policy CS31: Hoo Peninsula and the Isle of Grain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Policy CS32: Medway Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Policy CS33: Lodge Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Policy CS34: Implementation of the Core Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Policy CS35: Developer Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142


1.1 This is the second draft of a new Core Strategythat will form the major part of what is calledthe Local Development Framework (LDF) forMedway.

1.2 It sets out how the Council sees Medwaydeveloping over the period up to 2028 and itwill, when adopted, guide all majordevelopment decisions and investment plans.

1.3 It covers many issues but at its heart it is aboutfully realising Medway’s enormous potentialand completing the immense regenerationprogramme that started over 10 years ago. Itsets out how Chatham will develop into acentre of regional significance, howdeprivation will be tackled, and how healthierand more sustainable neighbourhoods createdand much else.

1.4 This is what is known as the “Publication Draft”Core Strategy. Where appropriate, it respondsto representations received at the previous ‘pre-publication draft’ stage and it reflects the mostup to date ‘evidence’ collected to inform theplan. We welcome views on its contents fromall with an interest in Medway’s future before afinal “Submission” draft is prepared.

The Development Plans System

1.5 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act,2004 requires each local planning authority(or council) to prepare a Local DevelopmentFramework or LDF. This consists of a portfolioof documents rather than a single plan. This isintended to allow it to be kept up to date, asthose parts of the plan requiring review orreplacement can be changed without thenecessity of reviewing the entire plan. The LDFconsists of what are called development plandocuments, which are subject to publicexamination by an independent inspector, andsupplementary planning documents which arenot subject to a formal examination.

1.6 The Core Strategy is the main document in thisportfolio, setting out an overall vision andstrategy for the area and addressing thestrategic issues facing it. However it must alsobe in ‘conformity’ with national policies andextensive guidance issued by the Governmentand government agencies such as NaturalEngland, the Environment Agency and theHighways Agency. This is illustrated in thefollowing diagram.

Figure 1 1 The Planning Policy Cascade

1

1. Introduction


The Stage We Have Reached and HowWe Got There

1.7 In getting to this stage a great deal of work hasbeen completed. This has included carrying outa number of surveys, gathering information,preparing what is called the ‘evidence base’and engaging with stakeholders and the widerpublic. A series of State of Medway reportswere produced in 2008 to provide a baselinefor subsequent work and, in 2009, an Issuesand Options report was published.

1.8 The Council consulted on the Issues andOptions Report during the late summer of2009. Consideration of all the responsesreceived and continuing evidence gatheringled to the ‘Pre-Publication’ Draft Core Strategybeing issued in November 2010. Again allresponses received were carefully consideredand the ‘evidence base’ continued to beupdated. This has led to this draft, on whichviews are now sought.

1.9 We will again very carefully consider all theresponses we receive and then issue what iscalled the Submission Draft Core Strategy. Thiswill be submitted for an IndependentExamination. An Inspector appointed by theSecretary of State for Communities and LocalGovernment will conduct this.

1.10 The various stages that we must go throughand where we currently are in the process areillustrated in the following diagram.

Figure 1 2 Core Strategy Stages

How the Core Strategy Fits Into the LDF

1.11 Indicated above the Core Strategy is one of anumber of documents that will make up thecomplete Local Development Framework forMedway. This is illustrated in the diagrambelow.

Figure 1 3 Medway Local DevelopmentFramework

2


1.12 Preparing this new plan for Medway is aconsiderable undertaking and we are gratefulfor the help we have received from manyorganisations and individuals. This is the finalopportunity to comment on it before it issubmitted for independent examination.

1.13 The Core Strategy has been prepared at aparticularly important time for Medway. It is atime of unprecedented opportunity that, iftaken, will unlock Medway’s potential. Thechallenge is to grasp and make the most ofthese opportunities, while making sure thatMedway’s renowned natural and historicqualities are nurtured and to help underpinsocial and economic progress. The currenteconomic climate will undoubtedly make thejob more difficult but the opportunities the areapresents are becoming ever more widelyrecognised and there is a collectivedetermination to achieve our full potential.

Structure of the Core Strategy

1.14 The document falls into four distinct parts:

• A short analysis of the main issues we needto address and a specific vision andobjectives to tackle these together with a‘Key Diagram’

• Policies covering a range of topics relevantacross the area, including housing and theeconomy

• A chapter that sets out how these are to beapplied at a more local level; and

• How the policies and proposals are to beimplemented, monitored and reviewed.

Sustainability Appraisal

1.15 In parallel with the Core Strategy aSustainability Appraisal (SA), has assessed thelikely social, environmental and economicimpacts of the strategy. The appraisal testsdifferent approaches to see which might bebest when considered against a whole rangeof sustainability objectives and it helps tochoose the best way forward. The Council’sapproach to SA incorporates the requirementsof the Strategic Environmental Assessment

(SEA) Directive, which requires strategicenvironmental appraisal to be undertaken onall plans and programmes with significantimpacts.

1.16 The latest iteration of the SustainabilityAppraisal is being published alongside thisdraft of the Core Strategy and can be accessedvia the website: www.medway.gov.uk/ldf.A final version will assess the Submission Draft.

Habitats Regulation Assessment /Appropriate Assessment

1.17 The Core Strategy is also subject to a HabitatsRegulation Assessment (HRA), which considersthe potential effects on European and Ramsarwildlife sites. A screening and scoping report isavailable on the website and a full assessmentwill be available for the Submission Draft.

Timetable for the Core Strategy

1.18 The expected timetable leading up to theadoption of the Core Strategy is set out inTable 1-1.

Table 1 1 Core Strategy Timetable

Statement of Community Involvement

1.19 The Statement of Community Involvement ispart of the Medway Local DevelopmentFramework. It sets out how the Council willinvolve the community in the preparation oflocal development documents. A first versionwas prepared in 2006 and this has now beenupdated. As with all documents relating to theLDF it can be found on the website. This draftof the Core Strategy has been prepared inaccordance with that Statement.

3


Diversity Impact Assessment

1.20 In order that everyone should benefit from theregeneration of Medway and to maintaincommunity cohesion it is essential to ensurethat all the proposals in this Core Strategy takeaccount of the needs of all communities inMedway particularly the most disadvantagedincluding the disabled, vulnerable people,ethnic minority communities and carers. ADiversity Impact Assessment will be carried outto ensure that the final document complies withthis principle. This will determine the impact onresidents due to their racial group, gender,disability, sexual orientation, age and religion.The Diversity Impact Assessment will build onthe work undertaken for the SEA/SA processand relate to a number of objectives alreadyidentified through the SA work.

1.21 To guide work in the meantime an initialassessment has been carried out and isavailable on the website.

Consultation Responses

1.22 A statement will be produced setting out thosebodies and persons invited to makerepresentations at the various consultationstages, how they were engaged and asummary of the main issues raised and howthese have been addressed in the preparationof the Core Strategy. This will be publishedalongside the Submission Core Strategy. Adetailed schedule of all representationsreceived to the Issues and Options report, thePre-Publication Draft Core Strategy and theCouncil’s response to them is also available.

Plan Period

1.23 The period covered by a Core Strategy mustbe at least 15 years from the date it isadopted. This is likely to be in autumn 2012.

1.24 Much of the evidence underpinning the CoreStrategy is collected annually, beginning on 1April each year and ending on 31 March.Much national and regional information alsorelates to 5 year periods: 2001, 2006, 2011,2016 etc.

1.25 Detailed monitoring frequently uses a basedate of 2006 and so the plan period chosenfor the Core Strategy is 1 April 2006 to 31March 2028. Going back to 2006 allowsrecent trends to be fully reflected and 2028ensures that there will be the required 15 yearsleft to run after adoption. 2028 also broadlycorresponds to the anticipated end date for theThames Gateway project, which is the singlemost important driver for change in Medway.

Changing Circumstances andRequirements

1.26 The Core Strategy is being prepared at a timewhen changes are being made to the planningsystem. The Coalition Government intends toabolish Regional Spatial Strategies, the SouthEast Plan in Medway’s case, and furtherchanges are expected when the Localism Bill,currently before Parliament, is enacted.

1.27 Core Strategies have to be in ‘conformity’ withnational policies and the relevant RegionalSpatial Strategy. Inevitably this causes someuncertainty but the Council is determined toproceed as quickly as is sensible in takingforward this Core Strategy.

4


1.28 The announcement by the government of itsstated intention to abolish Regional Strategieshas been ruled by the Courts as a materialplanning consideration, which could affect theweight attached to the Regional Strategy inunderpinning the Core Strategy. Havingconsidered its position, the Council takes theview that a local evidence base has informedthe preparation of the Core Strategy, localconsultation and sustainability appraisal andthat the local context supports the strategy andpolicies contained in this document. Thepolicies and proposals contained in the CoreStrategy are therefore considered to be robustand evidence-based irrespective of the weightto be attached to the South East Plan.

1.29 This document contains some references to theSouth East Plan. Whilst it is likely to beabolished soon references to it are nonethelessretained, since it has been relevant in thepreparation of the Plan.

Flexibility and Viability

1.30 An important requirement for core strategies isthat they are flexible enough to deal withchanging circumstances while still providing aclear strategy to guide development. This is aparticular challenge in the current economicclimate. In some parts of the countryhousebuilding has reduced sharply and retailvacancies are increasing, along withunemployment. Medway is faring better thanmany areas but there is still much uncertaintyover what can be delivered over the next fewyears.

1.31 Fortunately we have a healthy supply ofidentified development opportunities – housing,retail and employment – which should allowMedway to respond in these challenging timesand this is a key feature of the proposals in thisCore Strategy.

Saved Policies

1.32 Policies from old style development plans were‘saved’ under transitional arrangements whenthe Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004came into force. That is, they remain in place

until replaced by appropriate policies in localdevelopment frameworks.

1.33 This Core Strategy supersedes a number of‘saved’ Medway policies and these are listedin Appendix A. These will fall away when theCore Strategy is adopted. All remaining‘saved’ policies will be replaced when asubsequent development plan document isprepared as described below.

Other Development Plan Documents

1.34 As explained above a local developmentframework comprises a portfolio of differentdocuments. Following the adoption of this CoreStrategy the Council intends to produce twofurther documents. These will be:

• A Community Infrastructure Levy ChargingSchedule – this will introduce a developmentlevy to fund essential infrastructure andfacilities, the need for which is generated bynew built development. It is intended that thiswill be progressed as quickly as possibleafter the independent examination of theCore Strategy

• A Land Allocations and DevelopmentManagement Policies development plandocument – this will address all other LDFmatters, replacing all outstanding ‘saved’policies and providing a new ProposalsMap for Medway. Work on this documentwill begin as soon as possible after adoptionof the Core Strategy.

Public Consultation

1.35 Representations are invited during a six-weekperiod from 30 August to 14 October 2011.Representations must be received by 5:00 PMon 14 October in order to be considered.

1.36 There are a number of ways in which you cangive us your views, check progress on thepreparation of the Core Strategy and view thevarious background documents.

5


Telephone: 01634 331629 (Office hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. Friday)

Email: [email protected]

Post: Development Plans and Research Team,Regeneration, Community and Culture, MedwayCouncil, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, KentME4 4TR

Website: http://www.medway.gov.uk/ldf. This isour front page and you will find numerous links topublished documents, Limehouse etc.

Limehouse: This is an online consultation systemand we would strongly encourage you to “register”as a user. If you do you will receive email alerts whennew consultations are underway, you can submit yourviews in a structured way and see our responses toall representations we receive. To register please goto: http://medway-consult.limehouse.co.uk/

What Happens Next

1.37 On completion of the consultation period, theCouncil will consider all representations madeand determine whether any are so significantas to warrant further changes to the CoreStrategy. A ‘Submission Draft’ will then beissued. Any representations received at thatstage will be automatically passed to theInspector appointed to carry out the PublicExamination.

6


Introduction

2.1 This chapter briefly describes some of the keyfacts and statistics that have informed the CoreStrategy, it summarises the findings from theSustainable Community Strategy and lists theissues which the area faces. The remainingchapters consider how these issues should beaddressed. This analysis includes what issometimes referred to as a ‘spatial portrait’ ofthe area.

Population Base

2.2 Based on Office of National Statistics (ONS)official projections and the level of housebuilding proposed being achieved in this CoreStrategy, it is anticipated that Medway’spopulation will grow from 256,700 (in 2010)to 278,200 by 2028. However a number offactors, including a move from an historic netout migration trend to more recently net inmigration, could result in an increase in thisfigure. This is likely to be the case if thegraduate retention, economic and regenerationpolicies proposed are successful. A roundedfigure of 280,000 has therefore been used toassess requirements arising from the scale ofdevelopment proposed in the Core Strategy.

State of Medway Reports (SOMs)

2.3 In order to inform the Core Strategy, theCouncil published a series of State of Medwayreports in 2008. These set out the baselinefrom which the Core Strategy was developed.This information provided stakeholders with acommon understanding of the context in whichthe Local Development Framework is beingprepared.

2.4 The State of Medway reports cover thefollowing topics:

• Built Environment

• Chattenden (Lodge Hill)

• Climate Change, Renewables and Flooding

• Demography and Social Trends

• Economy and Employment (includingEmployment Land)

• Education and Skills

• Housing

• Infrastructure

• Minerals

• Natural Assets and Open Space

• Retail, Leisure and Culture

• Policy Framework

• Waste

• Water Supply

2.5 The reports can be viewed o n the Council’swebsite at http://www.medway.gov.uk/ldf

Evidence Base Studies

2.6 A wide range of key evidence studies has alsobeen produced in order to inform the CoreStrategy. The following list identifies some ofthe main ones. They can be accessed via:http://medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/developmentplan/localdevelopmentframework/ldfevidencebase.aspx

7

2. Context and Issues


• Strategic Land Availability Assessment(SLAA) November 2010

• Strategic Housing Market Assessment(SHMA) 2010

• Infrastructure Plan

• Medway Economic Development Strategyfor 2009 - 2012

• Employment Land Review ConsolidationStudy 2010

• SATURN Transport Model

• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)2006 & Addendum 2011

• Strategic Urban Flood Defence Strategy2010

• Regional Waste Management CapacityStudy 2007

• The Gravel Resources of North Kent 1987

• Medway Retail Needs Study 2009

• Draft Medway Green Grid Action Plan2007

• Medway Landscape Character Assessment2010

• Medway Renewables Energy CapacityStudy 2010

• Medway Rural Housing Needs Assessment2009

• Lodge Hill Evidence Base Reports (http://www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/developmentplan/localdevelopmentframework/ldfevidencebase/lodgehill.aspx)

2.7 The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) hasproduced the Medway Sustainable CommunityStrategy (SCS)1 alongside the Core Strategy. Itis based upon a vast volume of informationand input from key community stakeholders.The Medway Sustainable Community Strategywas prepared in the context of the South EastPlan, the Regional Economic Strategy, theThames Gateway Plan and the North KentMulti-Area Agreement.

2.8 The Regional Economic Strategy recognisesMedway as a priority area for investment. TheNorth Kent Multi-Area Agreement 2009 wasan agreement between Central Governmentand the 5 local authorities with responsibilitiesin North Kent (Kent County Council, MedwayCouncil, Dartford Borough Council,Gravesham Borough Council and SwaleBorough Council) covering economicdevelopment, enterprise, employment, skills,transport, housing and the environment.

2.9 The Sustainable Community Strategy documenthighlights a variety of evidence and issues ofparticular importance to Medway assummarised below.

Economic Profile

2.10 Medway has benefited and continues tobenefit from considerable investment arisingfrom its strategic location within the ThamesGateway. A major transformation has takenplace around the former Pembroke navalbuildings in Chatham creating the MedwayCampus, home to three universities and MidKent College. A new sustainable communityhas been created in the rest of ChathamMaritime where £400 million of public andprivate investment has created a showpieceliving and working environment attracting largecorporate names. Recent infrastructureinvestment includes the Medway Tunnel andthe High Speed Rail Link from the ChannelTunnel to London. This is resulting in a welcomediversification of the economic base towardscreative industries, financial and businessservices, education and environmental andenergy technologies. This has added toMedway’s long-standing manufacturingstrengths. Nationally important energy andport facilities are located on the Hoo Peninsula.

2.11 Farming generates significant income asMedway has a larger than average proportionof Grade 1 agricultural land. This sustainsnumerous permanent and temporary jobs (asrecognised in the Medway AgriculturalResearch 2010 report).

8

1http://medway.gov.uk/pdf/Medway%20Sustainable%20Community%20Strategy%202010-26.pdf


2.12 Good progress has been made in raising skilllevels, which are growing significantly fasterthan the regional and national averages. Theunique cluster of universities at ChathamMaritime, Mid Kent College and the Universityfor the Creative Arts at Rochester contributegreatly to this.

2.13 However, Medway remains a relatively lowwage area with high numbers of peoplecommuting out to work and skill shortagesparticularly at NVQ 3 and 4 levels. Thebusiness start up rate remains well below theregional and national rates though evidencefor this predates the establishment of theMedway Enterprise Hub and InnovationCentre. External transport links are excellentand improving and the new dynamic busfacility together with investment in a qualitypublic transport network will improve busservices within Medway. However there areissues around fares, off peak services andservice penetration, and integration with railservices. There are particular issues on the HooPeninsula, due to its relative remoteness. Trafficcongestion on key routes during peak periodsis a further issue.

2.14 Any deficiency in employment space of theright type and in the right place may constraineconomic growth. Similarly the potential forfurther developing Medway as a tourismdestination is limited by a lack of hotels, theneed for a quality environment, connectivity, itsimage and its town centre offer, particularly inChatham. These issues are however beingtackled through actions in the MedwayRegeneration Framework 2006 - 2016 and bydeveloping Medway as a city breakdestination.

Social Profile

2.15 The population of Medway is younger than thenational average but it is ageing faster. Thearea has higher levels of deprivation thanneighbouring local authorities in Kent and theSouth East. It is ranked as the 132nd mostdeprived local authority out of 325 in England,though at neighbourhood level, it has some of

the most affluent as well as some of the mostdeprived areas in the country.

2.16 The overall attainment of children and youngpeople at school in Medway is better thansimilar local authorities in England and hasimproved consistently in recent years. Howeverthis conceals significant differences withinMedway and underachievement at Key Stage2. These issues are being tackled throughvarious measures including the PrimaryStrategy for Change, the development ofacademies and a focus on vulnerable groupsof children.

2.17 The recent arrival of people from the EUAccession countries, although generallysuccessfully integrated into the community, hasbrought challenges of integration in particularareas of Medway and these are likely tocontinue as new developments attract moreincomers to the area.

2.18 There is a thriving voluntary and communitysector with over 580 organisations acrossMedway providing a range of services forlocal people, including engaging with the mosthard to reach communities.

Environmental, Cultural and HousingProfile

2.19 Medway has a diverse natural environmentranging from the marshlands and wetlands ofthe Hoo Peninsula to downland in the southand west of the area. There are eightnationally and internationally importantdesignated nature conservation areas andthree parks with Green Flag status. In additionto the river that gives the Borough its name,there is also Metropolitan Green Belt land, aswell as part of the Kent Downs AONB.Medway also has a significant historic builtenvironment with 26 Conservation Areas, over600 Listed Buildings and 79 ScheduledAncient Monuments. Much of this is little knownoutside the immediate area. Local environmentsare generally clean and well looked afterthough satisfaction levels do not always reflectthis.

9


2.20 Medway has a strong cultural and heritageoffer including, new state of the art sportsfacilities at Medway Park, a potential WorldHeritage Site and recognition of the local artsand music scene through the Culture andDesign Awards. Potential exists to strengthenthis further and increase visitor numbers as wellas local engagement, as recognised in theCultural Strategy.

2.21 Medway has a below average carbonfootprint due to the relatively low jobs toworkforce ratio in the area though there arestill challenging targets to meet.

2.22 Medway has declared a number of Air QualityManagement Areas related to road trafficemissions in the urban area.

2.23 DEFRA has recently published details of areaswhere noise action plans may be required inMedway and this area of work is expected todevelop over the LDF period. First prioritylocations identified by Noise Maps are areason the highway network where the noise level(LA10,18h) is at least 76 dB.

2.24 Progress against targets for new andaffordable houses is good but affordabilityremains an issue. The quality of some privatehousing and the environment of some privateand public housing areas is poor, particularlyin some of the more deprived areas. As a resultthe Housing Partnership is embarking on atargeted partnership approach to improvinghousing in All Saints and Luton.

Medway Now

2.25 In addition to this analysis individualneighbourhood area profiles2 have beenproduced in order to drill down below theMedway level. They assess the individualneeds of each local area and highlight the keyissues that they face.

The profiles cover the following 21 local areas withinMedway, and the relevant areas are shown in Figure2-1:

• Chatham town centre and RochesterRiverside

• Chatham (rest of)

• Rochester town centre

• Rochester Riverside (rest of, includingBorstal)

• Chatham Maritime, St Mary’s Island andBrompton

• Gillingham town centre

• Gillingham (rest of)

• Twydall

• Rainham town centre

• Rainham (rest of)

• Lower Rainham (including rural Rainham)

• Hempstead, Wigmore and Parkwood

• Darland and Capstone

• Princes Park

• Luton and Wayfield

• Lordswood and Walderslade

• Cuxton and Halling

• Strood town centre and Riverside

• Strood (rest of)

• Wainscott, Frindsbury and part of Peninsula

• Hoo Peninsula

10

2http://medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/developmentplan/factsandfigures/areaprofiles.aspx


2.26 The headline findings from this work are:

• Chatham is the least populated town centreand Gillingham is the most denselypopulated town centre area in Medway

• The main areas of population growth are inthose parts that have seen the mostsignificant residential development – StMary’s Island, Chatham town centre andRochester Riverside and Wainscott andFrindsbury

• Areas with the youngest average residentage are concentrated in a fairly centralgrouping in Medway, around central parts ofChatham and Gillingham. ‘Olderpopulations’ are nearer the periphery ofMedway, with a particular concentrationaround Rainham and adjoining parts ofGillingham

• The ‘least dependent’ populations inMedway are concentrated in a ‘central arc’running from Rochester town centre, throughcentral Chatham, across to include most ofGillingham. These areas have the highestproportional working-age population

• The areas, which have seen the largestdecrease in population dependency, are onthe whole within the central urban areas.Areas towards the periphery of Medwayshow the greatest increase in populationdependency as a result of the ageingpopulation.

11

Figure 2 1 Local Areas


2.27 The findings for more local areas aresummarised below.

Chatham

• ‘Chatham Maritime, St Mary’s Island andBrompton’ and ‘Chatham Town Centre’ haveseen significant population growth since2001

• ‘Chatham Maritime, St Mary’s Island andBrompton’ has the youngest average residentage

• ‘Chatham Town Centre and RochesterRiverside’ has the highest proportionalworking-age population and the highest ratioof jobs to working-age residents

• ‘Chatham Maritime, St Mary’s Island andBrompton’ has the second highestproportional working-age population andhas the lowest elderly populationdependency ratios

• ‘Chatham town centre and Rochester’ and‘Luton and Wayfield’ have high ‘out-of-work’benefit claimant rates

• ‘Chatham (rest of)’ and ‘Luton & Wayfield’suffer significant deprivation

Rochester

• ‘Rochester Riverside’ has seen significantpopulation growth since 2001

• ‘Rochester town centre’ has the oldestaverage resident age but it is one of onlytwo areas that have seen a falling averageresident age

• ‘Worklessness’ as measured by claims forIncapacity Benefit is high in ‘Rochester towncentre’

Gillingham

• ‘Twydall’ is amongst those areas with thelargest decreases in population since 2001

• ‘Gillingham town centre’ has seen the largestdecrease in average resident age - it is oneof only two areas that have seen a fallingaverage resident age

• ‘Gillingham town centre’ saw the largestdecrease in population dependency with adeclining elderly population and anexpanding working-age population

• ‘Twydall’ has the most ‘dependent’population, having the lowest proportionalworking-age population of all areas inMedway

• ‘Gillingham (rest of)’ has the highestproportion of employment in service relatedjobs

• ‘Gillingham town centre’ has the highest ‘out-of-work’ benefit claimant rates

• A relatively high number of benefit claimsmade by disabled residents in Medway aremade in ‘Gillingham (rest of)’

• Lone-parents account for a high proportion ofall benefit claims in ‘Gillingham town centre’

• Much of Gillingham suffers significantdeprivation, one-in-four working-ageresidents in ‘Gillingham town centre’ claiman out-of-work benefit

Rainham

• ‘Hempstead, Wigmore and Parkwood’ and‘Rainham rest of’ are amongst those areasshowing the largest decreases in populationsince 2001

• ‘Rainham rest of’ has the second oldestaverage resident age having the highestproportion of residents aged over retirementage

• ‘Hempstead, Wigmore and Parkwood’ hasseen the largest resident age increase since2001

• ‘Lower Rainham’ has the fewest jobs perworking-age resident

• ‘Hempstead, Wigmore and Parkwood’ hasseen the largest increase in populationdependency of all areas in Medway

• A high proportion of benefit claims in ‘LowerRainham’ are by disabled claimants

• ‘Lower Rainham’ has a relatively highproportion of benefit claims by carers

12


Strood

• ‘Strood town centre and Riverside’, isamongst those areas showing the largestdecreases in population since 2001

• ‘Wainscott, Frindsbury and part of Peninsula’has the smallest proportional working-agepopulation

• A high proportion of benefit claims inWainscott & Frindsbury are by disabledclaimants and carers

• Worklessness as measured by claims forIncapacity Benefit is high in ‘Strood towncentre and riverside’ and Wainscott &Frindsbury

• Many parts of Strood suffer significantdeprivation.

Key Issues

2.28 Taking account of the above, there manyimportant issues affecting Medway that need tobe addressed. Many but not all of these areshared with the Sustainable CommunityStrategy. For convenience they are groupedunder a series of sub headings.

Economy and Learning

2.29 There is a need to create a Medway city centreand central business district in Chatham thatmaximises retail, employment, cultural andhousing opportunities. Chatham is the naturalheart of the Medway conurbation and itstrongly influences the overall image of thearea. However it is significantlyunderperforming economically and large partssuffer from a poor quality townscape.

2.30 There should be a focus on sector developmentby strengthening inward investment,developing the creative industries sector andexploring the potential for centres of excellencein environmental technology and construction.The current low wage economy needs tofurther diversify and exploit key sectors ifMedway’s relative economic performance is toimprove.

2.31 Boosting cutting edge low-carbonenvironmental technologies and thedevelopment of growth sectors such as creativeindustries and spin offs, construction, advancedmanufacturing, and sub-contractors andservices. These are assessed as having thegreatest potential to boost local economicperformance.

2.32 Ensure the availability of employment space byreviewing mixed use allocations, investing ininfrastructure and assessing the developmentpotential of existing employment and keyderelict sites. There have been significantreductions in employment floorspace in recentyears. This has been necessary as redundantwaterside locations needed to be cleared forredevelopment and consolidation in themanufacturing sector has taken place.However the time has come to re-build theemployment floorspace stock with modern,adaptable premises suited to modern needs.

2.33 Develop the Medway image around thegrowing Higher and Further Education andcreative sectors, by promoting Medway as avenue for top sporting and cultural events,supporting the World Heritage bid, raising theprofile of the River Medway and improving keygateways and town centres. These areamongst Medway’s most important assets andutilised correctly provide the basis fortransforming Medway’s image and communityconfidence.

2.34 Develop an Enterprise Strategy covering allforms of enterprise including social enterprise.Business start-up rates are not as high as theyshould be and creating and nurturing anentrepreneurial culture is critical to futureeconomic prospects.

13


2.35 Explore the transformational power ofcommunications infrastructure (WiFi, fibreoptics etc) in order to make Medway a “Smart”location for business. High quality‘connectivity’ is vital to modern businesses andamply demonstrated by the success of theMedway Innovation Centre, which has this.

2.36 Deliver the Primary Strategy for Changebringing in new investment in school buildingsand creating 21st century learningenvironments. In an ever more competitiveworld educational attainment is vital. Localstandards are improving (from a low base) butmore needs to be done.

2.37 Promote hotel development. Medway attractslarge numbers of day visitors to its exceptionalattractions but comparatively few short andlonger stay visitors. There have been recent,very welcome, increases in the stock of hotelbedrooms but much of these have been at thebudget end of the market. There is alsopotential to expand so called ‘business tourism’that demands a broader range of facilities thanthose provided by budget operators.

2.38 Protect the large areas of the Hoo Peninsulaand other land to the north and east of theurban area, which are classified as Grade 1Agricultural Land. As well as being a nationallyimportant asset, this land is also ofconsiderable importance to the Medwayeconomy. With food security a growing globalissue the importance of recognising thisvaluable natural resource has never beengreater.

2.39 Address the disparities that exist withinMedway, with pockets of considerableaffluence and deprivation (often close by oneanother). Equality of opportunity reducesdependence, improves social cohesion andcommunity confidence. It also leads to highereconomic performance and an improvedquality of life. However significant sections ofthe population are classified as ‘deprived’.

2.40 Promote an environmental technologies cluster.Research has identified the potential of the HooPeninsula in particular. There are, in any event,exceptional opportunities to link Medway’sstrong manufacturing pedigree with its growinghigher and further education sector.

2.41 Maximize the benefits from the Universities atMedway by broadening the range ofopportunities available for local people,raising skill levels and bringing associatedbenefits to the economy (including knowledgeclusters). From no universities in the early1990’s to four now and an undergraduatestudent population of around 10,000,Medway has a unique opportunity to extractadditional value from this investment.

2.42 Retain and grow existing businesses andattract new ones to increase economic activity.In particular, the number and quality of jobs inMedway needs to be increased. There aresignificantly fewer jobs than resident workers inMedway and wage rates are very low. Londonwill always be a strong draw but there is aclear need to reduce the current reliance onout-commuting and to foster higher valueemployment locally.

14


2.43 Maximise business opportunities arising fromthe presence of around 10,000 students andstaff at the universities. Retaining newgraduates and harnessing their entrepreneurialdrive will provide an additional opportunity togrow the Medway economy.

2.44 Increase the amount of student and visitoraccommodation available in Medway. Highnumber of students can distort the privaterented housing market and displace vulnerablehouseholds. Specialist accommodation willlimit this risk and improve Medway’sperception as a location of choice for newstudents.

2.45 Work to retain the University for the CreativeArts with a growing presence in Medway. Thisnew and thriving university is looking toconsolidate its accommodation and develop aflagship campus. Every effort needs to bemade to ensure that this is in Medway, where ithas long established roots.

2.46 Promote workforce skills development,graduate retention and increases in GrossValue Added levels. Skills attainment levelsamongst the existing Medway workforce arelower than the regional norm. Improving theseis a critical component of a wider educationalattainment and skills programme.

Transport

2.47 Invest in public transport infrastructureincluding a new dynamic bus facility atChatham, upgraded railway stations atChatham, Gillingham, Rochester and Strood,strategic bus corridors and park and ride.Good progress has been made over the lastthree years but further work is needed,particularly in relation to a park & ride networkand station upgrades.

2.48 Ensure good public transport links to, andwithin, new developments and improved linksto existing neighbourhoods. Much ofMedway’s network of bus routes can be tracedback many years. It needs to adapt to travelpatterns that are changing as newdevelopment and destinations are developed.Many suburban areas also suffer from poor

accessibility to services, particularly in theevenings.

2.49 Improve public transport links to the universitiesand college campuses. These are newdestinations well related to the urban core andshould be readily accessible by bus inparticular.

2.50 Make highway improvements including theA228 to Grain and highway capacityimprovements including Strood centre. TheA228 carries a very high proportion of HGVsaccessing the port and energy installations onthe Hoo Peninsula and it has a poor safetyrecord. Strood is a particular bottleneck andcongestion detracts from the attractiveness ofthe town centre and results in air pollution.

2.51 Provide more opportunities for cycling andwalking. Much has been done over the last fewyears but existing and new improvementsshould join up to create obvious networks thatprovide travel alternatives for local people.

2.52 Investigate the potential of the River Medwayfor work and leisure travel and for further rivercrossings. New opportunities should arise asthe regeneration of the urban waterfrontprogresses and new visitor destinationsdevelop along it.

2.53 Provide better transport links and widertransport choices in Medway to supportregeneration, increase accessibility andconnectivity, and reduce reliance on the car.

Climate Change

2.54 Consider extreme weather events (flashflooding, storm surges) that have the potentialto significantly affect the Medway area whencoupled with sea level rise, as there aresignificant low-lying areas in the Medway Rivervalley, which are potentially at risk from floodevents. A range of studies and plans has beencompleted to inform the response needed.

2.55 Reduce carbon emissions and improve airquality within the Medway area includingdomestic, business and transport emissions.

15


2.56 Reduce carbon emissions and improve energyefficiency of both new and existing housing byworking with the community. Apart from theenvironmental benefits increasing fuel povertyheightens the importance of this issue.

2.57 Increase use of sustainable energy andinvestigate use of decentralised heatingschemes.

2.58 Raise awareness of and assist in reducingwater wastage, encourage reduction in waterconsumption and encourage water recycling.This is vital given Medway’s low rainfall andtidal river that is not suitable for abstraction.

2.59 Realise opportunities to restore and recreatewildlife habitats in association with sustainableflood-risk management. Again a number ofplans and strategies have been completed toassist in this.

2.60 Address the impacts of coastal squeeze andloss of inter-tidal habitats. The ShorelineManagement Plans and Thames Estuary 2100Plan should guide the response to this.

2.61 Recognise that water supply in Medway islargely dependent on ground water abstractionas there are no large reservoirs or anysignificant abstraction from the River Medwaywithin the Borough. Water resources faceincreasing demand arising from existing andnew development, exacerbated by changes tothe climate and rainfall patterns.

2.62 Be aware that flood risk is a key environmentalissue and therefore flood management issuesneed to be integrated into planning decisions.Whilst Medway has a significant proportion ofpreviously developed land suitable forredevelopment within areas of higher floodrisk. It is not appropriate to prevent all newdevelopments in these areas, as it is needed toavoid social and economic stagnation andblight.

Green Infrastructure

2.63 Develop the Green Grid through theimplementation of identified priority strategicroutes. The Green Grid identifies opportunitiesto connect urban and rural Medway in waysthat are sensitive to the natural environment.

2.64 Safeguard and enhance the character andappearance of Medway’s diverse landscapesvia proactive land management. Medway hassome exceptional landscapes but these aresensitive to development and visitor pressures.

2.65 Strengthen the protection and conservation ofopen spaces. These are vital to everyone’squality of life and are an intrinsic feature of thearea.

2.66 Conserve and enhance the diversity andabundance of habitats and species.Biodiversity is a cornerstone of environmentalquality but is under pressure, not only fromdevelopment but also climate change.

2.67 Encourage community engagement inconserving and developing open spacethrough, for example, the development of“friends” groups. A number of such groupshave been established and been vital to thedevelopment of, for example, the Hillyfieldsopen space and the Great Lines Heritage Park.

2.68 Apply Green Infrastructure planning inconnecting people and places. The foundationsfor this are in place through the Green GridForum and the North Kent EnvironmentalPlanning Group.

2.69 Continue to develop and ensure thesustainability of the Great Lines Heritage Parkas the metropolitan park for Medway.

2.70 Ensure the adequate provision of green spacein association with development. This is vital toquality of life, adapting to climate change,biodiversity and more.

2.71 Ensure that the nature conservation impacts ofriverside development are taken into account.The river and estuary are sensitive eco systemsand this must be considered alongside theircommercial and leisure potential.

16


2.72 Reduce pollution affecting the Medway Estuaryand local wildlife habitats.

2.73 Recognise that the majority of sand and gravelreserves in Medway are found on the HooPeninsula but there are both economic andenvironmental constraints regarding theirextraction.

2.74 Provide additional capacity in recycling,recovery and final disposal to meet thenational waste strategy targets for municipaland commercial and industrial wastes andenable all waste streams to be ‘pushed’ up thewaste hierarchy away from landfill.

Built Environment and Neighbourhoods

2.75 Promote high quality design. Too much of thetown centres and surrounding areas ischaracterised by insensitive architecture andpoor urban design. This detracts from thesetting of many fine buildings and the image ofthe area.

2.76 Implement the Public Realm Strategy. Ourmajor streets and limited squares needimproving and better connections establishedbetween them.

2.77 Improve the overall image of Medway. This isvital to economic success and communityconfidence and pride.

2.78 Deliver good quality housing in mixed usedevelopments to contribute to sustainableregeneration.

2.79 Be aware that although Medway has ayounger age profile than Kent and the nationalaverage, over time the structure will get older,placing an added pressure on meeting housingneeds.

2.80 Ensure that more executive housing isprovided. Too few business owners andmanagers reside in Medway and opportunitiesneed to be identified to encourage them to doso.

2.81 Develop a multicultural community centre at thehistoric dockyard. This is a longstandingambition and an opportunity to celebrateMedway’s cultural diversity.

2.82 Develop place based initiatives to improvehealth in neighbourhoods identified as havingthe worst health and lowest life expectancy.Parts of Medway have significant health issuescompared to other areas.

2.83 Develop a waterfront arts complex in Chathamas part of a wider cultural area including theBrook and Central theatres. A clear focus forcultural activity is needed and should form partof the regeneration programme for Chatham.

2.84 Implement the Chatham Centre and WaterfrontDevelopment Framework.

2.85 Implement the Gillingham Town CentreDevelopment Framework.

2.86 Implement road improvement and retailimprovements in Strood.

2.87 Implement and ensure integration of RochesterRiverside with Rochester Centre. This is one ofMedway’s most important regenerationprojects and has the critical mass and visualprominence to enhance the image of Medwayas a whole.

2.88 Create and deliver a brand new settlement atLodge Hill, Chattenden that has strong links tothe wider Hoo Peninsula. This will be the onlyfreestanding new community in the ThamesGateway and will be a major contributor to thefuture development needs of the area as awhole.

2.89 Areas beyond town centres, large urbanregeneration sites and the new settlement atLodge Hill are not envisaged as being subjectto major physical change. This is due to thefact that these areas can provide more thansufficient development capacity to meet all ofMedway’s needs over the plan period.

17


2.90 The main evidence used to identify these issuescan be found in the following documents:

• Medway Economic Development Strategy2009-12

• Medway Regeneration Framework 2006-16

• Thames Gateway Core Vision 2009 andDelivery Plan

• Universities at Medway Annual report 2009

• Local Transport Plan 3 2011

• North Kent Economic Development Plan2009

• North Kent Multi Area Agreement 2009

• Medway Social Regeneration Strategy 2008- 2016

• Medway Learning and Skills Plan 2006

• Growing Healthier - NHS Medway’sStrategic Commissioning Plan 2008/9 to2012/13

• Strategic Plan for Older People in Medway2010 -13

• Medway Children and Young People’s Plan2009-11

• Medway Health and Wellbeing Strategy2010-15

• Medway Landscape Character Assessment2011

• Medway Wildlife, Countryside and OpenSpace Strategy 2008-16

• Medway’s Community Safety PartnershipStrategy 2008-11

• Medway Green Grid Action Plan 2007

• Greening the Gateway Kent and MedwayGreen Clusters Studies for Hoo Peninsula2008 and Bredhurst - Capstone 2008

• Medway Housing Strategy 2008-11

• Medway Cultural Strategy 2009-14

• Kent Downs AONB Management Plan 2009

18


Introduction

3.1 This chapter sets out the ‘spatial’ vision forMedway, in the context of Medway’sSustainable Community Strategy prepared bythe Local Strategic Partnership and the issuesidentified in Chapter 2. It also explains theoverall level of housing and employmentgrowth proposed over the period to 2028.

3.2 The critical elements needed to guidedevelopment are then set out as a series of‘strategic objectives’. These, along with thespatial vision will form an overall guide fordevelopment decisions over the period coveredby this Core Strategy and the policies in laterchapters flow from them.

Sustainable Community Strategy

3.3 The Local Strategic Partnership, or LSP,prepared the overarching Medway SustainableCommunity Strategy during 2009 and 2010.

3.4 The Partnership has an extensive membershipdrawn from across the Medway communityand over 350 organisations. These include allthe major providers of local services and arange of statutory agencies active in the area.Significant stakeholder engagement was anintegral feature of the process and the finalstrategy has a very high level of support.

3.5 The Strategy supersedes the More to MedwayCommunity Plan 2007 – 2010 and it takes alonger-term perspective that is deliberatelyaligned to that of this Core Strategy.

3.6 It also reflects many other plans and strategiesfor the Medway area, including the third LocalTransport Plan, a Joint Needs Assessment andmany more.

Vision for Medway

3.7 In the strategy the vision for Medway to 2026is summarised in the strap line:

‘City of Medway: Rich heritage, great future’.

3.8 It consists of four key principles and sixambitions.

3.9 The four key principles are:

• Sustainability: will our actions work fortomorrow as well as today?

• Narrowing the gap: will our actionscontribute to improving the lives of everyoneso reducing the gap between deprived andmore affluent areas?

• Fairness: do our actions take account of allsections of society thus ensuring thateverybody benefits from the regeneration ofMedway?

• Self-help: will our actions encourage peopleto take responsibility themselves to makethings better?

3.10 The six ambitions are:

• Medway to have a thriving, diverse andsustainable economy matched by anappropriately skilled workforce andsupported by a Higher Education Centre ofExcellence

• Every child to have a good start in life

• Medway residents to enjoy good health,well being and care

• Medway to have a safe and high qualityenvironment

• Medway to be a place where people valueone another, play an active part and havepride in their community and Medway as awhole

• Medway to be recognised as a Destinationfor Culture, Heritage, Sport and Tourism

3. Vision and Strategic Objectives

19


3.11 A wide range of actions is then identified torealise these ambitions and specific plans are inplace to take forward delivery.

Overall Levels of Growth

3.12 PPS3 requires local planning authorities todetermine the local level of housing provision,taking into account current and future levels ofneed and demand for housing and affordabilitylevels. These should take into account StrategicHousing Market Assessments and theGovernment’s latest published householdprojections. PPS3 does not require localauthorities to identify a range of options for thelevel of housing provision.

3.13 When the South East Plan was being preparedMedway Council supported the proposedhousing requirement for the area of an averageof 815 dwellings per year for the 2006 to 2026period. This was considered to represent arealistic balance between meeting local needsand contributing to growth in the ThamesGateway, a national priority area for bothgrowth and regeneration.

3.14 This remains the case and it is intended that the815 per year average be rolled on to the enddate for the Core Strategy of 2028.

3.15 To put this in context, the previous Kent and

Medway Structure Plan 2006, requirement of766 for Medway was higher than the annualaverage number of 681 actually delivered overthe previous 10 years. A higher figure is unlikelyto be deliverable and a lower figure would notmeet the future levels of need in Medway andnot be compatible with the objectives for theThames Gateway. The target of 815 new homesper year will be challenging, particularly giventhe difficult economic climate, but it will also helpto deliver essential regeneration and theambitions for the Thames Gateway.

3.16 It is important that adequate provision is madefor new employment opportunities, both to matchthe growing population and to improveMedway’s economic performance compared toother areas.

3.17 Given current economic uncertainties a jobtarget range was assessed, based on differentdemographic, economic activity and level of outcommuting assumptions. The effect of thesedifferent assumptions on forecast job numbers isshown below.

Table 3 1 Employment Growth to 2028

3.18 This was then assessed using differentcombinations of these factors – in effectalternative scenarios. The results of four ofthese are set out below.

Table 3 2 Job Requirements to 2028

20

Factor Assumption

Naturaldemographicchange

Change in numbers of people ofworking age and increase in post retirement age workers

4,300

Either: an improved employment rate to SE level (high)Or: an improved employment rateto National level (low)

Either: a 25% reduction in net out - commuting (high)Or: 10% reduction in netout commuting (low)

8,700Improvement in Employmentrate

900

7,300Reduced out-commuting

2,900

Scenario Job Requirement

Low employment, low commuting reduction (4,300+ 900+ 2,900)

8,200

Low employment, high commuting reduction (4,300+ 900+ 7,300)

12,500

High employment, low commuting reduction (4,300+ 8,700 +2,900)

15,900

High employment, high commuting reduction(4,300+ 8,700+ 7,300)

20,300


3.19 In setting a specific jobs target for the CoreStrategy these and a range of other factorswere considered including the findings of theMedway Employment Land ReviewConsolidation Study, 2010. This Studyrecognised that in Medway a key objective isto increase employment, reduce out-commutingand improve economic activity rates to levelscloser to the South East average. The Studyconcluded that planning for lower economicgrowth would not deliver these strategicobjectives, could undermine sustainabilityobjectives and ultimately would be self fulfillingby limiting supply and undermining potentialeconomic growth.

3.20 Taking these considerations into account theCouncil has decided to set an ambitious targetof 21,500 additional jobs to be created by2028 and ensure that there is sufficientcapacity in terms of floorspace for this to occur.This is a proposed increase from a 2008 baseline figure of 94,500. This will ensure thateconomic activity is not artificially restrictedand that sufficient capacity is available tomatch housing growth.

The Core Strategy ‘Spatial’ Vision

3.21 Taking full account of the overall vision forMedway, the various issues discussed inChapter 2 and the growth targets explainedabove, the spatial vision for the Core Strategyis as follows:

By 2028 Medway will have experiencedmajor change.

Chatham will be transformed into a citycentre for Medway that is also of regionalsignificance. It will be a focus for shopping,leisure and cultural activity and a growingemployment location, founded on its firstclass accessibility, city scale services andassociated Higher and Further EducationCentre of Excellence.

The urban waterfront (north bank: TempleWaterfront to Strood Waterfront; south bank:Rochester Riverside to Gillingham Waterfront)will have been similarly transformed, with

mixed-use developments of the highestquality linking the town centres andcapitalising on the exceptional settingprovided by the river Medway.

The established district centres will be thefocus for local community life and services,noted for their friendly and high qualityenvironments. Rochester will continue to berecognised as a tourist destination, linked tothe many attractions along the urbanwaterfront.

More widely Medway will be recognised as ayear round tourist destination with a widerange of quality accommodation, facilitiesand attractions that celebrate its manyhistoric and natural assets.

Easy movement within the urban area willhave been achieved through intelligentmanagement of the highway network andparking provision, a network of quality buscorridors linked to park and ride services andhigh quality interchange facilities. Movementinto and out of the area will have benefitedfrom radically improved rail stations atStrood, Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham.

Medway’s economy will have grownsubstantially through the provision of highervalue activities and jobs. This will have beenachieved by:

a. Closely aligning skills with the needs ofemployers and improved levels ofeducational attainment

b. Capitalising on the centre of excellencecreated by our four universities andfurther education college

c. Being noted as a location for itscommunications infrastructure (highspeed broadband etc.)

d. The implementation of reinvestmentstrategies for each of the establishedemployment areas

21


e. Grain, Kingsnorth and Lodge Hill aslocations for environmental technologiesand building products/construction,amongst other activities and RochesterAirfield as a technology and knowledgehub

f. Chatham, Gillingham and Strood, alongwith the major waterfront regenerationsites, as a focus for cultural industriesand new office based employmentopportunities.

Around 17,930 new homes will have beenprovided over the period since 2006 throughthe successful development of the identifiedwaterfront and other urban areadevelopment opportunities, plus the newfreestanding community at Lodge Hill.

Medway will be noted for its high standardsof design, fully reflecting sustainabilityprinciples and the challenge of climatechange through active mitigation andadaptation strategies. This will include beingrecognised for the way in which its richhistoric legacy, including the proposed WorldHeritage Site, founded on the formerDockyard and its defences, is valued andpromoted.

Our rural areas will be celebrated for theirrich natural assets, contribution to foodsecurity and enhanced village environments.The new settlement at Lodge Hill will havebeen substantially completed and recognisedas a beacon of best practice in terms of itsdesign and sustainability. It will provide anew focus for services on the Hoo Peninsula,while retaining the essentially rural andlocally distinctive character of the area andrelating sensitively to nearby villages.

The extensive and numerous inner urban andsuburban communities will be noted for theirgreenspaces and thriving neighbourhoodcentres providing local access to servicesthrough community hubs.

Deprivation will have been greatly reducedthrough effective intervention strategies fortarget neighbourhoods and the development

of local opportunities in line with thedevelopment of sustainable neighbourhoods.

The area will be recognised for the way inwhich everyone has benefited from thelarge-scale physical regeneration and theway in which change has reflected the social,economic and environmental needs of thearea.

Healthy lifestyles will have been activelypromoted through intelligent design,enhanced opportunities for sport andrecreation and the promotion of walking andcycling.

The River will be celebrated as the dominantand unifying geographical feature of thearea through enhanced riverside walks andsensitive balancing of its commercial, leisureand environmental potential.

The area will be widely recognised for itscontributions to the nation’s energyinfrastructure, its port capacity and itsgateway function for the importation ofminerals and other materials.

Strategic Objectives

3.22 In taking this vision forward the followingstrategic objectives will guide development andother planning decisions

1. To effectively realise Medway’s rolewithin the Thames Gateway andassociated growth requirementsprimarily through effective physicalregeneration, the reuse of previouslydeveloped land and the protection andenhancement of the area’s manynatural and heritage assets.

2. To develop Chatham as a city centre ofregional significance with its rolecomplemented by thriving andattractive traditional town centres inStrood, Rochester, Gillingham andRainham together with a network ofstrong neighbourhood centres servinglocal communities.

22


3. To substantially improve theperformance of the local economy, inparticular by nurturing higher valueactivities and reducing the currentreliance on out commuting.

4. To focus economic and employmentgrowth in Chatham Centre, within themajor mixed use regeneration sites,through re-investment within theestablished employment areas and atRochester Airfield, Lodge Hill,Kingsnorth and Grain.

5. To maximise the developmentopportunities associated with the fourUniversities and Further EducationCollege to create a centre of excellenceof national significance.

6. To radically improve the quality of thetownscape and public realm within thecentral urban area and along the urbanwaterfront.

7. To boost the range and quality of touristaccommodation and positively promotevisitor destinations.

8. To significantly reduce deprivation inMedway, including through theimplementation of tailored strategies fortarget neighbourhoods and thedevelopment of a network of strongneighbourhood centres, providing arange of local services and acting ascommunity hubs.

9. To ensure that there is sufficient housingto meet people’s needs by providing fora range, mix, type and affordability ofhousing in locations that contribute tothe regeneration and sustainability ofthe area.

10. To provide for the transport needs ofthe population through the provisionof enhanced public transport facilities,proactive management of the highwaynetwork and improved facilities forwalking and cycling.

11. To enhance the quality of life of localpeople through the promotion ofhealthier lifestyles and the provision ofimproved cultural, sporting, leisureand tourism facilities, including alongthe river Medway.

12. To nurture Medway’s rural areas andeconomy, including through villageimprovement projects, enhanced landmanagement and local accessstrategies.

13. To make the new settlement at LodgeHill a model for modern living,exhibiting the highest standards ofdesign and sustainability andcomplementing existing villages on theHoo Peninsula.

14. To work proactively to minimise theeffects of climate change throughefficient resource use, high qualitybuildings, improved biodiversity, theeffective management of open landand other mechanisms.

15. To ensure that there is sufficientminerals and wastemanagement/disposal capacity tomeet local requirements and contributeto regional and national needs.

16. To ensure the provision of necessaryinfrastructure to match the needs ofdevelopment at the right time and inthe right place.

23


Key Diagram

3.23 The main elements of the strategy are illustratedon the Key Diagram below. Figure 3 1 Medway Core Strategy Key Diagram

24


3.24 Figure 3-2 below shows the relationshipbetween the spatial vision, the strategicobjectives and each policy as set out in thefollowing chapters.

Figure 3 2 Spatial Vision & Strategic ObjectivesDiagram

25

Thrivingdiverse and sustainable economy

with skilled workforce supported

by a Higher Education Centre of

Excellence

Every child to have a

good start in life

Good health, wellbeing

and care of Medwayresidents

A safe and high quality environment

To be a place where people value one another,

play an active part and have

pride in their community

and Medway as a whole

Medway to be

recognised as a

destination for Culture, Heritage, Sport and Tourism


26


27


28


Introduction

4.1 This chapter covers a range of over-archingtopics or themes that need to be taken intoaccount if the Core Strategy vision is to berealised and national policy reflected inrelation to matters such as climate change andthe protection of environmental and heritageassets. The topics covered are:

• Regenerating Medway

• Quality and Sustainable Design

• Mitigation and Adaptation to ClimateChange

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

• Development and Flood Risk

• Natural Environment and Biodiversity

• Sustainable Communities.

Regenerating Medway

4.2 Completing the effective regeneration ofMedway’s town centres and urban waterfront,including making Chatham a centre of regionalsignificance, is the single biggest challengefacing the area and is therefore the priority forthis Core Strategy. Medway has embraced theThames Gateway project and made enormousstrides in attracting resources and managingchange on the ground but much still remains tobe done.

4.3 Chatham, as Medway’s main centre, needs amuch more positive image and to assert itselfas a focus for economic, social and culturalactivity. Enormous efforts, including majorfinancial investment, have been put into theland assembly of key waterfront sites and aprogramme of major infrastructureimprovements.

4.4 A stage has now been reached where marketperceptions have improved and communityconfidence is growing. However there is muchstill to do if the enormous potential is to be fullyrealised and Medway is to be recognised asone of the most significant conurbations in thegreater South East and a strategic centre withinthe Thames Gateway area.

4.5 A changed focus now could also result in thereturns expected from the financial investmentsalready made being reduced or lost altogether.Accordingly, Policy CS1 re-emphasises theimportance of this regeneration programmeand the key measures that will be applied totake it forward.

4.6 A range of development briefs andmasterplans are in place to assist in thisprocess and these will be reviewed andupdated as necessary over the plan period. Aschedule of these is set out at Appendix B. TheCouncil will work proactively with potentialdevelopment partners, both public and private,to realise opportunities and coordinate activity.

4. Cross Cutting Themes

29


Policy CS1: Regenerating Medway

The development strategy for Medway is to prioritisere-investment in the urban fabric, particularly by theredevelopment and recycling of underused, derelictand previously developed land with a focus on theMedway Riverside and town centres.

To achieve this, priority will continue to be given tothe established regeneration programme, namely:

• Major physical change in Chatham centre,including significant new retail floorspacebetween Best Street and the Brook and theexpansion of the Pentagon Centre, mixed usedevelopments at the Brook, the StationGateway and Waterfront, majorimprovements to the Waterfront open spaceand, over the longer term, the development ofa new cultural offer in this location

• On the west bank of the River Medway thecreation of a dynamic new mixed usewaterfront environment stretching fromMedway Valley Park through TempleWaterfront, the former Civic Centre site andStrood Riverside. This will include theimplementation of the Masterplan for CentralStrood and associated access improvementsand the creation of a river walk

• On the east bank of the river, the creation ofa new community at Rochester Riverside, thesensitive regeneration of the historic areabetween Star Hill and Sun Pier, the furtherdevelopment of the Chatham HistoricDockyard as a heritage destination andcommercial quarter, development of theInterface Land and the completion of theresidential communities at St. Mary’s Islandand Gillingham Waterfront

• Sensitive change within Gillingham towncentre to reinforce its role as an important‘District’ centre and capitalise on theopportunities provided by the growingstudent population and new facilities atMedway Park and the Great Lines HeritagePark

• By working with Network Rail and the trainoperating companies the creation ofenhanced station environments and

interchange facilities at Strood, Rochester,Chatham and Gillingham

• The creation of a high quality public realm,including new public squares and spaces,new pedestrian routes connecting up thewaterfront and town centres and major urbanopen spaces.

The Council will continue to work in partnership withall relevant bodies and commercial interests intaking forward the programme and all developmentswill be expected to make a positive contribution to it.

Quality and Sustainable Design

4.7 Medway has a unique architectural andhistoric character, which is enhanced by anoutstanding landscape of estuarine flood plainbacked by the steep escarpments and hangingvalleys of the North Downs. There is a legacyof landscape and townscape views of theescarpments, the river, and key landmarks ofnational and international importance such asRochester Cathedral and Castle and ChathamHistoric Dockyard.

4.8 However, the demise of the Naval Dockyardand the disappearance of traditional industrieshave also left Medway with large riversidesites in need of regeneration. 1970’s trafficand redevelopment schemes have alsodamaged the once coherent character of thetowns. The scale of regeneration presents asignificant challenge, but also an incredibleopportunity to transform Medway into a city forthe 21st Century.

4.9 If the regeneration, described above, is toreach its full potential good design will becritical in:

• Making the most of Medway’s character andsetting

• Making Medway a good place to live andwork

• Forging a new and exciting image forMedway as a whole.

30


4.10 It is important that this is achieved both on abuilding-by-building basis and on the scale ofnew and existing areas with streets and spacesthat have their own distinct character whilstbeing integrated with the rest of the builtenvironment.

4.11 The scale of regeneration is such that it willimpact on Medway for generations to come. It istherefore important that new development isdesigned to ensure long-term viability and toreduce future obsolescence in the face ofchanging economic, demographic and socialtrends. Good urban design, by ensuring easyconnection to open space, recreational facilitiesand local services, has an important role to playin enabling sustainable life styles that are lesscar dependent.

4.12 Meeting these challenges can be achievedthrough an understanding of the principles ofurban design that underpin most successfulplaces. These are laid down in the Governmentpublication ‘By Design- Urban Design in thePlanning System’www.cabe.org.uk/publications/by-design . TheGovernment’s latest ‘Building for Life’ standardswww.buildingforlife.org also provide a range ofcriteria for better housing design. To ensure thatdevelopments meet the criteria laid down inthese, the Council will carry out Building for LifeAssessments for all schemes of 25 dwellings ormore.

4.13 In applying these general criteria and principles,designers should take into account the uniquefeatures of each site (including its context). Forsignificant regeneration sites (100 dwellings ormore, over 10,000 m2 of commercialdevelopment, or sensitive sites that will be visibleor prominent within the surrounding area or inclose proximity to important heritage assets),good design will best be ensured by agreeingbasic design principles with the Council. Theseshould normally be set out in a design statementor brief that, in appropriate cases, is subject tocommunity consultation prior to a planningapplication being submitted.

4.14 Tall and bulky buildings present a particularchallenge. The Council’s adopted Building

Heights Policy (2006) defines riverside areaswhere tall buildings will, or will not beacceptable. It also lays down a methodology fordetermining the detailed acceptability of tallbuildings and their effect on strategic views andlandmarks. The Council will continue to use thisin assessing proposals for buildings that are18m or more in height or which impact onstrategic views.

Policy CS2: Quality and SustainableDesign

New buildings in Medway will be expected tomeet the highest architectural standards thatreflect or generate local distinctiveness through:

• The expression of function and structure

• The use of materials

• Appropriate proportions, visual orderand detailing

• The application of environmental criteria.

New development should result in buildings,streets, spaces and neighbourhoods, which arehigh quality, durable and well integrated withtheir surroundings by:

• Respecting strategic and local views andsettings

• Respecting local context, townscape andlandscape - including the character,scale, street and settlement patterns of thesurrounding area

• Contributing to the enhancement orcreation of local identity

• Creating a pattern of streets and spaceswhich are well connected to theirsurroundings and which are attractiveand easy to walk through

• Being flexible and adaptable to meet avariety of needs, uses and lifestyles intothe future.

31


32

• Contributing to a pattern of development, whichprovides easy access to open space, recreationalfacilities and local services, and whichencourages walking and the use of publictransport.

In meeting the above the Council will expectdesigners to have regard to the objectives for urbandesign as laid down in the Government’s publication‘By Design’. It will also measure the quality of newhousing development against the Design CouncilCABE ‘Building for Life’ Criteria.

The acceptability of tall buildings (18m or higher)and the protection of strategic views will bedetermined in accordance with the Council’s BuildingHeights Policy 2006.

Applications for major sites (25 houses or more)should be accompanied by:

• An ‘Accessibility Assessment’ whichdemonstrates adequate access for residentsto necessary services, integration withexisting development and that unnecessarytravel demands do not arise

• A design statement outlining how thedevelopment accords with:

- The objectives of ‘By Design’

- Building for Life Standard for housingdevelopment; and

- How the local physical, social,environmental and policy context has beentaken into account at the design stage.

Applications for significant regeneration sites, large,or sensitive sites should be accompanied orpreceded by a design brief that is subject to a publicconsultation process.

Mitigation and Adaptation to ClimateChange

4.15 Climate change and its potential effects is oneof the greatest issues affecting humanity.Extreme heat and flooding can threaten humanlife and flooding can cause major propertydamage. Higher average temperatures affectboth flora and fauna and sea level risethreatens coastal areas. The Government has

introduced a number of measures to addressthe issue, including measures that should to beconsidered in local development frameworks.Through PPS1 and its climate change update,sustainable development, adaptation to climatechange and mitigation are now keycornerstones of planning.

4.16 A well-known and recognised contributor toclimate change is carbon dioxide emissions,sometimes referred to as the carbon footprint ofan area. Therefore a critical part of anystrategy for tackling climate change needs todeal with this issue.

4.17 A detailed explanation of Medway’secological footprint is contained within theClimate Change, Renewables and FloodingState of Medway Report.

4.18 A Local Area Agreement target sought areduction of emissions by 13.9% by 2011,equating to 4.3 tonnes of CO2 per capita.Further and more stringent targets are likely tobe applied to Medway over the plan period.

4.19 In order to improve the sustainability of newhomes, the Government has introduced TheCode for Sustainable Homes. This rates newhomes against nine measures of sustainability:CO2, pollution, water, health and well being,materials, management, surface water run-off,ecology and waste. The code uses a 6 levelrating system, according to the degree to which the homes measure up to the 9measures. The previous Government set atarget for all new homes to achieve a Level 3rating by 2010, progressing to a Level 6 (orzero carbon) rating by 2016. The currentGovernment has confirmed a commitment tozero carbon homes by 2016. However thedefinition of zero carbon is being amended toremove the requirement for Level 6 of theSustainable Homes Code and replace it withamendments to Part L of the BuildingRegulations, coupled with off-site ‘allowablesolutions’, for example contributions to carbonreduction projects in the community. Details ofthe scheme are not yet finalised.


4.20 The Building Research Establishment operates asimilar system for non-residential developmentcalled the BREEAM standard. This ratesbuildings as either pass, good, very good,excellent or outstanding. The Government hasset a timescale for non-domestic buildings to becarbon zero by 2019, with the exception ofschools and public sector buildings where thetimescale is 2018. No intermediate targetshave been set for non-domestic buildings.

4.21 It is widely recognised that some climatechange is now unavoidable, with a resultingneed to start adapting now to the predictedimpacts that are likely in the future. For theSouth East of England predicted impactsinclude sea level rise, increased flooding,impacts on water supply, agriculture andbiodiversity. One result of increaseddevelopment and levels of greenhouse gasemissions is what is termed the Urban HeatIsland Effect (UHIE). This is the differencebetween rural and urban temperatures, whichhas been shown to be up to 7°C. Thishappens where increased levels of solarabsorption and radiation occur and transport,heating and cooling systems as well as industryall add to city heat. In heatwave conditionsthis can have serious health implications,particularly for the elderly and the infirm. Ithas been recognised that there are a numberof actions that can help mitigate the impact ofUHIEs. These include the use of ‘green’ roofs,urban tree planting, shading through design,passive heating and ventilation systems andpreserving urban open spaces and gardens.

4.22 Water supply in Medway is largely dependenton ground water abstraction from local sourcesor imported water from the Medway WaterResource Zone, which extends into mid Kent.There are no large reservoirs or anyabstraction from the river within the Medwayadministrative area. The demand for water isrising from both existing and new developmentand with increasingly erratic rainfall patternsthere is widespread concern over the stabilityand sustainability of future supplies.

4.23 In simple terms Medway is one of the driestparts of the most water ‘stressed’ region in thecountry. Some of Medway’s highest valueecological areas are along marshland andshorelines and reduced water supply also hasimplications for the functioning of these areas.

4.24 The Southern Water Final Water ResourcesManagement Plan for 2010 to 2035, proposesa number of measures to ensure an adequatewater supply to the area. These includeuniversal metering to manage demand,improvement schemes for groundwater sources,optimisation of inter-zonal transfers, renewal ofinter-company bulk water transfer schemes,licence variations, leakage reductions,wastewater recycling and raising Bewl Water.The Council supports all of these measures,although many of the required improvementswill occur outside the administrative area.

4.25 The Water Framework Directive applies to alltypes of groundwater, including rivers, lakes,estuaries, wetlands, ground and coastalwaters. The Directive aims to push theproportion of water bodies in good ecologicalstatus (GES) from 26% in 2011 to 32% by2015 and then to get as many as possible ofthe UK’s water bodies to this status by 2027.The Council will support these objectives byensuring the timely delivery and capacity ofinfrastructure to serve new development andthe proper integration of Sustainable UrbanDrainage systems and/or water neutraldevelopments.

33


Policy CS3: Mitigation and Adaptation toClimate Change

All development will be expected to take full accountof its potential impact in terms of climate change anddemonstrate that appropriate mitigation andadaptation strategies have been put in place to limitthese impacts.

All residential development will be required tocontribute to the progression to sustainable and zerocarbon homes by 2016 through meeting thefollowing requirements:

• Code Level 4 until the end of 2013

• Code Level 5 between 2014 and 2016

• From the beginning of 2016 Code Level 5plus any additional requirements needed tomeet the Government’s definition of ZeroCarbon (potentially Part L of the Buildingregulations) plus ‘allowable solutions’.

In addition all residential developments shouldachieve water efficiency of no more than 80 litresper person per day.

Commercial buildings over 1,000 sq m will berequired to meet the BREEAM “very good” standarduntil 2016 and thereafter BREEAM ‘excellent’,progressing to the Government’s definition of ZeroCarbon by 2019.

Developments will also need to demonstrate that thefollowing measures have been adopted, whereappropriate:

• Limiting the embodied energy of materialsused in construction

• Maximising thermal efficiency and limitingthe need for mechanical heating and coolingsystems

• Countering urban heat island effects,including through the provision ofgreenspaces and roofs, planting andintelligent design

• The application of National SustainableUrban Drainage Systems Standards

The Council will support the proposals in the FinalWater Resources Management Plan, 2010-2035 orother measures that have been agreed to improve theefficiency of water use and maintain supplies at the

level required to meet local needs. It will alsosupport the objectives of the Water FrameworkDirective for water bodies to reach a GoodEcological Status by 2027.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

4.26 Medway has a strategic role in supplyingpower and heat to the region and the countryas a whole (e.g. around 15% of the nation’selectricity) but this is currently almost whollyfrom conventional sources. In order to assessMedway’s potential in terms of renewableenergy the Renewable Energy Capacity Study2010 was commissioned3.

4.27 This shows that there is potential for theMedway area to generate around 641MW ofpower or heat equivalent using renewablesources. It indicates that this could be providedthrough a number of technologies, coveringwind (both small and large scale), biomass,solar and district heating. The largestproportion could come from wind developmentsof varying scales but this would involve the useof locations across the middle of the HooPeninsula, which are sensitive bothenvironmentally and visually. Othertechnologies, especially photovoltaics or solarthermal could be spread across a number ofconcentrated areas through the main centres.

4.28 A number of the available technologies onlytend to become viable on larger scaledevelopments. Combined heat and powersystems usually need a demand at a communityscale to be cost effective. Others such asground source heat pumps are oftenconstrained due to the land surface that is usually demanded to accommodate them, although this has lessened with vertical systemsbeing introduced as alternatives.

4.29 To consider the impact on scheme viability ofapplying higher sustainable code levels andthe impacts of including renewabletechnologies, the study specifically considersthe strategic sites of Rochester Riverside,Chatham Centre and Waterfront and LodgeHill. It discusses potential mixes oftechnologies that could be used over the plan

34


period, on the basis that these schemes will allcome through during and after the nationaltimetable for zero carbon homes.

4.30 If the Government grants permission for theproposed new coal power station atKingsnorth, it is expected to include CarbonCapture and Storage. In addition the Councilhas recommended that, if approved, acondition be applied requiring pipes to be laidto the edge of the site, which could beconnected for waste heat to be used as part ofa district heating system. This could potentiallybe of a significant scale due to the volume ofwaste heat available.

4.31 The greatest constraints to a speedydevelopment of a district heating system wouldbe the commitment of the utility companies andcurrent legislation and processes, which arenot geared towards large scale district heatingschemes. However the study suggests that thisis a key element that should be furtherinvestigated.

4.32 Due to the large size of the existing housingstock and the nature of commercial andindustrial activity across the area, simplycontrolling new development will not, in itself,be enough to result in a significant reduction inCO2 emissions. As a large proportion of thebuilding stock is older and of variable quality,there are issues in terms of bringing it up tonew thermal standards. Retrofitting will beneither cheap nor easy in many cases and avery high proportion is privately owned,making it difficult to implement area wideimprovement programmes.

4.33 The ability to implement significantimprovements will be heavily influenced by thenational picture and the application ofconsistent standards. Nevertheless the Councilwill continue to actively seek out opportunitiesand apply standards that have net benefits butdo not endanger the regeneration programme.

4.34 It will also positively respond to anyopportunities to work with Government toprove the potential for large-scale districtheating, including as a national demonstrationproject area.

4.35 Renewable energy provision is a welcome andnecessary part of the programme to increasethe sustainability of the UK economy andhousing market. However the maximumbenefits to sustainability come from reducingthe demand for energy in the first place, beforeconsidering how the remaining requirementsare generated and distributed. The energyhierarchy gives the following order of priority:

• Energy conservation through design• Energy efficiency through building fabric• Efficient supply of energy• Renewable and low carbon energy

generation

35

3http://medway.gov.uk/pdf/renewable_energy_capacity_study_may_2010.pdf


Policy CS4: Energy Efficiency andRenewable Energy

All new development will be expected to maximiseenergy efficiency savings through passive design andbuilding fabric improvements. Developments of 10dwellings or more, or over 1,000 sq m of non-residential floorspace should also meet 20% of theresidual on-site energy requirements fromdecentralised, renewable energy sources. Directionfor which technologies would be most appropriateshould be taken from the Medway Renewable EnergyCapacity Study, although emerging and innovativetechnologies will also be supported. If it isdemonstrated that this target cannot be meteconomically through on-site measures, equivalentCO2 savings will be sought through compensatoryoff-site measures including renewable energyschemes and retrofit schemes for existing buildings inthe local area.

Should it prove feasible to do so, the Council willpromote large-scale district heating schemes that usewaste heat from conventional power generation.Subject to there being no significant adverse effectsin terms of the natural environment and residentialamenity, the Council will support and promote theinstallation of all forms of renewable energy systemsincluding small scale generation.

Development and Flood Risk

4.36 As sea levels rise and extreme weather eventsbecome more common it is vital that alldevelopments are appropriately designed towithstand these factors and sufficient space ismade for floodwater. Where development isunavoidable next to rivers and the coast, as isthe case in much of urban Medway, a range ofsustainable flood risk management measuresshould be incorporated. Depending on thelocation these could include a mixture of formalflood defences, land raising, flood resilienceand flood resistance measures. Outside themain urban area the location and style ofcoastal defences will need to take account of‘coastal squeeze’ so that internationallyimportant habitats are not eroded or lostaltogether.

4.37 Managing our undeveloped areas appropriatelyis also essential by maintaining watercoursesand flood storage areas and providing sufficientspace and protection for flora and fauna toadapt and migrate in the face of risingtemperatures.

4.38 The Environment Agency produces flood maps,which identify three zones of risk: zone 1, lowprobability, zone 2, medium probability andzone 3, high probability. These are shown inFigure 4.1. Medway is located at theconfluence of the Thames and Medwayestuaries and large tracts of marshland to thenorth of the urban area are at high risk offlooding (Zone 3). These include the low lyingland to the north, east and west of Cliffe andmost of the land to the east of Allhallows andStoke. Most of the industrial land at the Isle ofGrain and Kingsnorth also lie within flood zone3 but will need to be actively defended due tothe nationally important infrastructure there.

4.39 On the south side of the Medway, most of St.Mary’s Island, Chatham Dock and theGillingham waterfront and the lower lying partsof the historic dockyard are in Zone 3. Thefloodplain continues, to include the Star Hill toSun Pier area and Rochester riverside. The lattercontains a smaller area of low to medium risk(Zone 2). On the north bank, most of theMedway City Estate falls within Zone 3 withsmall areas in Zone 2. A similar pattern occursin Strood town centre. The Hogmarsh valleyalso lies within Zone 3. However as currentlydefined these flood zones do not take accountof existing defence structures, for example as atRochester Riverside, which now has full floodprotection.

4.40 To the south of the urban area, the largest areawithin Zone 3 is on the east bank of the river, onWouldham Marshes, whilst smaller areas occuron the west bank to the north of Cuxton stationand to the north of Halling.

4.41 The Medway Estuary and Swale ShorelineManagement Plan and the Thames Estuary2100 Plan set out the constraints todevelopment that need to be accounted for interms of flooding and coastal erosion. They

36


consider the situation over the next 100 years. The policy is to ‘hold the line’ along most of thecoastline on both sides of the Medway. Thisapplies to all areas where there are eitherresidential properties, industrial orinfrastructure installations.

4.42 In addition, there are limited lengths of coastwhere a policy of ’managed realignment’ is tobe applied. In these areas local strategies willbe developed to set back the existing defencesto allow more space for flood storage andinter-tidal habitats. However these may not beimplemented for 50 years or more. Areasaffected include the edge of Allhallows, someof Allhallows Marshes and some of thenorthern area of Grain Marsh.

4.43 There are also very limited sections where it isproposed there should be ‘no activeintervention’, meaning that there will be noinvestment in coastal defences and naturalprocesses will be allowed to take over.

4.44 The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan (TE2100)outlines the recommendations for flood riskmanagement for London and the Thamesestuary through to the end of the century. Aspart of this, models have been developed thatoutline the expected impact of certain rises insea level, to ensure the resilience of the Plan toclimate change along the estuary. Therefore itputs climate change adaptation at its core. It isexpected that this will be given the sameweighting as a Shoreline Management Plan(SMP). There are two SMPs that cover thecoast around Medway. These are the MedwayEstuary and Swale SMP and the Isle of Grainto South Foreland SMP.

4.45 It has been calculated that over the nextcentury up to 1200 hectares of designatedintertidal habitat in the TE2100 plan areacould be lost through the effects of coastalsqueeze and which will have to be replaced.The three areas (out of seven in total) identifiedas potential locations for suitable replacementhabitat on the Kent side of the estuary all fallwithin the Medway area. These are CliffeMarshes, Cooling Marshes and High Halstow

Marshes but the Environment Agency has yet todetermine which areas might be selected andmay not do so until later in the century.

4.46 This is already causing considerableuncertainty and could affect a range ofcountryside access and improvement projects.Accordingly the Council has and will continueto press the Environment Agency to addressthis issue as soon as possible. It will also workpositively with the Agency to both identify andimplement appropriate solutions.

4.47 Sustainable drainage solutions for newdevelopments can cover a number of potentialdesign solutions from the positioning ofelements within a development and the choiceof materials used, through to more engineeredsolutions such as the inclusion of swales.However, due to the differing geology acrossthe area, it will not always be practicable totake such approaches. They do not solve allflooding issues but they are seen as having anumber of advantages over more establishedsolutions, particularly by reducing the potentialfor flash flooding. They can also haveadditional benefits such as the reduced needfor water treatment, as they allow a replicationof routes for water across the river basin andthe overall water system.

4.48 The Flood and Water Management Act 2010creates SUDs (sustainable urban drainagesystems) approval bodies, which will be unitaryand county authorities. SUDs approval bodieswill be required to approve SUDs in line withnew national standards, which are currentlybeing drawn up. Where SUDs drainagesystems drain more than one property, theSUDs approval body will be required to adoptand maintain them.

4.49 A number of the key regeneration sites arelocated on the riverside and a strategicapproach to their defence is appropriate.Accordingly the Council commissioned a study of the existing defences and the potentialworks and strategies that should be applied toensure flood risk is managed sustainably4.This will ensure that all flood defences along

37


the waterfront meet a universal standard. It isaccepted that, although a large part of theurban waterfront is located within the floodplain, it needs to be defended due to the longestablished development form and the value ofthe commercial assets that would otherwise beat risk. Beyond the current urban boundarieshowever it is important to avoid inappropriatedevelopment that would increase flood risk andreduce the capacity to store water.

4.50 This approach will allow optimum solutions tobe identified that balance the protection of siteswith management of the natural environment.

Policy CS5: Development and Flood Risk

Proposals for development within flood zones 2 and3 and on sites of over 1 hectare in zone 1 must beaccompanied by a flood risk assessment. Permissionwill not be granted unless, following a flood riskassessment, it can be demonstrated that:

• It would not be at an unacceptable risk offlooding itself; and

• The development would not result in anyincreased risk of flooding elsewhere.

Exceptionally, sites within the Medway urban area,which contribute to the regeneration of the area,need to be redeveloped. In such cases and where thetests above cannot be met, development will only bepermitted if:

• The development is designed to becompatible with potential flood conditions,and

• There are no alternative sites in a lower floodrisk zone; and

• The development would make a significantcontribution to the overall sustainabledevelopment objectives of the LDF, such thatthe wider sustainability benefits of thedevelopment outweigh the flood risk; and

• It can be demonstrated to the satisfaction ofthe Council and the Environment Agency thatany residual flood risks are adequatelymitigated to avoid an increased risk offlooding either on the site or elsewhere; and

• It is only for uses that are not defined ashighly vulnerable by PPS25.

Development that would harm the effectiveness ofexisting flood defences or prejudice theirmaintenance or management will not be permitted.

Proposals in areas at risk from flooding mustdemonstrate that account has been taken of theresilience of buildings, infrastructure and otherimportant local features.

Options to manage flood risk identified in the HighLevel Appraisal of the Potential Solutions to ManageFlood Risk in the Urban Medway5 should beincorporated where possible.

All developments, which have the potential to affectthe ability of land to absorb rainwater, will berequired to incorporate and obtain approval forsustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in linewith national standards, prior to construction.

All development within flood zones 2 and 3 willrequire surface water run-off to be controlled as nearto its source as possible.

Development will not be permitted which encroachesonto the natural floodplain beyond the current urbanboundaries or which harms the stability or continuityof flood defences. Opportunities will be taken, inconsultation with partner agencies such as NaturalEngland and the Environment Agency, to createreplacement intertidal habitat and reduce flood risk.

38

4http://medway.gov.uk/PDF/Medway%20Flood%20Defence%20Strategy%20High%20Level%20Appraisal%20-%20FINAL%20-3%20Feb%202011.pdf5http://www.medway.gov.uk/PDF/Medway%20Flood%20Defence%20Strategy%20High%20Level%20Appraisal%20-%20FINAL%20-3%20Feb%202011.pdf


Figure 4 1 Flood Zones in Medway

39

Natural Environment and Biodiversity

Preservation and Enhancement ofNatural Assets

4.51 Medway is fortunate in having anextraordinarily high proportion ofinternationally and nationally significantlandscapes, including the Thames estuary andRiver Medway estuary marshes, the chalkgrasslands of the Kent Downs and also itsancient woodlands. Highly valued local areasof nature conservation value, many of whichare designated nature reserves, complementthese. Medway has a relatively large numberof parks within the densely built up areas, aswell as a series of rural valleys, includingCapstone Valley, Horsted Valley and DarlandBanks. These extend far into the urban areaand as well as providing physical links to thecountryside beyond, act as wildlife corridorsand informal recreational areas for adjoining

neighbourhoods. It follows that Medway’sopen spaces and countryside have a criticalrole to play in helping to deliver sustainabledevelopment.

4.52 The proximity of these valuable sites to theurban area and their visitor potential posesparticular challenges. Built development canlead to the fragmentation of habitats and highvisitor numbers can damage the quality ofdesignated areas. There is a specific concernthat access to the most sensitive sites, includingSpecial Protection Areas and Sites of SpecialScientific Interest needs to be actively managedto avoid disturbance to wildlife from visitornumbers. To address this problem the Councilis contributing to ongoing research into theeffects of disturbance on bird populationsbeing led by the North Kent EnvironmentalPlanning Group. This will inform measures tomanage access and the development of


mitigation strategies that could include theprovision of Strategic Alternative Green Spacesand site level visitor management.

4.53 Planning Policy Statement PPS9 ‘Biodiversityand Geological Conservation’, recognises thatsites of international importance for natureconservation are separately protected byEuropean Habitat Regulations and therefore donot require specific policies in localdevelopment frameworks. However, a highdegree of protection should be given to Sites ofSpecial Scientific Interest (SSSIs) whilstregionally important geological sites, localnature reserves, local sites, ancient woodlandsand single “veteran” trees should besafeguarded from development.

4.54 In addition to individual sites, the importanceof networks of natural habitats is recognised asthey can provide routes or stepping stones forthe migration, dispersal and genetic exchangeof species. Local authorities are required toprotect, strengthen and extend them. This isparticularly important as climate change putspressure on established habitat areas. Many ofMedway’s habitats also form part of a widerecological network across North Kent and thegreater Thames estuary. Given this there isadded value in working at a landscape scalewith partners in adjoining areas to managehabitats strategically. The BiodiversityOpportunity Areas developed by the Kent BAPPartnership identify sites for habitat creationschemes based on their potential to extend andconnect key landscapes, such as chalkgrassland and salt marshes.

4.55 A consultation paper on Planning for a Naturaland Healthy Environment, published in March,2010, requires local development frameworksto set out policies for the conservation,restoration, enhancement and enjoyment of thenatural environment and include criteria-basedpolicies against which to judge proposals fordevelopment on or affecting natureconservation sites. The policies below aim tomeet those requirements.

4.56 The Medway Estuary and Marshes and theThames Estuary and Marshes are both SpecialProtection Areas and Ramsar sites. Both areasform part of the Greater Thames EstuaryNatural Area defined by Natural England.They are wetlands of international importancecomprising intertidal habitats, saltmarsh,coastal grazing marshes, and saline lagoonsand lagoon type habitats.

4.57 Special Protection Areas and Special Areas forConservation (SACs) provide increasedprotection to a variety of wild animals, plantsand habitats and all such sites are also SSSIs.There is only one SAC in Medway in theMedway Valley near Upper Halling. This formsa small part of the North Downs WoodlandsSAC, the majority of which lies withinGravesham.

4.58 There are eight Sites of Special ScientificInterest (SSSIs) in Medway. These are:

• South Thames Estuary and Marshes; • Medway Estuary and Marshes;• Cobham Woods;• Northward Hill;• Dalham Farm;• Chattenden Woods;• Tower Hill to Cockham Wood;• Halling to Trottiscliffe Escarpment.

4.59 Regionally Important Geological andGeomorphological Sites (RIGS) wereestablished in 1990 by the NatureConservancy Council and are selected bylocal, voluntary RIGS groups.

4.60 RIGS do not have the formal, statutory,protection afforded to SSSIs but theirimportance is recognised in national planningpolicy PPS9 and criteria based policies arerequired to be included in local developmentdocuments to enable the impact ofdevelopment upon them to be judged.

4.61 The Kent RIGS Group notified Medway Councilof four sites in its area at Halling, Cliffe andFort Amherst in 2006.

40


4.62 Local Authorities designate Local NatureReserves. They must be in the ownership orotherwise under the control of local authorities.They should be of high natural interest in thelocal context (SSSI or near equivalent) or ofsome reasonable natural interest and be ofhigh value for environmental education orresearch or for the informal enjoyment ofnature by the public and capable of beingmanaged with the conservation of natureand/or the maintenance of specialopportunities for study or research as a priority.

4.63 There are currently eight Local Nature Reservesin Medway at Baty’s Marsh, South Wood,Berengrave Chalk Pit, Rainham Dock (east),Darland/Ambley Wood, Darland Banks,Foxburrow Wood and Levan Strice. MedwayCouncil has identified a further 15 sites whichit intends to designate as Local NatureReserves.

• Chestnut Woods• Coney and Daisy Banks• Dargets Woods• Darland Banks• East Hoath Wood• Hook Wood• Horsted Farm/Ridgeway• Mill Hill Wood• Rede Common• Sindal Shaw• Watts Meadow• Princes Park• Riverside Country Park• Capstone Country Park• Ranscombe Farm Reserve

4.64 In addition to National and Local NatureReserves, other nature reserves may also beestablished independently from NaturalEngland and the local authorities. In Medway,the Royal Society for the Protection of Birdspurchased Cliffe Pools on the Hoo Peninsula in2001 and is developing visitor and educationfacilities. This is a winter roosting site forthousands of birds. The RSPB also manages the

national nature reserve at Northward Hill andits management is linked to that for CliffePools.

4.65 It is recognised that the protection andconservation of sites of significant natureconservation interest outside the network ofstatutorily protected sites is essential to themaintenance of the UK’s natural heritage. Suchsites are identified as local wildlife sites and inKent they have been known as Sites of NatureConservation Interest (SNCI).

4.66 The Kent Biodiversity Partnership designateslocal wildlife sites and although the sites arenot statutorily protected, they are generallyrecognised by local authorities, included indevelopment plans and offered protectionthrough policies in those plans.

4.67 In Medway there are seventeen local wildlifesites, which are identified as SNCIs in theMedway Local Plan, 2003. These are:

• Ambley and East Hoath Woods• Berengrave Pit• Bridge Woods, Burham• Cuxton Pit• Cuxton Wood (Mill Wood)• Darland Banks• Grain Pit• Great Lines• Grove Wood• Hook Wood, Walderslade• Luton Banks• Princes Avenue• River Medway and Marshes, Wouldham• River Medway between Cuxton and Temple • Marsh• South Hill and Houlder Quarry• South Wood• Yaugher Woods

4.68 Ancient woodlands are those where there isbelieved to have been continuous woodlandcover since at least 1600 AD. Ancient semi-natural woodland is composed of native treesthat have not obviously been planted, although

41


it may have been managed by coppicing orfelling and allowed to regenerate naturally.Planted ancient woodland sites are ancientwoods in which the former tree cover has beenreplaced, often with non-native trees. Importantfeatures of ancient woodland often survive inmany of these woods, including characteristicflora and fauna, and archaeology.

4.69 PPS9 requires local planning authorities toidentify any areas of ancient woodland that donot have statutory protection and they shouldnot grant planning permission for developmentwhich would result in its loss or deteriorationunless the need for and benefits of thedevelopment outweigh the loss of woodlandhabitat.

4.70 All these areas of nature conservationimportance are described in more detail in theNatural Assets and Open Space State ofMedway Report and in the Medway LandscapeCharacter Assessment. Wildlife is not restrictedto designated and protected sites but it occursthroughout the countryside, coast and built-upareas of England. No parts of the country arewithout some wildlife interest. Consequently thefollowing policies apply to the whole of theMedway area.

Policy CS6: Preservation and Enhancementof Natural Assets

Wildlife habitats and sites, populations of wild speciesand other biodiversity features will be protected,maintained and enhanced, especially through longterm management and habitat creation schemes thatincrease connectivity and strengthen ecologicalresilience. This will be particularly the case where theyhave been identified as being of international,national and local importance and as priorities in theUK and Kent Biodiversity Action Plans, or where theyare protected or designated under relevant legislation.

The Council will implement the findings of the birdpopulation and visitor studies commissioned by theNorth Kent Environmental Planning Group and willensure that any proposed strategic avoidance and/ormitigation measures are considered in all planningdocuments and in the assessment of planningapplications.

Development that causes unacceptable harm toimportant habitats and species through increasedatmospheric, noise or light pollution will not bepermitted unless it can be demonstrated thatmeasures can be taken to overcome any significantrisk.

The management of farming, agricultural land,forestry and woodland so as to conserve andenhance biodiversity will be encouraged.

When development is permitted, opportunities will bepursued and secured for the incorporation,enhancement, re-creation or restoration of wildlifehabitat, either on-site, off-site or through contributionsto the strategic provision of natural open space. Suchstrategies should be in place and functioning prior tocommencement of the development.

Any negative impact on recognised wildlife habitatsor other biodiversity features should be avoided orminimised through the appropriate siting and/ordesign of development. Where the negative impactcannot be avoided, but the importance of thedevelopment is considered to outweigh the impact,then environmental compensation will be provided bythe creation by the developer of new habitats orfeatures on other suitable sites and their long termmanagement will need to be secured. Compensationwill normally be provided on more than a like-for-likebasis, in order to secure both the maintenance andenhancement of biodiversity.

Countryside and Landscape

4.71 Medway’s distinctive sense of place is closelylinked to its landscape setting. Its chalk hillsand valleys, the Hoo Peninsula with its woodedspine and extensive marshes and the river andits estuary all play their part. SpecialLandscape Areas and Areas of LocalLandscape Importance were designated in theMedway Local Plan, 2003. These reflectedcountywide and locally recognised areas ofimportance. PPS7 does not support localdesignations that may unduly restrictdevelopment and economic activity. Whendrawn up it considered that these designationsshould be replaced by criteria based policies.However the Coalition Government has indicated that it will reintroduce a form of local

42


designation. The Core Strategy consequentlyincludes a policy that could replace thedesignations and applies it to the whole of therural area rather than specific parts. Howeverthis approach may be adapted in light of theGovernment’s proposals when details areavailable.

4.72 Medway adopted a Landscape CharacterAssessment in March 20116, which is aspatially mapped strategy that supports thisapproach and provides an evidence base toinform decisions on planning applications inthe countryside and urban fringe. It sets out aframework for protecting and enhancing thecharacter and function of the area’s distinctlandscapes. It recognises that the landscapehas been degraded in some places and setsout recommendations to restore and strengthensites.

4.73 There were two special landscape areas. Thesewere first designated in the Kent Structure Planin the 1990’s and incorporated into theMedway Local Plan 2003. The North Downsarea coincided with the Kent Downs Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty, which continuesin force and provides a high degree ofprotection. Parts of the North Kent Marshesspecial landscape area coincided withdesignated Ramsar sites and special protectionareas, which are afforded internationalprotection for their biodiversity.

4.74 There were 16 areas of local landscapeimportance which were not only designated fortheir landscape interest but also for thefollowing reasons:

• As green lungs and buffers, helping tomaintain the individual identity of urbanneighbourhoods and rural communities

• As green corridors (or links) for thecommunity to reach the wider countryside

• As edge or “fringe” land, needing protectionfrom the pressures of urban sprawl: and

As habitats for wildlife and corridors, alongwhich wildlife from the wider countryside canreach the urban environment.

4.75 All these functions are recognised in Medway’sLandscape Character Assessment document,which in turn is the subject of the countrysideand landscape policy. The Council’s plans forstrengthening green infrastructure networks andspecifically the green grid corridors will alsocontribute to the realisation of the policy.

4.76 It is important that the distinctive character ofthe countryside is retained and enhancedwhile, at the same time, recognising that it is aliving, working rural area. Both PPS4 and PPS7allow for development in the countryside. PPS4seeks to raise the quality of life and theenvironment in rural areas by promotingthriving, inclusive and locally distinctive ruralcommunities, whilst continuing to protect theopen countryside.

4.77 PPS7 recognises the role of planning insupporting and facilitating development andland uses which enable those who earn aliving from the countryside to continue to doso, whilst continuing to ensure that the qualityand character of the wider countryside isprotected and, where possible, enhanced. Thefocus for housing development is at existingsettlements and housebuilding in the opencountryside should be strictly controlled. Thelocal exception to this is Lodge Hill for thereasons explained in Chapter 10.

4.78 PPG 2:’Green Belts’, states that the generalpolicies controlling development in thecountryside apply with equal force in GreenBelts, but there is, in addition, a generalpresumption against inappropriatedevelopment within them. The guidance thengoes on to define inappropriate development.Consequently, the Council will rely upon PolicyCS7 and PPG2 to manage development in theGreen Belt.

43

6http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/Medway%20LCA%20Mar11_Main%20report.pdf ;http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/Medway%20LCA%20Mar11_Appendices.pdf ;http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/Medway%20LCA%20Mar11_Map.pdf


4.79 Paragraph 29 of PPS7, SustainableDevelopment in Rural Areas, allows localplanning authorities to include policies in theirlocal development documents to protectspecific areas of best and most versatileagricultural land from speculative development.Medway has substantial tracts of thisincreasingly important resource on the HooPeninsula and to the north and east of Rainhamin particular. Food security is a growing globalissue and these areas are of particularimportance for food production. Given thatsufficient sites have been identified in Medwayto meet development requirements without theneed to use the best and most versatileagricultural land, the Council will seek toprotect the main tracts from development andfragmentation.

4.80 The AONB Management Plan 2009-2014,prepared under the Countryside and Rights ofWay Act 2000, contains policies adopted byall the local authorities in the Kent Downs,including Medway. The Council will take theseinto account when implementing Policy CS7.

Policy CS7: Countryside and Landscape

Sustainable development in the countryside will bepermitted in accordance with the objectives andprinciples of PPG2, PPS4 and PPS7 provided that:

• The openness and intrinsic character of thecountryside is retained

• There is no significant erosion of theseparation of individual settlements

• Urban sprawl is contained

• The highest degree of protection is given tothe nationally designated Kent Downs Areaof Outstanding Natural Beauty and its setting

• The individual landscape characteristicsidentified in Medway’s Landscape CharacterAssessment are protected and, whereappropriate, repaired, enhanced, extendedand connected in accordance with therecommendations of those assessments

• Access to the countryside and coast ismaintained and enhanced and managedappropriately

• Important habitats are protected and thehighest degree of protection is afforded tosites of national and international importance

• The objectives and proposals of the greengrid strategy, including the maintenance of anetwork of habitats is not compromised and,where appropriate, enhanced

• The best and most versatile agricultural land,grades 1, 2 and 3a on the Agricultural LandClassification Map, on the Hoo Peninsulaoutside of the Lodge Hill strategic allocation,in the Capstone and Medway Valleys and tothe North and East of Rainham, will beprotected.

Planning permission will be granted for developmentprovided that its design is appropriate to thecharacter of the landscape. Appropriate designs ofdevelopment shall accord with the characteristics ofthe type of landscape within which it is located,including having regard to and conserving:

• The landform and natural patterns ofdrainage

• The pattern and composition of trees andwoodland

• The type and distribution of wildlife habitats

• The pattern and composition of fieldboundaries

• The pattern and distribution of settlementsand roads

• The presence and pattern of historiclandscape features

• The scale, layout, design and detailing ofvernacular buildings and other traditionalman-made features.

Existing features, which are important to the locallandscape character, shall be retained, incorporatedinto the development and protected duringconstruction work.

The Council will take forward the proposals in theMedway Landscape Character Assessment and theGreen Cluster Studies when working with partnersand developers to identify and implement landscapeand habitat enhancement schemes.

44


Figure 4 2 Agricultural Land Classification

45

Green Infrastructure

4.81 The Government recognises the importance ofgreenspace to the quality of the environment,the conservation of biodiversity, the image ofthe Thames Gateway and to quality of life,including opportunities for healthy exercise,sport and recreation. It encourages a holisticapproach to the greenspace network in orderto provide a cohesive, multi-functional greeninfrastructure, which will enhance new builtdevelopment and provide migration routes forwildlife, enabling greater resilience inadapting to climate change.

4.82 The term Green infrastructure is used to refer tothe totality of urban and rural open space. Itrecognises the value that individual sites offerto wildlife and people, together with theopportunity for greater gains that derive fromcoherent, integrated networks of green spaces.

Biodiversity and landscape are key features ofgreen infrastructure. This section focuses on thestrategic planning and delivery of openspaces. The public realm, such as civic squaresand cycle routes in urban areas is a key part ofthe network in Medway. Green infrastructureplanning promotes multi-functional openspaces, but it also recognises areas wherethere is a need to carefully manage access toavoid damage to the most sensitiveenvironments.

4.83 There is a strong basis to the planning anddelivery of green infrastructure in Medway. Thearea has played a major role in progressingkey sites, such as the Great Lines Heritage Parkand contributing to plans for ‘Greening theGateway’ in north Kent. A number of projectshave developed guidance and funded schemesto deliver specific elements of green infrastructure. These include the Cluster Study


plans carried out by Greening the GatewayKent and Medway, the Valley of VisionsLandscape Partnership, and Kent WildlifeTrust’s green infrastructure plans for the HooPeninsula and chalk grassland to the south ofMedway.

4.84 The policy context for green infrastructureencompasses national planning guidance,promotion of best practice through statutoryagencies, such as Natural England, and plansfor the Thames Gateway that give theenvironment a prominent role in achievingsuccessful regeneration.

4.85 Creating Sustainable Communities; Greeningthe Gateway, 2004 sets out a vision for thelandscape of the Thames Gateway. It is astatement of intent within which more detailedstrategies and action plans will fit. It is not aspatial strategy or a prescription for land usedevelopment on specific sites but it presents anexciting vision for the future.

4.86 The strategy aims to provide a framework forintegrating the whole range of urban and ruralopen spaces into the regeneration process. Itapplies to formal parks, the grounds of schoolsand hospitals, the landscape around housing,canal and rail corridors, woodlands, wetlands,inter-tidal areas, wilder landscapes and thewider countryside. Farmland, business parks,development sites and domestic gardens alsomake a vital contribution to the greenspacenetwork.

4.87 In Medway the Wildlife, Countryside andOpen Spaces Strategy 2007 sets theframework for green infrastructure planningand promotes the Medway Green Grid. TheGreen Grid focuses on connectivity on strategicroutes aiming to improve links between people,wildlife and green spaces, countryside andtowns.

4.88 Medway’s Green Grid seeks to developstrategic connections linking the key assets of itsnatural and historic environment with localcommunities, to promote a distinctive sense ofplace and underpin healthy, sustainable andvibrant living. Green Grid planning in Medwayfits within wider strategic green infrastructure

work across north Kent, coordinated throughGreening the Gateway Kent & Medway.Strategic routes and projects flow across localauthority boundaries into Swale, Graveshamand Tonbridge and Malling, to deliver effectiveand multi-functional use of natural resources.

4.89 Medway’s Green Grid is defined under fivebroad geographical areas that reflect thedistinctive characteristics of Medway:

• Medway Waterfront – there is a strong focuson public realm in the centre of Medway,intrinsic to regeneration ambitions for thearea, realising the connections to a riversidecity with an enhanced environment andaccessibility for pedestrians.

• Hoo Peninsula – the key aim is to open upaccess to the high quality environment,characterised by the marshes bordering theThames and Medway and the wooded ridgeand open farmland across the widerpeninsula. Green infrastructure planning islinked to plans for developments, such asLodge Hill, RSPB’s reserves at Cliffe Poolsand Northward Hill and work emergingfrom the Four Parishes Plan on the easternside of the peninsula. The strategy seeks toprotect the important natural environment,whilst enhancing sensitive access to thearea, linking local villages and nearbytowns with the peninsula, raising recognitionof its value.

• Medway Valley – this area focuses on thearea to the south of the M2 and follows theriver and the landscape of the Kent Downs.Work here reflects the need to manage theprotected landscape of the Downs and toimprove opportunities for access,particularly along the banks of the river,linking Medway with Maidstone. The Valleyof Visions Landscape Partnership is leadingin delivering this work.

• Estuary and Orchards – this area in northGillingham and Rainham reflects thelandscape dominated by the estuarinelocation and traditional fruit growing areas. The strategy here is to restore and promotethe landscape character and improve access

46


for neighbouring communities to the natural environment.

• Great Lines to the Downs – this routeconnects Medway’s landmark heritage parkbased around the Great Lines to the towns’backdrop of the Kent Downs. The aim is todevelop and enhance the connectionsbetween local communities and thesurrounding countryside, valleys and parks.

4.90 Green Grid is supported by a broad basedpartnership of statutory, voluntary andcommunity organisations and has corporateinvolvement across the Council to coordinateplanning work, funding and the delivery ofprojects. Delivery is also informed by andprogressed through a number of otherinitiatives such as the Green Cluster studiesand the Valley of Visions programme.

4.91 Greening the Gateway Kent and Medwayproduced a number of ‘Green Cluster’ studiesto promote an ambitious vision for landscapeenhancement across north Kent. Those inMedway cover:

• The Hoo Peninsula7

• Capstone to Bredhurst8

4.92 Two other Cluster studies are concentrated inadjoining authorities but by crossing intoMedway, demonstrate the wider connectivity ofthe schemes. These are the Shorne to ShoreStudy and the Thames and Medway CanalStudy. Both promote improvements to accessfrom Medway to adjoining areas as part of awider vision for enhanced opportunities to getinto the countryside.

4.93 The Valley of Visions project is based in theMedway Valley south of the urban area in theMedway Gap between Medway andMaidstone. It is a partnership schemesupported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Its focus is on enhancing landscape andhabitats, improving public access, promoting

the area’s historic heritage, and establishingstrong links with local communities.

4.94 Kent Wildlife Trust is managing the MedwaySmile Living Landscape Scheme to the south ofMedway, together with local landowners andthe local community, this aims to extend areasfor nature and create a network of goodwildlife habitats. The Four Parishes Plan on theeastern side of the Hoo Peninsula alsopromotes the Living Landscape initiative.

4.95 Parks and other open spaces are also a vitalelement of the green infrastructure resource.The open space network in Medway has beenassessed in line with PPG17 guidance for itsability to meet the needs of local communities.The Council has used the findings of this workto develop standards for the provision andquality of a range of green spaces. These willbe applied in the planning of newdevelopments, and in progressing greeninfrastructure ambitions.

4.96 A high quality of public realm is essential inreinforcing Medway’s assets such as the riverand in making it an attractive, liveable andinclusive place. Redevelopment of Medway’slarge riverside and other brownfield sites offersopportunities to open up hitherto inaccessibleareas, create new and attractive destinationsfor visitors and citizens and to extend access tothe rural riverside by foot and cycle routes.

47

7http://www.gtgkm.org.uk/documents/hoo-brochure-1265037396.pdf 8http://www.gtgkm.org.uk/documents/capstone-brochure-1265039144.pdf


Policy CS8: Open Space, Green Grid andPublic Realm

The Council will seek to provide equal opportunitiesfor all people to enjoy accessible, high quality, wellmaintained and affordable open space. It will ensurethat:

• A multifunctional network of open space will,as far as possible, connect to enhancelandscapes and create a system of footpaths,cycle routes, equestrian facilities and wildlifestepping stones and corridors in a greengrid which links the urban areas with fivebroad strategic corridors at MedwayWaterfront, across the Hoo Peninsula,Medway Valley, the Estuary and Orchardsand Great Lines to the Downs. These will beinformed by the proposals in the GreenCluster Studies, Valley of Visions landscapeprogramme and Living Landscapes project

• Opportunities will be taken to provide foropen space, including habitats, either directlyor in conjunction with development thatcontributes to the formation of the Green Gridand strengthens the wider green infrastructurenetwork

• Existing open space will be preserved andpoor quality open space enhanced unless animproved provision can be made by newdevelopment to the benefit of the localpopulation

• A set of consistent open space standards willbe established which will apply to newdevelopment throughout the council area

• Where open space cannot be provided on-site, alternative equivalent provision of newopen space or the enhancement of existingopen space will be required off-site.

New or enhanced urban spaces should be providedas a part of major regeneration proposals. Theseshould:

• Ensure that all people can easily andcomfortably move through and intodevelopments

• Provide necessary recreational, amenity, and,where appropriate, civic space

• Be fully integrated with the rest of thedevelopment as part of an overall designapproach

• Safeguard and enhance access to theriverside

• Create or maintain attractive and safe streetsand public spaces.

48


Figure 4 3 Green Grid Corridors

Sustainable Communities

Health and Social Infrastructure

4.97 One element of the vision of this Core Strategyis to seek better access to communityinfrastructure, for all residents of Medway. Bycommunity infrastructure we mean facilitiessuch as affordable housing and communityfacilities, including public open space, sportand leisure facilities. The distribution of existingfacilities is shown in the Infrastructure State ofMedway Report (2009).

4.98 The Medway Sustainable CommunitiesStrategy and Medway’s Council Plan (2009 -2012) place emphasis on the need to improveaccess to housing, jobs, services, transport andfacilities for rural residents and disadvantagedgroups throughout the area, and consider theneeds of young people.

4.99 Consequently, the Core Strategy is aboutproviding equal opportunities and access togood quality community infrastructure, sportand recreational facilities, cultural facilitiesand heritage assets, regardless of geographyor personal circumstances, ensuring thatactions benefit all sections of the community.

Deprivation

4.100 The Medway area has some disadvantagedneighbourhoods where communities areexperiencing marginalisation and isolation aswell as various social, personal, financial orother barriers, preventing individuals fromaccessing training, employment or localservices. The Index of Multiple Deprivationindicates that 25 neighbourhoods inMedway count amongst the poorest 25%nationally, whilst Medway also has some ofthe wealthiest areas in the country. Pockets ofdeprivation are also present in ruralcommunities.

49


4.101 Priority therefore needs to be given to socialregeneration if all are to benefit from thescale of physical change envisaged.Accordingly the Social Regeneration Strategyaims to:

• Create a cohesive and inclusive community

• Improve access to employmentopportunities for all

• Ensure physical improvements areaccessible to all

• Strengthen access to local communityservices by the most hard to reachcommunities

• Improve access by local communities tolocal employment opportunities; and

• Undertake a renovation programme of thepoorest quality housing stock.

4.102 In taking the Strategy forward five priorityareas have been targeted forNeighbourhood Action Plans. These areasare: All Saints, Brook Lines, Strood South,Twydall and White Road Estate. The Councilproposes to add a further two areas, Lutonand Gillingham North. A range of projectsare being implemented in these areas,including: Strood Community Project, NewChalk Pit Community Park, refurbishment ofthe Beechings Way playing fields and manyothers.

Health

4.103 The Sustainable Community Strategy’s visionfor Medway is that its residents shall enjoygood health, well being and care. To enablethis to happen, the strategy seeks to improvelifestyle, reduce health inequalities, improvemental health, and promote independenceand quality of life for vulnerable and olderpeople. The NHS Medway Board’s 10 yearvision is that, through partnership andparticipation, it will:

• Work to ensure that Medway will be ahealthy, safe and exciting place with agood environment and major culturalattractions

• Support the development of Medway into acity where people want to achieve in allaspects of their life, through work, leisureand learning

• Deliver a vision of Medway based onsustainability principles with a betterquality of life for everyone now and forfuture generations. This requires theintegration of health, social, economic andenvironmental targets.

4.104 In 2007 the NHS Medway Board approveda number of principles around its propertyestate with the intention of incorporating theminto a comprehensive estate strategy. The firstis the development of community hubsproviding access to health and other servicesleading to greater integration. The second isto improve utilisation of accommodation. Thefinal one is to improve training opportunitiesto impact positively on recruitment andretention. Other NHS Medway strategieshave been instrumental in shaping thisstrategy. They include:

• A Healthier Medway (the 10 year strategyfor the PCT)

• Strategic Commissioning Plan 2008 –2013

• Primary Care Strategy 2009.

4.105 The main issues from the Estate Strategy2010 – 2020 are:

• Ensuring good coverage for access toservices by locating facilities appropriately

• A commitment to sustainable developmenti.e. maximise estate usage and occupancyand refurbishing unless a new build is themost appropriate option

• Working with local partners to embody theprinciples of “Total Place” in Medway interms of asset use

• Ensuring GP practices are fit for purpose

• Working with NHS Medway and itsdelivery partner Medway CommunityEstates to enable them to develop andadapt their business.

50


4.106 At this time, there is considerable uncertaintywith regard to developing additional healthsites given the difficulties of ensuring sufficientfunding is available. Inevitably, the disposal ofsurplus or redundant sites will be required inorder to fund these. Facilities in the followinglocations may be affected by eitherenhancement or relocation schemes over theplanning period: Canterbury Street,Gillingham, Chatham Town Centre, StBartholomew’s Hospital, Chattenden/Hoo,Hempstead, Luton, Twydall, Wainscott and theWayfield/Walderslade area. Other areas forconsideration include: Rochester Riverside,Hoo Peninsula, Darland House, Elm HouseClinic, New Road, Kings Road Clinic, Luton,Nelson Road, and Balmoral Road.

4.107 Premises are generally located appropriatelyacross Medway but there is need for somedevelopment and some rationalisation withinthem. There is some under utilisation ofbuildings. There are areas of planned housingregeneration, which are currently underprovided. Primary care services are providedfrom a range of facilities and the standard ofGP premises requires significant investment toimprove them.

4.108 Over the longer term there may be benefitsfrom relocating services away from StBartholomew’s Hospital to other local centres,but as yet there is no programme in place forthis to happen.

4.109 Medway is served by one major hospital.Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham isthe largest and busiest hospital in Kent. Somerecent developments at the hospital include:

• The start of a major building developmentprogramme, which will see some of thehospital’s old blocks replaced with new,modern facilities

• The completion of some 250 new spaces tothe car park; and

• The start of £1.5m investment in theemergency department over the next threeyears, which plans to move the emergencydepartment to a new building on the

hospital site as part of the Trust’s majorredevelopment plan.

4.110 NHS Medway is responsible for 68 GPpractices. There are 125 GPs (and 60 part-time / locum GPs) serving the nearly 280,000people in the NHS area.

4.111 There are also 10 healthy living centres andhealth centres in Medway. These are the basefor a number of integrated health services andsome community facilities. Some are also co-located with GP practices. The Medway NHSFoundation Trust provides Medway secondarycare. It employs over 3,500 staff in a widevariety of clinical and non-clinical roles.

Adult Social Care

4.112 The adult social care services in Medway arecurrently undergoing transformation andmodernisation. Adults fall into a number ofservice categories. These services are basedon an individual’s need; anything that enablesthat individual to be safe and be well. Arevised older people’s plan is being producedand has already identified programmes in anumber of key areas that will help address theneeds of Medway’s growing older population.

Places of Worship

4.113 There are places of worship for Buddhists,Christian denominations, Hindus, Jews,Muslims and Sikhs as well as some for smallerindependent faiths, but current provision is notthought to be adequate and more will berequired. Faith groups are usually self fundedbut need support to find space for theircongregations.

Voluntary Sector

4.114 Medway has in excess of 530 voluntary andcommunity organisations, some of which arefaith based. The Medway Council forVoluntary Service is an umbrella organisation,which offers a range of support services to thevoluntary and community sector. In 2006 it developed a LocalInfrastructure Development Plan for Medway’svoluntary and community sector. It identified

51


areas in which the sector needs to develop butrecognised that the sector was strong.

Custodial Services

4.115 Amongst other things Medway has two prisonslocated within the local authority boundary,which are part of the HM Prison Service and ayoung persons unit managed by ReboundYouth Justice Services. Whilst there has beensome refurbishment and minor extension tothese facilities there is no identifiedrequirement for major new developmentswithin the Medway area.

Youth Services

4.116 There are approximately 65,500 children andyoung people aged 0-19-years in Medway,and while this number is expected to reducemarginally during the life of this plan thenumber of children aged 0-4 will grow byaround 5 per cent. Medway’s population hasa greater proportion of children and youngpeople than the national and regionalaverage. Medway’s Youth Service organisesactivities and courses and providesinformation, guidance and support for 11 to25-year-olds. Helping young people to enjoylife and get ahead, the service offers access tosports, leisure and creative art activities.

4.117 Medway has a number of youth centres thatprovide a wide range of services:

• Hempstead Youth Centre;

• Lordswood Youth Centre;

• Parkwood Youth Centre, Rainham;

• Strood Youth Centre;

• Woodies Youth Centre, Rochester;

• Woodlands Youth Centre, Gillingham.

4.118 A network of Sure Start centres also providessupport and facilities to younger families.

Policy CS9: Health and Social Infrastructure

The development of sustainable places in Medwaywith healthy communities and social infrastructurewhere residents enjoy a high quality of life will beassisted by:

• Relevant organisations and communitiesbeing supported to promote, protect andimprove the health of Medway’s populationand reduce health inequalities betweendifferent population groups and areas

• Protecting and enhancing existing facilities,services and amenities that contribute to thequality of life of residents and visitors

• The reduction of air pollution and ground andwater contamination and the control of noise

• Working closely with the Medway MaritimeHospital Trust to bring about the continuedredevelopment of the hospital in WindmillRoad and to make the hospital a centre ofexcellence

• Preserving and improving access to facilitiesand services wherever possible. Support willbe given to the redevelopment andimprovement of primary care facilities throughactive participation in the Local ImprovementFinance Trust (LIFT) Co process

• Ensuring effective regeneration and the timelyprovision of additional, health and socialfacilities. The identified strategies for theprovision of relevant health and socialinfrastructure, in locations that areappropriate and accessible, will be used toensure that new development integratessatisfactorily with, and meets the needs of, allcommunities.

The Council will continue to implement itsNeighbourhood Action Plans at All Saints, BrookLines, Strood South, Twydall and White Road Estate,and develop two more at Luton and GillinghamNorth.

52


Sport and Recreation

4.119 Details of the typology, quantity and quality ofMedway’s outdoor sports facilities can befound in the Medway Wildlife Countrysideand Open Space strategy 2008-2016. This issupplemented by a ‘PPG17’ audit completedin 2011. Sport and leisure is an importantmeans of tackling local issues of poor health,community development and deprivation.

4.120 Between 2009 and 2016 the SportsDevelopment Strategy has a Vision for sportsdevelopment in Medway; which is for it to bea place:

• Where all young people get a good start insport and recreation

• Where people of all ages have highquality, enjoyable opportunities to stayinvolved in sport and recreation throughouttheir lives

• In which all sports participants haveopportunities to improve and achieve theirown personal sports goals

• Where people are encouraged to adopt ahealthy lifestyle through active living andenable the socially disadvantaged to feelsocially included

• In which the Medway Sporting Academygives every primary school child inMedway the opportunity to fulfil his or herfull sporting potential.

4.121 Medway Park is the area’s new flagship multi-sport facility and has been approved as anOlympic pre-games training camp. Thecreation of Medway’s regional centre ofsporting excellence is an £11million project,developed in partnership with the ThamesGateway, Sport England and University ofKent at Medway. If sports provision isconsidered as a pyramid, Medway Park is atthe pinnacle. Below this are what might betermed ‘district’ sport and leisure centres.Currently these comprise Strood, Lordswoodand Stirling leisure centres, supplemented bythe Splashes leisure pool. Schools, privateand voluntary clubs make up the next tier ofprovision.

4.122 Gillingham Football Club is Kent’s onlyfootball league club. It has ambitions torelocate to a new purpose built stadium.However, no site or funding has currentlybeen identified in order for this to take place.

4.123 In terms of outdoor sports pitches, SportEngland advice and National Playing FieldsAssociation standards indicate a substantialshortfall in provision. However detailedanalysis of existing supply and demandindicates that provision is broadly in balancefor cricket, rugby, bowls and hockey, with alimited problem with senior football and agreater need for junior football and tennis.The latter is being addressed by TennisTogether - the creation of a 6 court indoorpurpose built tennis centre at BeechingsCross. This difference is attributed to lowerparticipation rates in Medway than thenational average.

4.124 As part of its leisure, culture, sport andtourism strategy, the Council intends toactively realise the opportunities presented bythe award of the Olympic Games to Londonin 2012 and the easy access to Stratfordafforded by Channel Tunnel Rail LinkDomestic Services. In the period leading upto the Games themselves a range ofstrategies have been put in place to increaseparticipation rates in sport and to improvethe standard and distribution of facilities. Thisin turn should provide the basis for a longterm and positive local legacy from theGames.

53


Policy CS10: Sport and Recreation

In order to improve the quality of life of existing andfuture residents of Medway and promote healthierlifestyles the Council will:

• Safeguard existing facilities for sport andleisure and seek to extend and supplementthese with new facilities where appropriate tomeet a broad range of needs

• Continue to implement strategies to maximisethe local benefits of the London Olympics in2012. These include the development ofenhanced training facilities, increasedparticipation in sport, provision of a majorpre-Games training camp and meeting hoteland other accommodation needs for visitorsto the games. All strategies will aim to securea strong, positive and long lasting legacyfrom the Games.

Culture and Leisure

4.125 Medway has a strong cultural and heritageoffer including the state of the art sportsfacilities developed at Medway Park, apotential World Heritage site and recognitionof the local arts and music scene through theCulture and Design Awards. Potential existsto strengthen this further and increase visitornumbers as well as local engagement asrecognised in the Cultural Strategy.

4.126 The Council’s Cultural Strategy 2009-2014will help the Council to promote, encourageand provide opportunities for culture andleisure for all, quality of life and communitywellbeing, meeting the needs of youngpeople, community cohesion, contributing tothe local economy and providing a cleanand green environment. Halls, libraries andclubs fulfil a key role in meeting the needs oflocal communities.

4.127 Within Medway there is a large built andnatural heritage offer, encompassing castles,parks and open spaces, museums andarchives. These places and spaces providethe setting for a wide range of culturalactivity. It is important to care for anddevelop these assets for current and futuregenerations. Key proposals for this include:

• Developing sustainable cultural uses forEastgate House and Temple Manor

• Conservation of and improved visitorfacilities for Rochester Castle and UpnorCastle

• Improvements to Gillingham Park

• Refurbishment of play areas under thePlaybuilder Programme

• Making open spaces more welcoming,safer, cleaner and greener

• Delivering the Great Lines Heritage Park

• Supporting the bid for World Heritage SiteStatus

• Ongoing development of the Medwaymuseum offer at the Historic Dockyard andthe Guildhall and Royal EngineersMuseums.

4.128 Medway’s Economic Development Strategyemphasises the importance of cultural andcreative industries, in contributing to thegrowth of Medway’s tourism and economicprosperity. Arts and Culture are importantcontributors to Medway’s wider economicgrowth and its growth as a touristdestination. In particular, Chatham’s twotheatres, free festivals, historic buildings, theGuildhall museum, the increased visitornumbers to Chatham’s Historic Dockyard andDickens World all represent a significantcontribution to Medway’s economy.

4.129 Medway’s cultural strategy outlines a numberof further aspirations to work with partners topromote and develop the cultural offer.

54


Policy CS11: Culture and Leisure

In order to realise the significant cultural and leisurepotential of the area, to improve the quality of life ofexisting and future residents, promote healthierlifestyles and a participative and inclusive communitythe Council will support the implementation ofMedway’s Cultural Strategy which encompasses arange of cultural provision, including the developmentof new cultural venues centred on Chatham andextending along the Medway waterfront.

Heritage Assets

4.130 Medway’s historic environment is anirreplaceable asset. It is an expression of ourhistory, heritage and culture and lies at theheart of local and regional character andsense of place. It helps to maintain varied andattractive places in which to live and work,provides historic places to visit and enjoy andencourages investment in, and re-use of, oldbuildings. It has the potential to act as asignificant draw for inward investment andheritage led regeneration.

4.131 The importance of the historic environment incontributing to sustainable development interms of its potential to support regeneration,tourism and social inclusion as well asconservation can be seen by the revitalisationof The Historic Dockyard, Chatham.

4.132 Medway is particularly fortunate in that it has anumber of the region’s most significant historicenvironment assets including:

• The historic City of Rochester

• The potential World Heritage Site ofChatham Dockyard and its Defences

• Significant defence heritage including–Upnor and Rochester Castles, Fort Amherstand the Chatham Lines, and the Great,Lower and Inner Lines.

4.133 Most of these heritage assets are protected tosome degree by statute - for instancedesignation as conservation areas, scheduledancient monuments or listed buildings.However, the historic environment is muchmore extensive than this. It includes reference

archaeology, historic landscapes and historicdevelopment patterns. Important heritageassets include:

• Historic street patterns and forms ofdevelopment in many parts of Medway,particularly within the major town centres(and not just in conservation areas). Anexample of this is the long and windingChatham and Rochester High Streets, whichstretch from Rochester Bridge to Luton arches.

• A unique river and hillside topography.Historically the escarpments and the tops ofhills were often left undeveloped for Militarypurposes. This, together with key landmarkbuildings of national and internationalimportance such as Rochester and Upnorcastles, Fort Amherst, the Dockyard and theCathedral, has left a legacy of unique views.There are also a number of local landmarkbuildings within each view. Developmentover a wide area (and not just withinconservation areas) could impact upon thishistoric environment. Strategic views,together with a management strategy forcontrolling development that impinges uponthese views is laid out in the Building HeightPolicy for Medway. In addition, the setting ofthe proposed World Heritage Site is definedby its ‘buffer zone’ (as laid out in the WorldHeritage Site Management Plan)

• Unlisted buildings, which contribute to thecharacter of their localities.

• Areas of rich archaeological importancedating from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic andNeolithic periods to the 20th Century.

4.134 It is recognised that the historic environmentwill be subject to change and that it is notpossible, or at times desirable, to maintain allaspects. Through the use of conservation areaappraisals and management plans (whereappropriate), development briefs, the ChathamDockyard and its Defences World Heritage SiteManagement Plan, and the Kent HistoricEnvironment Record, the Council will adopt amanaged approach to this change based onan understanding of the character andsignificance of the historic environment.

55


4.135 In applying policy CS12 it is recognised thatsensitive modern design which takes intoaccount historic street patterns, scale, plotwidth, townscape and so on can enhance thehistoric environment. Conversely ‘HistoricStyle’ facadism applied without a thoroughunderstanding of the historic environmentmay be inappropriate.

Policy CS12: Heritage Assets

Medway’s heritage assets will be preserved andenhanced by:

• Supporting the conservation and, whereappropriate, the enhancement of the historicenvironment and the contribution it makes tolocal and regional distinctiveness and senseof place

• Assessing new development within historicareas, within the setting of historic areas andlandscapes (including the ‘buffer zone’ of theidentified World Heritage Site) or prominentin key views, in terms of its contribution to thepreservation and enhancement of the specialqualities of these areas, views andlandscapes and, in the case of the WorldHeritage Site, against its impact on the Site’sOutstanding Universal Value

• Encouraging proposals that make sensitiveuse of historic assets through regeneration,particularly where these bring redundant orunder-used buildings and areas intoappropriate and viable use

• Requiring design statements whichaccompany new development proposals todemonstrate an understanding of how thehistoric environment within which thedevelopment will sit, has informed thedevelopment of the design

• Where appropriate, removing permitteddevelopment rights from ‘local list’ buildingsin order to control change

• Supporting World Heritage Site status for theChatham Dockyard and its Defences;supporting the development of the GreatLines Heritage Park and seeking to establishnew integrated management arrangements

covering enhancement, maintenance andaccess for Fort Amherst and the ChathamLines (subject to military security, safety andother issues being resolved).

56


Figure 4 4 Great Lines Heritage Park

57


Figure 4 5 Nominated World Heritage Site

58


Introduction

5.1 The majority of Medway is located within theThames Gateway, which covers the area of theborough north of the M2. The remainder, locatedto the south of the M2, is deemed to be part ofthe ‘rest of Kent’ for planning purposes. There hasbeen longstanding recognition of the need toregenerate Medway and exploit its abundantbrownfield land supply, particularly with regardto its numerous waterfront sites, as well as on theMinistry of Defence land at Lodge Hill where anew settlement is proposed. Therefore priority isgiven in the Strategy to new development takingplace on previously developed land. Housingprovision is also an important tool to helprejuvenate town centres and their eveningeconomies, especially when it forms part ofcomprehensive mixed-use developments. This is aparticular issue in respect of Chatham, which hasso far failed to develop a town centre andevening economy worthy of a sub-regionallyimportant centre and which has a smallresidential population.

5.2 Delivery of sufficient housing of the right typesand in the right locations in order to ensure thecreation of sufficiently mixed and balancedcommunities is crucial to the sustainabledevelopment of Medway. On the other hand,there is also a need to balance the pressure to

redevelop employment land for housing with theneed to ensure sustainable economic growth andnurture local businesses.

Housing Provision and Distribution

5.3 As explained in Chapter 3 the Council intends toproceed with an overall housing target of anaverage of 815 dwellings per year over theperiod to 2028. This equates to a total for thewhole plan period of 17,930. This applies toMedway as a whole and represents a balancebetween the needs of the current population andthe aspirations for the Thames Gateway as agrowth area.

5.4 The great majority of this will occur in the mainpart of the Borough that is located in the ThamesGateway. Only around 624 units in total areexpected to be built in the ‘rest of’ area, whichessentially corresponds to the parishes of Cuxtonand Halling (Medway Valley). Here the formerCemex cement plant at Halling is to beredeveloped and this will account for most of thisnumber.

5.5 The Core Strategy therefore proposes the deliveryof at least 815 dwellings per annum (785 withinthe Thames Gateway) on average over the planperiod up to 2028. Despite adverse economicconditions nationally, recent dwelling completionrates in Medway have been historically high.761 dwellings were delivered in 2007-2008,914 in 2008-2009 and 972 in 2009-2010. Thedelivery rate fell to 657 dwellings for 2010-11but this still exceeded the forecast. It is thereforeconsidered to be a healthy delivery rate, giventhe challenges facing the housebuilding sectornationally.

5.6 The key components of housing supply will be thelarge waterfront regeneration sites within themain urban area and the new settlement at LodgeHill. It is expected to deliver approximately 5,000dwellings in total (4,275 within the plan period).

Housing Delivery

5.7 Medway’s established housing delivery strategywill continue with its heavy emphasis upon theregeneration of previously developed land in accordance with the Thames Gateway agenda.

5. Housing

59


Consequently, unnecessary greenfielddevelopments will not be allowed that wouldjeopardise this overall strategy. The Council haslittle control over the private market in terms of thetiming of actual delivery, particularly given thecurrent uncertainty with regard to the economicrecovery. However, it will continue to encouragepre-application discussions and actively engagewith Registered Providers and other keystakeholders in order to maintain delivery.

5.8 The housing trajectory for Medway anticipatesthat the peak of housing delivery will comeforward between 2015 and 2021. It alsosuggests that delivery is expected to tail off overthe last few years of the plan period. This is based on the availability of sites and themarket may, in practice, even-out this trajectory.

5.9 A plan, monitor and manage approach toresidential land supply will be taken in order toensure that the positive regeneration agenda isnot undermined by potentially harmfulenvironmental effects. The Council has prepareda Housing Trajectory, which identifies the rollingfive-year land supply and how the requiredhousing growth will be accommodated over thelife of the plan. This shows a more than adequate15-year housing supply and continuing capacityfor development beyond this. A summary of thesupply position is shown in the table below.

Table 5 1 Medway Housing Supply Components

5.10 This shows a housing supply from identified sitesfor Medway of 20,943 dwellings (19,439 up to2028). This includes housing completions alreadyachieved of 3,895 dwellings. Importantly itmakes no allowance for future ‘windfall’developments. That is, sites not currentlyidentified but which may also come forward infuture years. Medway has had a significantcontribution from such sites in the past but noallowance is being made for the future as thiscannot be quantified. A very healthy supplyposition is therefore indicated for the period up to2028. This will contribute to the resilience of thestrategy and increase market choice.

5.11 The following table and map shows where themajority of new housing is planned to comeforward (see also Chapter 10 for further details).

Table 5 2 Distribution of New Housing by SubAreas from 2011/12 to 2028+

5.12 In relation to the proposed allocation atLodge Hill, the Core Strategy differs from theStrategic Land Availability Assessment in that itonly assumes that 4,275 of the total provision of5,000 dwellings will be delivered within the planperiod. However, the SLAA still demonstrates ahealthy surplus with regard to the overall housingsupply requirement.

5.13 A number of Adopted Local Plan Allocations arebeing carried over as listed below. All aresuitable development sites and the Council hashad positive and recent discussions about anumber of them.

60


Table 5 3 Local Plan Allocations

Policy CS13: Housing Provision andDistribution

In accordance with Table 5-1 and the schedule setout in Appendix C, provision will be made to ensureat least 17,930 new homes can be deliveredbetween 2006 and 2028, (an average of 815 peryear), of which at least 17,500 will be within theThames Gateway Area.

This will include:

• All sites which are the subject of adopteddevelopment briefs or masterplans, includingStrood, Chatham and Gillingham towncentres

• Sites allocated in the Medway Local Plan2003 not already having the benefit of aplanning permission

• A contribution of 5,000 dwellings (of whichapproximately 4,275 dwellings will bedelivered during the plan period) arising fromthe Strategic Allocation of land at Lodge Hill(see Policy CS33)

• Sites with planning permission; and

• Other sites identified in the Medway StrategicLand Availability Assessment.

Further sites will be allocated in the forthcoming LandAllocations and Development ManagementDevelopment Plan Document, depending on theoutstanding requirement at the time it is prepared.

Affordable Housing

5.14 A significant proportion of the population isunable to afford the cost of purchasing,outright, a house or other type of residentialaccommodation. As such it is criticallyimportant to maintain an adequate supply ofwhat is termed ‘affordable housing’ to ensurethat the whole population has a satisfactoryplace to live. Affordable housing can take anumber of forms, including ‘social rented’,‘affordable rented’ and various types of‘intermediate’ accommodation and is usuallyprovided through a Registered Provider (RP) orHousing Association approved by MedwayCouncil. Government funding is allocated bythe Homes and Communities Agency to RP’sbut not all sites receive a subsidy and largerprivate housing developments are asked tomake a contribution. In recent years this hasbeen at a rate of 25% on sites of over 25 unitsin urban Medway and 15 units in ruralMedway. PPS3 ‘Housing’ requires LocalPlanning Authorities to set a target for thenumber of affordable homes, which they willseek to provide during the plan period.

5.15 In order to quantify the need for affordablehousing over the period of this plan the Counciljointly commissioned a North Kent StrategicHousing Market Assessment (SHMA) inassociation with Gravesham Borough Council.The North Kent SHMA (2010) found that:

• 70% of future requirements for social rentedhousing* is for smaller homes (1 and 2bedrooms); and

• 65% of future requirements for other tenuresis for larger (3+bedroom) homes.

61


5.16 An analysis of house prices in Medway, in aparallel Viability Study, indicates that the areacan be divided into seven market value areas:High Value Medway, Medway Rural, Southern Settlements, Chatham West and Rochester,Strood, Gillingham North and West andChatham South and East.

5.17 Assuming a development scenario of schemesbeing developed at 40 dwellings per hectare,residual values at a 25% affordable housingrate vary from £3.35 million per hectare inHigh Value Medway, to £0.56 million perhectare in Chatham South and East. Thecalculations were based upon the assumption ofnil grant from the Homes and CommunitiesAgency and assume that the intermediateaffordable element of the affordable housingwas New Build Home Buy.

5.18 The Viability Study suggests three main optionsfor setting affordable housing proportions forplanning policy purposes. These are:

• Maintain the current policy target of 25% asset out in the Council’s current planningframework. This would provide continuity.

• Introduce a split target, which seeks a higherlevel of affordable housing in the high valuelocations of the local authority area. A broadindicative split would work between theurban areas including Chatham, Gillingham,Strood and Rochester where 25% affordablehousing, supported by grant in the weakerlocations would be appropriate; and, on theother hand, the more rural areas of MedwayRural and Southerly Settlements, where a30% affordable housing target would beviable.

• A 35% target for High Value Medway.

5.19 The Study concluded that whilst a 25% targetwould be a continuation of existing policy, itwould rely on grant funding being available inthe weaker sub markets. Therefore, a splittarget, recognising the inherent variation acrossthe area, might be a more appropriate solution.

5.20 Having regard to the study’s findings it isintended that the current affordable housingpolicy target of 25% will be maintained withinthe existing urban area boundaries and at HooSt. Werburgh, but elsewhere a 30% policytarget will apply. These targets will apply to allsites of over 15 units or 0.5 hectares. In allcases the viability of developing a site will betaken into account, including the cost of anyother development contributions being sought.

5.21 Developers will need to demonstrate and justify,via appropriate evidence, why they are seekingto deviate from specific developer contributionrequirements. The Council will require an ‘openbook’ approach. The developer/landowner willbe expected to provide all relevant financialand other information behind the appraisal toenable the Council and/or independent valueron the Council’s behalf to assess the nature,extent and impact of the constraints upon theviability of the scheme. It is recommended thatthis information is submitted as part of any pre-application discussions.

5.22 If the Council seeks independent adviceregarding such a submission, the developer willbe required to pay the Council’s costs for thisadvice. This is standard practice and in linewith the advice contained within the Home &Communities Agency’s Good Practice Note:Investment and Planning Obligations –Responding to the Downturn (August 2009).

5.23 If, following such an appraisal and based uponall available evidence, the Council concludesthat the scheme is economically viable, and ifthe affordable housing requirement is not met,this could result in the application being refusedplanning permission.

5.24 Individual site viability may be affected by theavailability (or not) of grant funding. Whereviability issues arise, consideration will begiven to alternative means of ensuringaffordable housing delivery in line with theCouncil’s ‘cascade’ mechanism. Furtherguidance in relation to affordable housing

62

*The same assumption should be made for affordable rented need as this is essentially the same client group


provision is set out in the Medway Guide to Developer Contributions. This document will beregularly updated.

5.25 The term ‘affordable housing’ is defined as inPPS3 ‘Housing’ 2011 and this definitionapplies to Policy CS14 below.

5.26 The definition does not exclude homesprovided by private sector bodies or providedwithout grant funding. Steps need to be takento ensure that, through the drafting of anyagreement, homes meet the definition and canbe considered, for planning purposes, asaffordable housing. Those homes that do notmeet the definition, for example, ‘low costmarket’ housing, may not be considered asaffordable housing.

5.27 Affordable housing should be provided on-siteand secured through a S106 agreement (orequivalent device introduced by Government)as part of the proposed development unless theCouncil and the applicant both consider that itis preferable for provision to be made on analternative site or for a financial contribution tobe made. The Council’s preference is foraffordable housing to be provided andmanaged by a Registered Provider (RP). Inorder to achieve inclusive and sustainablecommunities, the provision of on-site affordablehousing should be integrated seamlessly intothe layout of the whole development.

5.28 In negotiating the proportion and tenure ofaffordable housing, account will be taken ofsite characteristics and the economic viabilityof provision. Where viability is an issue,financial support will be sought via publicsubsidy, such as through the Homes andCommunities Agency (HCA). At appropriaterural settlements, sites that would not normallybe released for housing will be considered forschemes that specifically meet an identifiedlocal need for affordable homes. This is knownas an ‘Exceptions Policy’ and is advocated inPPS3. Such schemes must ensure that theproperties are made available in perpetuity forthis purpose.

Policy CS14: Affordable Housing

In order to address affordable housing need over theplan period:

• 25% affordable housing provision will besought on all sites within the existing definedboundary of the main urban area and HooSt. Werburgh

• 30% affordable housing provision will besought on all sites elsewhere within Medway

• Provision should be made on all new housingdevelopments capable of accommodating 15or more dwellings, or on sites of 0.5 ha ormore in size, irrespective of the number ofdwellings.

The provision of affordable housing to meet localneeds on a qualifying site will be subject to:

• Its suitability for on-site provision

• Site viability

• The extent to which the provision ofaffordable housing would prejudice otherplanning objectives to be met from thedevelopment of the site; and

• The mix of units necessary to meet localneeds and achieve a successful, sustainableand socially inclusive development.

On sites of 15 or more (gross) dwellings, on-siteprovision should be made, which seeks toincorporate a range of different dwelling types andsizes which reflect the site’s characteristics, thedevelopment as a whole and the types of needidentified in the most up-to-date Strategic HousingMarket Assessment and Housing Needs Study. Anyover-concentration of any one type of dwelling willbe resisted if it would adversely affect communitycohesion.

Small- scale affordable housing schemes may beacceptable on an exceptional basis on sites outsideof, but adjoining the settlement boundaries of therural villages.

63


Housing Design and Other HousingRequirements

5.29 The planning system has traditionally beenmost concerned with the provision of newhousing for occupation by self-containedhouseholds. However:

• Despite Medway being located in theThames Gateway the amount of new housingproposed will still be dwarfed by the existinghousing stock

• Significant elements of the population do notlive in self-contained accommodationincluding those in various types ofinstitutions, students and those occupyinghostel style accommodation and houses inmultiple occupation

• Although higher sustainability standards arebeing applied to new housing, aconsequence is that the existing stock willaccount for an increasing proportion of ourcarbon footprint if no action is taken.

5.30 Accordingly the sections below consider theseand related issues.

Existing Housing Stock

5.31 A significant proportion of Medway’s housingstock dates from before 1919 and is notreadily adaptable to modern standards interms of thermal insulation and fuel efficiency.This presents difficulties in bringing the olderstock up to modern standards and addssignificantly to the incidence of fuel poverty.Improving the existing stock, most of which isprivately owned, is therefore a challenge butalso important.

5.32 The Council will seek to develop and promoteretrofitting programmes at a neighbourhoodlevel to address this issue but the programmingand scale of this will be heavily dependent onthe resources available. Programmes arealready in place to upgrade the publiclyowned stock.

Housing Type and Tenure

5.33 Three specific characteristics mark Medway outfrom other major settlements in the South East:

a very small proportion of what might becalled ‘executive style’ accommodation; asmaller than average private rented sector; anda much smaller proportion of flats andapartments in favour of terraced propertiesthan the norm elsewhere.

5.34 Accordingly very high quality housing schemeswill be encouraged in appropriate locations.An expanded and higher quality private rentedmarket will also be encouraged. In other areasthere has been a very strong move away fromproviding flats and apartments, where this wasseen as contributing to the collapse in thehousing market in 2008-09. However inMedway there is much less justification for thisand the various waterfront regeneration sitesprovide exceptional opportunities to developschemes of the highest quality.

5.35 It is also important that new development:

• Provides adequate standards ofaccommodation to enable occupants toundertake their day-to-day living activitiessafely, comfortably and efficiently

• Meets future needs by being flexible andgenerous enough to meet changing demandsand lifestyles; and

64


• Combines efficiency in land use with theenvironmental benefits of well-designed, well-managed housing, particularly when built tohigher densities.

5.36 For these reasons the Council has producedHousing Design Standards alongside this CoreStrategy.

Special Care Accommodation

5.37 For many vulnerable older people, having thechance to avoid residential care and live inspecially designed housing as tenants orowner-occupiers is the single most importantelement in retaining independence and dignityin old age. Increasingly, the Extra Carehousing model is gaining support as a realisticand viable alternative to ‘institutional’ caremodels. Extra Care housing is a flexibleconcept, but fundamentally refers to “purposebuilt accommodation in which varying amountsof care and support can be offered and wheresome services are shared”9.

5.38 The Core Strategy addresses this need throughthe retention of existing viable care homes; byseeking to bring forward new extra carefacilities and increasing the stock of suitablenew housing that complies with the LifetimeHomes standard and therefore helps a rangeof residents including older people to liveactive and independent lives for longer.

Institutional and Student Housing

5.39 Given the rapid expansion of the Universitiesat Medway and the associated rise in studentnumbers to 10,000 and further increasesenvisaged over the next few years, it isimportant to avoid situations where establishedresidential neighbourhoods are adverselyaffected by an over concentration of studentsand existing privately rented accommodation isnot ‘lost’ to tenants with otherwise limitedhousing options.

5.40 These issues have recently been recognised ina revision to the Use Classes Order, whichmakes private units in multiple occupation aclass in its own right and so requiring expressplanning consent.

5.41 Equally the Council is committed to positivelysupporting the expansion of further and highereducation and so it will work with theuniversities and Mid Kent College to helpdeliver bespoke student accommodation wherenecessary. To this end, a studentaccommodation registration scheme will be setup. A recent study10 analyses student housingrequirements in Medway. It looks at therelationship between students and the widerhousing market. The report recognises thatcurrent economic circumstances make it difficultto predict future student housing requirementswith much certainty. Consequently, the councilwill need to regularly liaise with the universitiesin order to ensure that student accommodationneeds can be properly met.

5.42 However, should further planning controls everbe needed in the future, due to the growth ofstudent houses in the area eventually resultingin the creation of imbalanced communities, theCouncil will make an ‘Article 4 Direction’ thatrestricts home owners ‘Permitted Development’rights to use their property as houses inmultiple occupation (HMOs) within Class C4 ofthe Use Classes Order.

Health and Education Implications forHousing

5.43 Housing developments that encourage anddeliver healthy living should be the norm. Thiscan be done by a variety of means includinglinking new housing to improved sportsprovision, playing pitches, allotments andchildren’s play spaces, as well as makingplaces more accessible, attractive and safe touse for walking and cycling. One way ofachieving this is through the use of HealthImpact Assessments (HIA’s) and these will besought in relation to housing proposals of 50or more dwellings.

5.44 Developers will also need to take into accountthe impact new housing development will haveon the need for early years, primary andsecondary education provision includingprovision for special educational needs.

65

9Housing Learning and Improvement Partnership 2006, Extra Care Housing Toolkit)10Understanding the housing needs of students in Medway, ORS – June 2010


Policy CS15: Housing Design and OtherHousing Requirements

Sustainable residential communities will be createdby requiring the provision of a mix and balance ofgood quality housing of different types and tenuresand having regard to the North Kent StrategicHousing Market Assessment. This will be achieved byensuring that:

• Housing developments help to balance thesize, type and tenure and affordability of thelocal housing stock

• All housing developments are well designedand are capable of adaptation toaccommodate lifestyle changes, including theneeds of the elderly and people withdisabilities, and to achieve the LifetimeHomes standard

• Housing complies with space and otherstandards laid down in the Medway HousingDesign Standards

• Proposals for developments of 50 or moredwellings are accompanied by a HealthImpact Assessment

• Support is given to the provision of housingfor vulnerable people and specialist housing,including fully wheelchair adapted homes,units for clients with learning disabilities,extra care accommodation and shelteredhousing facilities, in appropriate locationsand where there is an identified need

• ‘Executive’ style housing will be supported aspart of housing schemes offering a range ofhousing types and in other suitable locations

• Land is utilised effectively and higherdensities are achieved in locations wellserved by public transport or which can bemade accessible to public transport

• Student accommodation proposalsdemonstrate how they will meet a provenneed for the development and are compatiblewith wider social and economic regenerationobjectives and are conveniently located foraccess to the universities and local facilities.Where necessary, Article 4 Directions will beimposed, in order to restrict home owners’

‘Permitted Development’ rights to use theirproperty as houses in multiple occupation(HMOs) within Class C4 of the Use ClassesOrder

• Subject to available resources, programmesto improve and renovate the existing housingstock will be advanced to maintain its fitnessfor purpose and improve sustainabilitystandards.

Gypsies, Travellers and TravellingShowpeople

5.45 Government policy requires local developmentframeworks to make specific provision for thehousing needs of gypsies, travellers andtravelling showpeople. In Medway there is along established Council run gypsy andtraveller site at Cuxton and a winter quarterssite owned by the Showmen’s Guild of GreatBritain at Station Road in Strood. Elsewhere inMedway some gypsy and traveller familieshave settled on small private sites or integratedinto the general housing market.

5.46 A North Kent Gypsy and TravellerAccommodation Assessment (GTAA)undertaken in 2006 identified a requirementfor 10 new ‘pitches’ in Medway over thefollowing 5 years. A ‘pitch’ in this context istaken to be a plot of land capable ofaccommodating two caravans. The GTAAfound that in Medway 80% of new pitchesshould be provided on private sites in line withdemand.

5.47 Given current uncertainties over the direction ofnational policy in this area the following policyprovides an objective basis for thedetermination of planning applications. Thiswill be revised as necessary if, as expected,further changes in national policy areintroduced, subsequent to the ‘Planning forTraveller Sites Consultation (April 2011)’.

66


Policy CS16: Gypsies, Travellers andTravelling Showpeople

To meet the identified need for Gypsy, Traveller andTravelling Showpeople pitches within Medway,sufficient sites will be allocated within the LandAllocations and Development ManagementDevelopment Plan Document. In allocating sites andfor the purpose of considering planning applications,the following criteria will need to be satisfied:

• The site is located outside of Flood Zones 2and 3, or if not, adequate flood defencesare, or will be, put in place

• Safe and convenient vehicular andpedestrian access to the site can be provided

• There is easy and safe access to the strategicroad network and the site does not generatetraffic of an amount or type inappropriate forthe roads in the area

• The site is able to accommodate on sitefacilities for the parking and manoeuvring ofvehicles (including exiting in forward gear)and storage, play and residential amenityspace

• The site is located within a reasonabledistance by foot and/or public transport oflocal facilities and services, including schoolsand health facilities; and

• The site is environmentally acceptable,compatible with neighbouring land uses andof limited impact on the local landscape asassessed in the context of the MedwayLandscape Character Assessment.

Existing authorised Gypsy, Traveller sites in Medwayand the Travelling Showpeople site in Strood will besafeguarded, unless they are no longer required tomeet an identified need, or improved replacementfacilities are being provided.

67


68


Introduction

6.1 Nurturing and developing the Medway economygoes hand in hand with the physicalregeneration of the area and is essential toimprove the prospects of local people in an evermore competitive world and keep pace withhousing growth.

6.2 Traditionally the Medway economy wasdominated by the naval dockyard andassociated industries but in recent years it hasdiversified. However it is still characterised byvery low local pay rates and significant levels ofout commuting to London and the greaterMaidstone area.

6.3 The challenges for the future are therefore toincrease the value of local jobs, to reduce, to adegree, the current reliance on net outcommuting and to grow local enterprises –currently the area has a very high proportion ofsmall and micro businesses.

Economic Development

6.4 The current economic downturn has made futureprospects uncertain, not just in Medway butacross the country. The immediate strategy musttherefore be about creating the right conditionsfor future growth and taking advantage of thespecific local opportunities on offer.

6.5 The latter include:

• BAe Systems at Rochester Airfield. This is bysome way the area’s largest private sectoremployer and the company is a global leaderin its field. The company itself has identifiedopportunities for spin-off activities and land isavailable to develop complementaryoperations. This could create an economic‘cluster’ of considerable significance. Futurecommercial development should beconcentrated on advanced manufacturing andsoftware engineering to foster growth in thesesectors

• The Universities at Medway Campus,Chatham Maritime, as it develops, hasobvious opportunities for spin-off activities andvalue added research. The range ofinstitutions on the site provides an unparalleledopportunity to develop a cluster of at leastThames Gateway, if not national, significance

• The proposed site for the new settlement atLodge Hill is highly attractive and theopportunity is available to take advantage ofthe proposals for a sustainable settlement form.The location is also suitable to accommodatesmaller scale, higher and further educationfunctions, for example, satellite operationsfrom the Universities at Medway, ChathamMaritime and higher value activitiesassociated with the developments atKingsnorth and Grain

• Isle of Grain: A very large site with a potentialfocus on low carbon and associatedtechnologies, plus value added port activities

• The large employment area at Kingsnorth isnow well connected to the main road networkand offers a range of opportunities includinglogistics and distribution, off-site manufacturefor the construction sector, environmentaltechnologies and waste management andprocessing

• Central Chatham associated with itsdevelopment as a centre of regionalsignificance and with a specific focus onfostering development within the creativeindustries and office sectors.

6. Economic Development

69


6.6 In 2009, the Council adopted the latestMedway Economic Development Strategy. Thiscontained five strategic priorities, which formthe basis for the economic strategy set outhere. Those priorities are:

• Sector development

• Skills development

• Higher education

• Employment space; and

• Image building.

6.7 It considered that the most significantopportunities are with the creative industriesand tourism but the specific developmentopportunities described above also point to arange of other opportunities, particularlyaround construction, environmentaltechnologies, power and energy generationand advanced manufacturing.

6.8 Skills development and Medway’s expandedfurther and higher education capacity go handin hand and the Council and its partners willcontinue to work very closely with the fouruniversities and Mid Kent College to bothimprove skills capacity and match it moreclosely to the needs of employers.

6.9 Modern start-up businesses help to create jobsand contribute to Gross Value Added (GVA).The development of more effective andinnovative firms, complementing moretraditional industries, is an importantcontributor to productivity growth and acompetitive economy. In order to assist thesebusinesses, a range of support measures isessential to ensure sustainable growth.

6.10 An effective start-up strategy will be one thatseeks to address imbalances by providingservices tailored to meet specific needs.Medway is at the forefront of best practice inthis field and has been recognised nationallyby its Beacon Council award for businesssupport. The Council’s “Medway MeansBusiness” programme enables interaction withthe business community, aspirant entrepreneursand new and growing businesses.

6.11 Tangible business support initiatives furtherstrengthen the support on offer. Medway offersmanaged workspace facilities, graduate andapprenticeship work support programmes,financial support services such as start upgrants and interest free loans, employmentsupport services and European funded businesssupport projects to facilitate cross-channeltrade and business environmentalsustainability. Medway is also developing itsown entrepreneurial culture, building enterpriseinto the school curriculum and developing linksbetween schools and the Universities atMedway.

6.12 Medway is also well placed to provide the fullrange of support services and facilitiesrequired by established businesses due to thecity scale infrastructure and services available.The range of projects highlighted below isintended to unlock this potential and makeMedway a destination of choice forbusinesses.

6.13 The Council and its partners will promote:

• Active business support networks

• Sector specific working groups

• Apprenticeship and graduate placementschemes

• Employ Medway (the Council’s employmentsupport service)

• The development of incubator and grow-onspaces for new and expanding businesses

• The continuing development of innovationsector facilities in conjunction with theRochester Airfield technology cluster

• A new creative industries cluster in Chathamin conjunction with the University for theCreative Arts and other partners.

6.14 In 2008 there were 94,500 people employedin Medway. As explained in Chapter 3 theCouncil has developed a range of fouralternative job targets or scenarios based on apopulation projection of 280,000 by 2028.These are:

70


• Low employment rate and low reduction inout commuting = 8,200

• Low employment rate and high reduction inout commuting = 12,500

• High employment rate and low reduction inout commuting = 15,900

• High employment rate and high reduction inout commuting = 20,300

6.15 A number of factors point towards the lowerend of the range unless a step change occursin employment and out commuting patterns. Toput this in context, between 1991 and 2001,the number of Medway residents outcommuting increased whilst the economicactivity rate remained steady and evendropped between 2006 and 2008. However,given the Council’s aim of reducing outcommuting and growing the local economy,the Core Strategy is making provision to meeta high growth target.

6.16 In 2010, the Council commissionedconsultants, Baker Associates, to prepare anEmployment Land Review Consolidation Study,which identified the amount of land andfloorspace required to provide for 21,500 jobsup to 2026. This study was commissionedbefore the Core Strategy plan period wasextended to 2028 and the jobs target is nowlower. Given that the Study has yet to bereviewed, the floorspace provision is thereforeslightly higher than is required for this lowerjobs figure, but sufficient land is alreadycommitted to meet this requirement.

6.17 The study divided Medway into a number ofsub-areas, which reflected the distribution ofexisting employment areas and the areaswhere market demand surveys indicated themarket would want to locate in the future.

Figure 6 1 Medway Employment Sub Areas

71


6.18 The overall requirement amounted to 392,610sq m. on 54.44 hectares of land in thefollowing locations.

Table 6 1 Floorspace Requirements by Sub Areas

6.19 The study drew upon the Medway EmploymentLand Supply Study of 2006, a number ofadopted development briefs and, in the case oftwo sites, the Medway Strategic LandAvailability Assessment (SLAA) 2010, toidentify a potential supply of employment landto meet the requirements. Using SLAAfloorspace figures for sites where only ahectarage figure is given in the employmentland study the current overall supply position ineach sub area is indicated.

Table 6 2 Employment Floorspace Supply bySub Areas

6.20 Details of the anticipated rate of developmentof B1, B2 and B8 uses are set out in theEmployment Land Trajectory in Appendix D.

6.21 The study did not identify a requirement forfloorspace/sites in the rural area but a further9,453 sq m of potential floorspace has beenidentified in the SLAA on sites in the rural area.

6.22 These results show that, overall, there is a veryhealthy supply situation but that there are somemismatches in the sub areas. This is notsurprising as the area has not been split downin this way before and the analysis at this leveltakes no specific account of constraints to landreleases.

6.23 Taking account of the Economic Strategy, theEmployment Land Study and the SLAA, it isintended that priority will be given to thedevelopment of sites in the town centres andthe redevelopment of existing urbanemployment areas at higher densities. This willinclude sites within Strood and adjacent toRochester Airport, which enjoy good access tothe M2 and have the ability to attract growthbusinesses offering significantly higher-skilledand higher value local employmentopportunities The Employment Land Studyemphasises that development on new sites withaccess to the M2 would underminereinvestment in more central locations.

6.24 Although both Kingsnorth and the Isle of Grainhave been allocated for employmentdevelopment for many years, the latter has notpreviously been counted towards meetingdevelopment plan requirements. However bothsites have now been granted planningpermission for B1, B2 and B8 uses and newmarkets are emerging for the development ofenvironmental technologies and other activities.Although these industries may result indevelopment at lower densities than traditionalB2 and B8 uses, the scale of the sites is suchthat a substantial contribution can be made toemployment growth and consequently they areincluded in the employment land supplycontributing to the Core Strategy. It isanticipated that the employment generatedthere will more than offset notional supplydeficits elsewhere in Medway.

6.25 Retail development is a significant employmentgenerator but the consolidation study does notidentify either retail floorspace demand orsupply. Instead it defers to the Medway RetailNeeds Study carried out by Nathaniel Lichfieldand Partners in 2009. The details of this study

72


are set out in policy CS19. This study identifiedspare capacity for 111,635 sq m of retailfloorspace in Medway up to 2026 based on ahigh growth option. The Annual Monitoringresults and the Strategic Land AvailabilityAssessment (SLAA) 2010/11 Update hasidentified a potential supply of 124,510 sq mup to 2028.

6.26 Not only is there sufficient floorspace overall tomeet the employment requirements but thereare also a range of locations and types of siteto cater for all likely growth sectors over theplan period. A substantial surplus of floorspacein B1, B2 and B8 uses and A1 to A5 uses willprovide flexibility to meet all anticipatedrequirements over the plan period and respondto changing economic conditions.

6.27 The final strategic objective from the EconomicStrategy is concerned with image building.That is, boosting the overall image of Medway,not only as a business location but also athriving place in which to live and play.Specific actions to achieve this are set out inPolicy CS17.

Policy CS17: Economic Development

The development of the Medway economy will bedynamic and widely based, to provide employmentfor the community as a whole, to provide greaterchoice for the workforce, offer an alternative to out-commuting and achieve a balance with housinggrowth.

Provision will be made for the expansion of theexisting economic functions of the area, including thegrowth of Chatham as a sub-regional employment,retail and service hub and the development of thelarge Isle of Grain employment site and theKingsnorth Commercial Park, and associated energyand port related areas.

The development of the following specific sectors, willalso be encouraged:

• Energy and environmental technologies

• Engineering and manufacturing

• Building products and construction (includingoff-site manufacture)

• Health and social care

• Creative industries; and

• Tourism.

There will be new office, manufacturing and servicedevelopment on a variety of scales, with an emphasison higher value activity to develop increased GVAand higher skilled employment opportunities. This willinclude the development of incubator and grow-onspace for new and expanding businesses.

The Council and its partners will assist in thedevelopment of the work readiness and skillsrequired by existing and potential employers throughimproved standards of education and skills in theworkforce. This will include support for initiatives toexpand higher and further education and improve itslinks with local employers.

Major efforts will be made to improve Medway’simage by:

• Developing Chatham as a centre of regionalsignificance

• Development of a diverse and vibrantevening economy

• Encouraging the development ofcomprehensive leisure facilities

• Promoting Medway as a venue for topsporting and cultural activities

• Continuing to support the bid for WorldHeritage status

• Stimulating a more creative use of the RiverMedway in conjunction with the developmentof riverside sites

• Improvement to Medway’s ‘gateways’ suchas its railway stations

• Continuing to promote and develop Medwayas a City

• Developing Medway as a genuine andconnected “city break” tourism destination.

A supply of around 935,998 sq m of employmentfloorspace and premises has been identified toprovide a range and choice of sites in terms ofquality, accessibility, type and size, to meetMedway’s requirements up to 2028.

73


The Council particularly recognises the potential thatthe new settlement at Lodge Hill presents for creatinga high quality environment for the development ofemployment and the continuing opportunities at, andin close proximity to, Rochester Airfield to develop atechnology and knowledge based cluster.

The Council will protect established employmentareas from other development and support higherdensity development where appropriate, andpromote reinvestment strategies for each.

The Council will also support the agricultural,horticultural and forestry industries, and ruraleconomic diversification and non-land basedbusiness proposals in towns and villages or on farmsites where applications show positive benefits.

Tourism

6.28 In 2009, tourism employed over 6,100 peopleand was worth about £286 million annually tothe local economy. Continued growth isprojected in the national and internationaltourism economy and Medway has thepotential for further growth.

6.29 Tourism helps to raise levels of civic pride,improves the perception of an area, deliverslocal and sustainable jobs and provideseconomic incentive for new cultural and leisurefacilities. It provides a boost to other sectors ofthe local economy such as retail, arts andculture, leisure, heritage and transport.

6.30 Medway Council is a major stakeholder in thetourism economy. It operates one of the largestand most prestigious Visitor InformationCentres in the South East, Kent’s second mostvisited local authority museum, two castles, fivemajor annual festivals, an award winningcoach park, three country parks and severalhistoric green spaces.

6.31 The Historic Dockyard now ranks as one ofKent’s premier league visitor attractions. Thenew No.1 Smithery gallery and museum,displaying national collections, should makethe Dockyard one of the top attractions in theSouth East.

6.32 Dickens World, which opened in 2007, hassecured Chatham Maritime’s status as

Medway’s second major visitor attractioncluster and has complemented the existingDickensian aspect of Rochester’s tourist appeal.

6.33 The prospect of World Heritage Site status forChatham Dockyard and its defences by 2014will greatly enhance Medway’s reputation as avisitor destination of international status.

6.34 The 2012 Olympics present Medway withvarious opportunities and will be a furthercatalyst to develop Medway as a genuine citybreak destination.

6.35 Rochester Castle and Cathedral are iconiclandmarks and significant tourist destinations.Plans to conserve the two monuments will helpRochester to continue to develop as one of theUK’s most significant historic destinations.

Policy CS18: Tourism

Medway Council will positively promotesustainable tourism development. A diverse andhigh quality tourism offer will be encouragedthat seeks to lengthen the tourism season,increase the number and length of visits, providejob opportunities and sustain the tourismeconomy, whilst maintaining and wherepossible, enhancing Medway’s natural and builtenvironment qualities.

In order to successfully develop Medway’stourism ‘product’, the Council will seek tosecure:

• The provision of more internationallybranded hotels to allow a shift from thelower spend day trip market towardsnew markets such as business tourismand city breaks

• Public realm investment in the historiccore of Rochester

• The development of the evening economyand cultural offer which are required for allsuccessful city break destinations

• A waterfront theatre and cultural hub whichwould help to link the tourist offer in

74


Rochester with the Dockyard and ChathamMaritime and assist with the overall destinationprofile of Medway

• An improvement of the image and ‘brand’ ofMedway to enhance its awareness as avisitor destination beyond the South East

• Development of the leisure use of the riverMedway; and

• An increase in skills and quality of the localtourism industry.

Local tourism will be supported by:

• Encouraging tourism and provision for visitorswhich is appropriate to the character of thearea

• Retaining and enhancing existing servicedaccommodation and supporting the provisionof new serviced accommodation in townsand villages

• Encouraging proposals for new hotelaccommodation and conference/exhibitionfacilities in locations which complementregeneration opportunities, particularly alongthe urban waterfront

• Maintaining and enhancing existing touristand visitor facilities

• Supporting new tourist initiatives:

- In towns and villages and

- In the countryside through the re-use ofexisting buildings or as part of farmdiversification schemes.

Retail and Town Centres

6.36 The Government’s key objective for towncentres, as set out in PPS4; Planning forSustainable Economic Growth, is to promotetheir vitality and viability. It seeks to do this byfocusing new economic growth anddevelopment in them, and enhancing consumerchoice through the provision of innovative andefficient shopping, leisure, tourism and localservices in town centres whilst conserving andenhancing their historic, archaeological andarchitectural heritage.

6.37 The current hierarchy of town centres inMedway is being retained. It consists of:

• Regional Hub and primary centre: Chatham

• District Centres: Strood, Gillingham,Rainham, Hempstead Valley ShoppingCentre, Rochester

• Villages and Neighbourhood Centres (asidentified in Chapter 10)

6.38 In addition there are retail Parks at GillinghamBusiness Park, Horsted Retail Park and StroodRetail Park, free standing food superstores atCourtney Road, Gillingham, Maidstone Road,Chatham and Princes Avenue, Chatham and afactory outlet centre at Chatham Maritime. Afurther food superstore is being developed atWhitewall Creek.

6.39 In 2009, Nathaniel Lichfield and Partnersprepared a town centre, retail and leisurestudy, which included an assessment of all themain centres. The study assessed the futureneed for additional retail, commercial leisurefacilities and other town centre uses, taking fullaccount of the current economic climate.

6.40 Shopping or retail potential is considered intwo categories:

• ‘Convenience’ – goods bought on a day-to-day basis, mainly food

• ‘Comparison’ – or ‘durable’ goods. Theseinclude clothing, footwear, electricals etc.

6.41 The Study found some potential for newconvenience floorspace, as detailed in thefollowing tables.

Table 6 3 Convenience Floorspace Capacities2008 - 2026

75


Table 6 4 Convenience Floorspace Options2008 - 2026

6.42 To put this in context a large food superstore isusually around 6,000 sq m.

6.43 It concluded that there was no obvious area ofdeficiency in Medway, that some capacitycould be accommodated within existing vacantpremises or small redevelopments within themain centres but outside of the main centres thepriority should be to serve major newresidential developments.

6.44 On the other hand, in relation to comparisonspending, the Study identifies scope for a largeincrease in floorspace as detailed below.

Table 6 5 Comparison Floorspace Options2008 - 2026

6.45 Apart from forecast changes in population thisis largely due to the fact that a high proportionof spending on comparison goods currently‘leaks’ out of Medway to other shoppingcentres – indicating that the local town centres,particularly Chatham, are performing wellbelow their potential.

6.46 It is therefore intended that the strategy forMedway will be to enhance Chatham’s currentposition in the shopping hierarchy and improvethe area’s market share of availableexpenditure.

6.47 The retail study points out that the shoppingcentres within Medway are all located close toeach other, particularly Strood, Rochester andChatham and that their primary catchmentareas therefore overlap. The main centrescollectively provide what is described as areasonably good range of comparison shops(393 units with sales floorspace of 86,396 sqm net), including a range of national multiplesand independent specialists. However, thechoice of shopping could be improved.Existing provision largely caters for the middleand lower end of the market, and has a pooroffer for the upper end.

6.48 It concludes that Medway is well provided forin terms of retail warehouse facilities. Retailparks provide about 42,000 sq m (net) ofcomparison floorspace. This accounts for about28% of all comparison sales floorspace.

6.49 The Study provides a sound basis for the futureretail strategy and how this should be appliedin each centre.

6.50 Chatham is, and will, remain the maincomparison shopping destination and the mainfocus for employment, leisure, entertainmentand cultural activities. As the main centre, itneeds to compete with other largeregional/sub-regional centres such asMaidstone, Bromley and Canterbury. Toachieve this it needs to be the focus for majorretail developments, large-scale leisure andother uses that attract large numbers of people,including major cultural, tourism andcommunity facilities. At least 30,000 sq m ofadditional floorspace should be broughtforward to radically change the perception ofthe centre and its range of shops and attractlarger retailers.

6.51 The District Centres will complement Chathamby providing convenience food shopping anda range of comparison shopping facilities andother services catering for their immediate

76


catchments. Opportunities to developadditional small scale shop premises will beencouraged, and the priority will be foradditional convenience shopping facilities andlower order comparison shopping. Higherorder comparison shopping will be focused inChatham.

6.52 Neighbourhood and Village Centres will bemaintained to ensure they provide basic foodand grocery shopping facilities, supported bya limited choice and range of comparisonshops selling lower order comparison goods(bought on a regular basis) and a range ofnon-retail services and community uses.Together with local parades they will continueto serve smaller catchment areas focused ontheir respective local communities.

6.53 The Medway Local Plan 2003 sought to protectand enhance a very large number ofsometimes very small local and neighbourhoodcentres. However since it was adopted manyhave struggled commercially or evendisappeared completely. The intention thereforeis to now afford protection to those centres thatare of sufficient scale and are in locations thatreadily serve significant residentialcommunities. These are identified in Chapter10.

6.54 The floorspace figures shown in policy CS19reflect the findings of the Medway RetailNeeds Study, 2009 and the Medway LandAvailability Assessment First Review, May2011. The figures are indicative only andshould not be treated as the maximumfloorspace, which will be permitted.

Policy CS19: Tourism Retail and TownCentres

Medway Council will maintain and enhance thevitality and viability of its network of urban andrural centres and support the delivery ofappropriate comparison and convenience retail,office, leisure, community, entertainment andcultural facilities. Town centres and edge ofcentre sites will be the preferred location forsuch development and a sequential test will be

applied for development elsewhere inaccordance with PPS4.

Chatham, the sub-regional hub, will be thepreferred location for major retail developmentand other uses attracting a large number ofpeople.

Provision will be made for the following retaildevelopment:

• 50,000 sq m gross comparison retailfloorspace in Chatham, primarily in theBest Street/High Street area, thePentagon, the Brook and the Waterfrontredevelopment area

• Smaller scale comparison goodsshopping units at the district centres witha cumulative total floorspace of:

- Strood, (9,400sq m)

- Rochester (Riverside) 7,800sq m

- Gillingham (6,200 sq m)

- Lodge Hill (5,200 sq m)

- Hempstead Valley (2,800 sq m)

• Two convenience stores of about 3,500sq m at Corporation Street, Rochesterand 5,000 sq m at Lodge Hill,Chattenden.

The Council will promote its centres and willseek improvements in the range and choice ofshops and services, the intensification of retailfloorspace use and the reoccupation of vacantretail floorspace.

Education and Personal Development

6.55 The Council’s overall aim is to enable everyoneto realise his or her full potential, regardless ofrace, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ageand religion, and make the best possiblecontribution to society. The Council is seekingto do this by focusing on the needs of thelearner, raising aspirations, promoting thehighest standards of teaching and learning andsharing good practice.

77


6.56 Schools have the primary responsibility forraising achievement. The Council recognises theneed to strengthen their autonomy and theircapacity for self-evaluation. The Local EducationAuthority’s role (LEA) is to provide leadershipand to give schools appropriate challenge andsupport in order to meet Medway’s overalltargets.

6.57 Medway Council’s School Organisation Plan(SOP) for 2007/08 – 2011/12 sets out thepolicies and principles on which schoolorganisation will be based and how Medwayplans to meet its statutory responsibility toprovide enough places to promote higherstandards of attainment. For example, inresponse to changing pupil numbers, itproposes amalgamating some infant and juniorschools to create all-through primary schools forchildren aged 4 -11. It also recognises the roleof the community in the concept of extendedschools which can include childcare and healthprovision as well as out of school hours andcommunity education opportunities.

6.58 According to the 2001 Census, only 12% ofresidents’ aged 16-74 had qualifications atdegree level or higher, and this ranked Medway66th out of 67 authorities in the South East.Therefore increasing the educationalachievement of Medway residents andencouraging local people to go to university inMedway rather than elsewhere have been keypriorities for the Council and the Local StrategicPartnership. This is now yielding excellent resultswith attainment levels rising at a greater ratethan other areas. Indeed by 2009 just over20% of working-age residents in Medway hadqualifications at degree level or higher.

6.59 The University for the Creative Arts has anambition to develop a new campus to replacethat at Fort Pitt and the Council will positivelysupport this. It will also work with the otherthree universities to further develop the capacityand range of provision on the ChathamMaritime campus and, if necessary in satellitelocations.

6.60 Mid Kent College has a longstandingassociation with construction and allied trades

and, as part of the Holdfast Consortium, nowprovides training to the Royal School of MilitaryEngineering at Brompton and Wainscott. With anew campus at Prince Arthur Road the college isexceptionally well placed to promote itself as aregional construction skills hub.

6.61 The Council is also determined that the broadeducation offer available in Medway is alignedas closely as possible to the needs of existingand future employers and a number of actionsare ongoing to achieve this.

Policy CS20: Education and PersonalDevelopment

The Council will work with all relevant partners todevelop a fully integrated educational offer including:

• All-through primary provision with integratedor associated early years provision

• Re-investment in secondary education,including the development of Academies

• Management arrangements for schools whichfully exploit their potential as community hubs

• A distributed adult learning service with a newfocus on re-skilling and meeting the identifiedneeds of local employers

• The further development of the University forthe Creative Arts, offering a wide range offoundation and graduate opportunities whilstfully exploiting opportunities for direct spin-offand other creative industry opportunities

• Re-investment in and the further developmentof Mid Kent College, both as a broad focusfor post 16 education and as a regional scalehub for construction and allied skills

• The further development of the Universities atMedway campus at Chatham Maritime as adistinct focus for degree and post degreehigher education provision within ThamesGateway

• The establishment of a cross sector high leveleducation forum intended to steer futuredevelopment and strengthen links with thebusiness sector.

78


Introduction

7.1 As an all purpose unitary council Medway isalso a minerals and waste planning authorityand, in discharging this role, needs to ensurethat effective policies are in place to meet bothlocal and regional requirements. These are setout in this chapter.

7.2 Medway is also nationally significant in termsof power generation, electricity distribution andliquefied natural gas storage.

Conventional Energy Generation

7.3 Medway generates around 15% of thecountry’s electricity. This was originallyfounded on coal and oil, with large plants atKingsnorth and Grain respectively. Morerecently two gas powered plants were addedat Damhead Creek and adjacent toThamesport. A large combined cycle gasturbine technology station has come on streamat Grain and this will eventually replace the oilfired plant there. Plans for the tripling of outputfrom the Damhead Creek gas powered planthave been approved but a plan to replace theKingsnorth coal plant with a modern alternativeis awaiting a decision by Government. If thisproceeds it is likely to be coupled with fullCarbon Capture and Storage (CCS)technology.

7.4 North Sea natural gas supplies have beendepleting whilst UK demand has beenincreasing. Gas powered energy generationcurrently stands at 38% of national energyproduction. To meet the gap Grain has been atthe forefront in providing new importation andstorage capacity and it now provides one ofthe largest storage installations in the world.

7.5 A two-way electrical inter-connector (BritNed)now links Grain and the Netherlands andaviation fuel is also imported, stored anddistributed from Grain.

7.6 Although renewable technologies will play amuch greater part in energy production in thefuture, all the indications are that fossil fuelsources will continue to be needed, if a seriousenergy gap is to be avoided. Medway’sstrategic contribution to national requirementswill therefore continue for the foreseeablefuture.

7.7 Despite this enormous investment instrategically vital infrastructure however, thebenefits to the local area and economy havebeen limited. The operational workforce foreach facility is quite small and the constructionworkforce is drawn from around the worldrather than from within Medway.

7.8 Despite this there are certain opportunities forthe future, which will be vigorously pursued:

• The creation of a maintenance and supportservices cluster to the local energy sector,building on Medway’s traditionalmanufacturing and support industriesstrengths

• Long term research and developmentopportunities if new plants are required toinstall full scale CCS

• The potential for large-scale district heatingutilising waste heat from new power plants.Initial feasibility studies in relation toKingsnorth indicated a scale of opportunityso far unique in the UK (100,000 homesequivalent)

• Local matching of skills development to theneeds of the sector.

7. Energy, Waste and Minerals

79


Policy CS21: Conventional Energy Generation

Proposals for additional power generation and energystorage capacity on the Hoo Peninsula and the Isle ofGrain will be supported, subject to:

• Their impact on the natural environment andlocal settlements being acceptable

• Specific efforts being applied to the recruitmentand use of local labour, including collaborationwith local universities and colleges

• The feasibility and viability of proposals beingassessed for their potential to re-use waste heat.

The Council will positively promote the development oflocal supply chains and a support and maintenancecluster. It will also seek to develop further value addedand Research and Development activities in conjunctionwith the plant operators.

Provision for Minerals

7.9 Medway Council is the Mineral PlanningAuthority (MPA) for the area. It is charged withthe responsibility of ensuring a steady supply ofminerals to both meet local needs and contributeproportionally to regional requirements.

7.10 Details of the available local reserves, pastproduction rates and other information are set outin the Minerals State of Medway Report.

7.11 The materials covered by this section are:

• Secondary aggregates – effectively the reuse ofmaterials such as demolition waste in place ofvirgin aggregates

• Land won sands and gravels (aggregates)

• Chalk

• Clay

• The importation of aggregates – both marinedredged and land won from outside theregion.

7.12 Where relevant the Medway apportionments interms of supply, capacity and safeguarding fromthe appropriate regional working parties areapplied.

7.13 The government’s overall objectives for mineralssupply and safeguarding are:

• A reduction in overall need through increasedefficiency of use

• Use of recycled and secondary aggregates tosupplant primary sources as far as technicallypractical; and

• Securing the remainder of the supply needfrom new primary extraction (terrestrial andmarine).

7.14 It also applies the following hierarchy in terms ofmeeting need:

1. Increased use of alternatives to primaryaggregates are to be encouraged wheretechnically practicable

2. Use of imported marine resources, whereenvironmentally sustainable sources arepresent; and

3. Source land won resources, maintaining atleast a seven year landbank of permissionsbased on the sub-regional apportionmentsfrom the evidence base of the South East Plan

4. Make provision at existing cementmanufacturing facilities for at least 15 years ofproduction, and 25 years at new sites.

7.15 There is no specific guidance for high puritychalk for whiting purposes or for clay, althoughboth occur in Medway. However it is prudent thatresources of high quality engineering clay andchalk should be maintained. Medway has nobrick or clay tile industry but has abundantLondon Clay resources that can be used forcertain purposes such as coastal flood defences.

7.16 The likely revocation of the South East Plan willmean that Medway no longer has to makeprovision to meet a sub-regional apportionmentfor secondary aggregates of 0.2 million tonnesper annum (mtpa). However it is national policyto seek to substitute primary aggregates withsecondary sources and significant amounts of thismaterial are derived from the construction anddemolition waste stream. Accordingly it isconsidered that Medway should make provisionfor the 0.2 million tonnes per annum previouslyenvisaged.

80


7.17 Both land won minerals (crushed rock and sandand gravel) and marine dredged materials (sandand gravel) are imported into the South East.Wharves and railheads are essential to thissource of supply and it is of growing importanceto overall aggregate supply. Some 13.1 milliontonnes of sands and gravels and crushed rockwere supplied to the region in 2007, while only8.5 million tonnes came from land won reserves.Medway’s regional contribution is in the order of2 million tonnes so the safeguarding of facilitieswill be important to maintain this increasinglyimportant source of supply.

7.18 Medway has the following facilities:

Marine Wharves:

• Euro Wharf, Frindsbury, Medway City Estate –Aggregates

Combined Rail Depot and Marine Wharves:

• Ex BP Terminal, Isle of Grain – Aggregates

• North Sea Terminal, Cliffe –Aggregates/Cement Products

• Halling Coal Rail Depot and Wharf, Halling –Coal/Cement Products

Planned but Non Operational Marine Wharves:

• Halling (adjacent to Halling Coal Rail Depotand Wharf) – Aggregates/ Waste Treatment toform Secondary Aggregates.

7.19 In terms of native land won aggregates theGovernment has indicated its support for regionalapportionments envisaged in the South East Plan.In Medway’s case that is 0.18 mtpa. This equatesto 2.7 million tonnes for the period 2010-25 anda land bank of planning permissions at any onetime of 1.26 million tonnes (equal to 7 years ofproduction) throughout the life of the plan.

7.20 Medway has a long history of cementmanufacture but this has now ceased. TheCemex UK owned Halling works has been demolished and significant permitted reserves ofchalk in the Dean Valley at Cuxton have beenabandoned. There is a significant new cementmanufacturing site at Holborough in Tonbridgeand Malling, owned by Lafarge UK that bordersMedway. Preliminary site works have beenimplemented here but it is not known if or whenthe plant itself might be constructed. Theassociated chalk reserves (in Tonbridge andMalling) are in excess of 35 years.

7.21 Given this situation there is no need to identifyany additional chalk resources for the cementindustry at this stage.

7.22 High purity chalk for industrial whiting purposesis not specifically covered by national mineralplanning policy but there is an important plantand associated reserves at Cliffe Quarry, ownedand operated by Omya UK. The reserves are inexcess of 6 million tonnes. Extraction rates are inthe order of 20-30,000 tonnes per annum andthere is an approved low-level restorationscheme. There is therefore no need to identifyadditional reserves of high purity chalk.

7.23 Medway does not have a clay brick or tileindustry but does have abundant deposits ofLondon Clay on the Hoo Peninsula. This materialis suitable for engineering clay uses. Again thereis no specific national mineral planning policy forengineering clay and it is an abundant materialin the region but there is intermittent localdemand, primarily for use on flood defences. Thesole permitted reserves, at Rose Court Farm nearGrain, are time limited to the end of 2011.

81


7.24 Clay is also an important material for lining andcapping waste landfill/landraise sites and canalso be used for contaminated land remediation.Accordingly it is appropriate to consider this interms of possible requirements.

7.25 In terms of land won aggregates the permittedreserves in Medway are currently 1.2 milliontonnes, representing a land bank of 6.6 years.These are at a site close to the east of Hoo St.Werburgh. Although it has planning permission,extraction has not commenced. The remainingreserves at Perry’s Farm, Grain have beenabandoned as uneconomic and the site is beingrestored back to agriculture.

7.26 Given this situation the overall requirement for theperiod 2010-2025 is:

• 2.7 million tonnes, minus current permittedreserves of 1.2 million tonnes, giving a residualrequirement of 1.5 million tonnes; and

• A rolling land bank of 1.26 million tonnesthroughout the life of the plan.

7.27 Resources available have varying degrees ofreliability in terms of both quantity and economicviability. The potential reserves at Grain are now

considered to be uneconomic. Against this, totalproven reserves are 1,640,000 tonnes and totalpotential (proven and unproven) river terracesand and gravel reserves in the unconstrainedareas of the Hoo Peninsula are assessed as beingin a range from 3,345,326 tonnes to 4,547,940tonnes.

7.28 The available reserves are therefore more thansufficient to provide the 1.5 million tonnesproposed between 2010-2025.

7.29 The current land bank figure is equivalent to 6.6years. With each successive year this is reducedby the assumed production of 0.18 mtpa.Assuming further reserves are permitted from theunconstrained identified potentially workablesand and gravel reserves on the peninsula thesewould ensure a 7 year land bank is maintainedup to and beyond the end of the plan period.The lower reserve figure of 3.45 million tonneswould provide for a land bank until 2028 andthe potentially higher figure of 4.54 milliontonnes until 2035.

7.30 The identified reserves are shown on Figure 7.1

Figure 7 1 Land Won Sand and Gravels

82


7.31 Given the lack of cement production and thelarge reserve of high quality chalk at Cliffethere is no need to identify additional reservesof chalk over the plan period. It is possiblethat chalk supply could be sought foragricultural liming purposes or for engineeringactivity and so provision is proposed to meetthis eventuality.

Policy CS22: Provision for Minerals

Provision of a continuous supply of 0.2 million tonnesper annum of Secondary Aggregates will be soughtby:

• Imposing conditions requiring the reclamationand reuse of construction and demolitionwastes on redevelopment sites

• Allocating sites for the processing, sortingand distribution of secondary aggregatematerials in the Land Allocations andDevelopment Management Development PlanDocument.

The Council will make provision for the extraction ofat least 0.18 million tonnes per annum of land wonaggregates within the area identified to the east ofHoo St. Werburgh, together with at least a 7 yearland bank of permitted sand and gravel reserves inthe areas of search identified on the Hoo Peninsulaover the plan period.

The Land Allocations and Development ManagementDPD will define the geographical extent of the Areasof Search in more detail.

The basis for assessing proposals to meet anidentified national, regional or local need forengineering grade clay or chalk will be set out in theLand Allocations and Development ManagementDPD.

All existing mineral wharves will be safeguardedagainst proposals that would prejudice their use forthe continued importation of marine dredged sandand gravel, crushed rock and associated materials.

Waste Management

7.32 More background information on this complextopic can be found in the Waste State ofMedway Report.

7.33 As a unitary authority Medway is responsiblefor the contractual arrangements for thecollection, treatment and disposal of themunicipal solid waste stream and for thesustainable spatial planning of the necessarycapacity for this and all the other wastestreams represented in the area. These are:

• Commercial and industrial waste

• Construction, demolition and excavationwastes; and

• Hazardous waste.

7.34 The emphasis is very much on sustainablewaste management. That is reduction, reuseand recycling at source to meet national andregional guidance and targets, including anamended EU Waste Directive, now transposedinto UK law, which strives for zero waste. Thisis reflected in a recently amended wastehierarchy issued by the Government.

Figure 7 2 The Waste Hierarchy

7.35 Wastes that cannot be recovered and residuesfrom treated waste have to be safely disposedof to land (landfill) but this is increasingly a lastresort solution and volumes being dealt with inthis way are reducing rapidly.

7.36 Councils in the South East have been requiredto make provision for the disposal of a certainamount of London’s waste to landfill. Howeverthere has been no recent demand for this inMedway and given the rapid trend towardszero waste it is not expected to apply in thefuture.

83


7.37 One of the guiding principles of national policyis that waste should be treated in reasonableproximity to where it arises. This is toencourage local responsibility and limit theenvironmental impact of transporting wastematerials over long distances. Any finaldisposal should also be as close as possible tothe place of origin of the waste.

7.38 An important consequence of the movetowards zero waste is the need for a greaterrange of facilities to recover reusable materialsand treat those capable of subsequent reuse,as opposed to landfill capacity. A wide rangeof methods and technologies are emerging,making it difficult to determine futurerequirements. However such facilities caninclude those for soil treatment, secondaryaggregates, waste oil recovery and organicmaterial processing such as composting.

7.39 The Council has just let a 25 year wastedisposal contract for its municipal waste. Aftera competitive tender process, it will be takenout of the area for treatment and disposal. Asa result there is no need to make provision forthis form of waste over this plan period.However provision must still be made for theother waste streams.

Commercial and Industrial Wastes

7.40 The quantities of commercial and industrialwastes arising in Medway were calculated in2009 as follows:

Table 7 1 Average tonnage per Sector perAnnum

7.41 Environment Agency data in 2008 showedhow this type of waste was dealt with,although this did not necessarily all occur inMedway or comprise exclusively Medwaywaste. This is shown in Table 7-2.

Table 7 2 Disposal of Commercial and IndustrialWaste 2008

7.42 Currently Medway has the followingfacilities/capacity to deal with thesecommercial and industrial wastes:

• 0.67mtpa potential recycling capacity over awide range of wastes but with significantapplication to the Commercial and IndustrialWastes stream, at Medway City Estate

• In vessel waste composting at Kingsnorth:125,000 tpa

84


• Abattoir waste in vessel composting at MattsHill: 40,000 tpa

7.43 Although the treatment or disposal of over halfthe waste identified by the Environment Agencyis unknown, it is known that recycling andrecovery rates are increasing. Landfill maycontinue to be the only option for certain typesof waste but quantities associated with this canalso be expected to decline rapidly as costsincrease and new methods of reuse, recyclingand recovery are introduced.

Construction, Demolition and ExcavationWaste

7.44 This is also a difficult waste stream to quantify.The great majority of material is dealt with onsite (crushing and reuse of demolition waste forexample) and so is not officially classified aswaste. Those materials taken off-site may betreated elsewhere or simply sold on, forexample, as hardcore. However Table 7-3shows how quantities recorded by theEnvironment Agency in 2008 were dealt with.

Table 7 3 Disposal of Construction, Demolitionand Excavation Waste, 2008

In addition to this some 6,010.8 tonnes of inertwastes were reprocessed.

7.45 It can be assumed that all reprocessed materialwas reused in one way or another. Theproportion needing final disposal was verysmall.

7.46 Most treatment – crushing, washing etc. – iscarried out on the site where the waste arises,using mobile plant. Material that cannot bedealt with in this way is normally taken to localdepots for sorting, grading and so on and thensold on as construction or recycling material.

7.47 Facilities available for this are currently limitedin Medway. There is some capacity at KnightRoad in Strood but this will need to berelocated as the Temple Waterfrontregeneration area comes forward forredevelopment.

Hazardous Wastes

7.48 Hazardous waste can arise from all wastesectors. The Environment Agency’s HazardousWaste Interrogator 2008 showed that some22,245 tonnes of Medway’s wastes wererecorded as hazardous, of which 12,799tonnes were managed in Medway. The datashows that hazardous materials weretransferred nationally, illustrating the complexnature of this waste stream with relatively smallquantities often being taken to a few specialisttreatment and disposal facilities nationwide.Medway has a recorded negligible amount ofLow Level Radioactive wastes that are part ofthis stream.

7.49 The Medway site operator waste returninterrogator 2008 detailed company activity asset out in Table 7-4.

Table 7 4 Disposal of Hazardous Waste, 2008

7.50 Facilities within Medway catering forhazardous wastes include tyre shredding andwaste oils recycling plants at Kingsnorth andmetal recovery at Medway City Estate with thefollowing capacities:

• 167,500 tonnes per annum oil/water wastetreatment

• 147,125 tonnes per annum metalsferrous/non-ferrous recovery

85


• 74,740 tonnes per annum photographic andprinting waste disposal and recycling,including silver recovery and refining

• 3,650 tonnes per annum asbestos wastestreatment and transfer.

7.51 There are no arisings of low-level nuclear wastesin Medway and so local provision is notnecessary for such material.

7.52 Regional analysis identified priority needs forhazardous waste capacity in the form of:

• Additional hazardous waste landfill capacityin the south and south-east of the region (priorto the new waste hierarchy being introduced)

• Treatment facilities for air pollution controlresidues (primarily flue residues fromcontrolled processes)

• Treatment facilities for waste electronic andelectrical equipment (WEEE); and

• Sub-regional networks of contaminatedConstruction Demolition and Excavation wastetreatment facilities.

7.53 It was suggested that authorities should:

• Identify and safeguard sites for the storage,treatment and remediation of contaminatedand demolition waste

• Identify criteria for the determination of large-scale specialist hazardous waste facilities,and a network of landfill cells for stabilisednon-reactive hazardous wastes.

London’s Waste Exports

7.54 Medway is still technically required to haveregard for London’s waste exports. However itis increasingly likely to be the case that anymaterials will be residues from higher orderwaste management processes. The quantitiesare unclear and the London authorities andcommercial operators have expressed nointerest in new landfill capacity.

7.55 It is expected that the Government will clarify itsposition on this in due course but given theabsence of any current demand in Medway it isnot intended to make specific provision forLondon’s waste.

The Strive for Overall Self Sufficiency

7.56 Medway has an array of facilities andassociated capacity for the management ofwaste but whether these deal with materialsgenerated in Medway or they are brought intothe area is largely a matter for the operatorsand their commercial contract arrangements.

7.57 For the future, the priorities are therefore to:

• Ensure there is sufficient capacity for wastehandling, recycling and treatment for each ofthe waste streams, including transfer capacityfor municipal waste

• That there is adequate collection infrastructure,given increasing separation of differentwastes at source

• Consider whether specific provision should bemade for new landfill capacity and, if so,whether this should be for non-inert orhazardous wastes, or a combination of these.

7.58 Medway City Estate and Kingsnorth are alreadyestablished as centres for waste handling andtreatment and, subject to market demand,further expansion would be appropriateprovided relevant environmental standards aremet.

7.59 With rapid developments in the wastemanagement field it is difficult to forecast whatspecific collection and transfer facilities will berequired over the plan period but these canusually be readily dealt with in conjunction withthe planning of new developments and in theestablished employment areas.

7.60 Landfill capacity across the South East isdeclining rapidly but that is also the case withthe quantity of material that needs to bedisposed of in this way. Providing new capacityis almost wholly dependent on having suitablevoid space and the right geological conditions.

7.61 Much of Medway sits on chalk, a highlypermeable rock, unsuitable for non-inert andhazardous waste disposal. However chalkquarries can and have been restored using inertmaterials. The Hoo Peninsula, on the other hand, is overlain with London Clay and thisimpermeable material is well suited for the

86


landfilling of non-inert and hazardous materialsthat cannot be disposed of in any other way.However there are no existing voids so anyprovision would either involve the creation ofnew void space by extraction of cover materialor re-profiling land by raising its naturalcontours or a combination of the twoapproaches.

7.62 It would appear that Medway’s arisings from allsectors, including hazardous wastes, are notsufficiently large to justify the investmentrequired to create new void space, though crossboundary flows of wastes historically occur andthis may well distort what would otherwise be‘perfect’ self-sufficiency in an area’s range ofwaste management capacities including finaldisposal to land. The Hoo Peninsula is alsoremote from major markets adding to transportcosts and the environmental impact oftransporting materials.

7.63 Given these considerations no specificallocations for new landfill/landraise facilitiesare proposed but Policy CS23 includes

appropriate criteria for determining anyproposals that might come forward. Thepotential final waste disposal to land resourceareas that are relatively free of strategicconstraints are shown in Figure 7-2 below.

7.64 A particular characteristic of the ThamesGateway is the number of redevelopment siteswhere the ground has been contaminated byprevious uses. These soils and other materialsneed to be treated before the sites are reused.Frequently this is done on site using a variety oftechniques but some practitioners have calledfor ‘cluster’ facilities where material can bebrought for treatment where this is not practicalon site. The Council has carefully assessed theneed for such a facility but has found noevidence of market demand for it. Neverthelessit will carefully consider any proposals thatmight come forward against the criteria inPolicy CS23.

Figure 7 3 Potential Final Waste Disposal toLand Resource Area

87


Policy CS23: Waste Management

Provision will be made for the collection, reuse,recycling, treatment and disposal of Medway’s wasteby:

• Ensuring all new built developments makeappropriate provision for the separation,storage and collection of waste materials

• Permitting facilities for the reuse, recycling,treatment and transfer of waste materials,subject to their being of an appropriateenvironmental standard. Medway City Estateand Kingsnorth and, at a lesser scale, theexisting established employment areas arethe preferred locations for such activities

• Assessing the potential for a soil treatmentfacility, subject to acceptable localenvironmental impacts, adequate accessarrangements and any impact on residentialamenity.

Any proposals for the creation of void space orlandraising to facilitate a disposal facility for non-inert or hazardous materials within the areas referredto as the Potential Disposal to Land Resource Areason the Hoo Peninsula and the Isle of Grain will beassessed against the following criteria:

• Impact of development on rural landscapecharacter and local distinctiveness. To bejudged against characteristics and guidelinesas set out in the Medway LandscapeCharacter Assessment

• Other local impacts, including on residentialamenity, being acceptable

• The site being well related to the primaryroad network and with suitable site accessand egress arrangements

• It being clearly demonstrated that thematerials to be deposited cannot bereasonably disposed of in any other way(that is that they are irreducible residues)

• That the facility will handle a high proportionof such waste arising within Medway and theimmediately surrounding area to ensure asustainable pattern of disposal

.

• Unless a specific needs case can bedemonstrated, that wastes to be deposited donot involve a road haulage distance of morethan 50 miles

• That all the reasonable requirements of theEnvironment Agency can be satisfied

• There being a clear programme and timelimit for the operation proposed andsatisfactory provision for the restoration andafter-use of the site.

88


Introduction

8.1 As an all-purpose unitary authority MedwayCouncil is also a transport authority,responsible for the local highway network,public rights of way and other transport relatedinfrastructure. This includes 840 km of adoptedhighway and 293 km of public rights of way,plus the Medway Tunnel.

8.2 However the Council has no specificresponsibility for the rail network orcommercial bus services, although it worksclosely with all operators and with theHighways Agency, which is responsible for themotorway and trunk road network. There areno trunk roads in Medway but the M2 runsthrough the area.

8.3 In this role the Council is required to prepare aLocal Transport Plan, setting out an overalltransport strategy for the area. Medway’s thirdLocal Transport Plan or LTP3 has recently beenadopted and it is purposely aligned to both theLocal Development Framework and theSustainable Community Strategy. It runs to2026. Its main provisions are summarisedbelow.

8.4 It follows that the transport and movementstrategy underpinning this Core Strategyclosely mirrors and is informed by the thirdLocal Transport Plan but with an emphasis onthose aspects that affect the programming ofdevelopment or have implications for land orproperty.

Thames Gateway Funding and LTP2

8.5 Due to its strategic location within the ThamesGateway, Medway received substantial capitalfunding from the Department of Communitiesand Local Government, the Department forTransport and the Homes and CommunitiesAgency for a range of transport initiativesrunning through to 2011. These includedfunding to remove the flyover in Chatham,returning the town to a two way traffic system,widening the Brook etc., improvements toGillingham rail station, construction of a new‘dynamic’ bus station in Chatham and over

£13 million for bus infrastructure and buspriority measures to begin to create a qualitybus network. In 2011 a comprehensive UrbanTraffic Management Control (UTMC) systemwent live. Further improvements to the A228 toGrain were also underway.

8.6 This funding addressed longstanding problemsand introduced new capacity to the highwaynetwork. Significantly it also created capacityto accommodate development on the majorregeneration sites in the short term.

8.7 Over the longer term however furtherinterventions will be required to offsetbackground traffic growth and these are thefocus for LTP3.

Context and Priorities

8.8 As indicated, the major challenge is to addressthe increased demand for travel that will ariseover the longer term. At the same time it isrecognised that transport influences and addsvalue to many key priorities includingeconomic growth, the natural environment,connectivity, equality of opportunity and health.

8.9 With a development strategy that specificallyseeks to accommodate future developmentwithin the existing main urban area and atLodge Hill, new primary transport links are notrequired to realise development. Localimprovements are required in a number ofcases but these do not, by themselves, have astrategic impact. Instead the emphasis needs tobe on the more effective management ofexisting networks and selective investment totackle congestion hotspots and improve publictransport options and capacity to offset generaltraffic growth.

8.10 This has been confirmed by intensive analysis,including the development of several transportmodels, one of which is an area wide SATURNmodel (Simulation and Assignment of Traffic toUrban Road Networks), which has beendeveloped in partnership with the HighwaysAgency. The forecast effects without furtherintervention are illustrated in the followingdiagram.

8. Transport and Movement

89


8.11 Further details are contained in a technicalreport prepared by the Council’s modellingconsultants, Transport Issue & PreliminaryOptions Report Phase 1 – 2nd Issue, April2009.

8.12 Consequently five overarching priorities havebeen set out in the third Local Transport Plan toguide future policies and programmes. These,and the key actions proposed under each areset out below:

Supporting Medway’s regeneration, economiccompetitiveness and growth by securing areliable and efficient local transport network

Key actions:

• More efficient management of the highwaynetwork and car parks

• Improvements to the strategic road networkfocusing on congestion hotspots

• Improving the quality of bus services,including the development of Fastrack stylebus links and smart ticketing

• Better management of freight, includingimproved access to the InternationalGateway at Grain

• Encouraging walking and cycling for shortjourneys

• Investigating river transport and additionalriver crossings.

Supporting a healthier natural environment bycontributing to tackling climate change andimproving air quality

90

Figure 8 1 Main Congestion Hotspots


Key actions:

• Encouraging alternatives to the private carby:

- Improving the quality of bus services,including the development of Fastrackstyle bus links

- Encouraging walking and cycling for shortjourneys

• More efficient management of the highwaynetwork including air quality, trafficmanagement schemes and tacklingcongestion hotspots.

Ensuring Medway has good quality transportconnections to key markets and major conurbations inKent and London

Key actions:

• Improved sub-regional public transportservices and facilities to connect Medwaywith key business centres and labour markets,including improvements to railway stations

• Longer distance trips into Medway capturedby park and ride services to reduce towncentre traffic

• More coordinated sub-regional highwaynetwork management by improvedpartnership working with the HighwaysAgency and Kent County Council

• Encouraging commuters to cycle to railwaystations as part of their outward journey towork

• Development of sub-regional cycle routes.

Supporting equality of opportunity to employment,education, goods and services for all residents inMedway

Key actions:

• Improving accessibility to bus services forpeople with mobility difficulties

• Supporting students to access the learningquarter by public transport, walking andcycling

• Supporting independence by maintaining

socially necessary bus services and providingtransport services to day services

• Revised design guidance for newdevelopments that supports improvedaccessibility by walking, cycling and publictransport

• Community transport schemes.

Supporting a safer, healthier and more securecommunity in Medway by promoting active lifestylesand by reducing the risk of death, injury or ill healthor being the victim of crime

Key actions:

• Road safety interventions incorporatinghighway schemes, education, publicity,promotion and enforcement

• Safer routes to school initiatives

• Encouraging cycling

• Improved pedestrian access to local facilities

• Development of Green Grid and the CoastalAccess initiatives, and improving public rightsof way

• Public safety initiatives

• Effective highway maintenance, includingfootways and cycleways.

8.13 Specific schemes to address these matters aregrouped under five transport objectives andprogrammed as follows:

• Short term: April 2011 to March 2016

• Medium term: April 2016 to March 2021

• Long term: April 2021 to March 2026.

8.14 A full list of schemes and actions can be foundin Appendix E.

8.15 Although many actions and schemes areproposed over the life of this plan it is expectedthat the great majority will not requireadditional land, other than as an integralfeature of new built developments. Howeversome schemes to address congestion hotspotsmay do so, depending on detailed designs,and these are listed below:

91


• A289 link between Four Elms roundabout andMedway Tunnel including Sans Pareil andAnthony’s Way roundabouts and exit fromMedway City Estate

• A2 junctions and link between Chatham Hilland Canterbury Street junctions

• A2/A228 links through Strood town centre

• A2 junction with Mierscourt Road, Rainham

8.16 The M2 through the area was widened andupgraded only a few years ago. Generouscarriageway capacity has been provided andmost junctions operate satisfactorily. HoweverJunction 3 (Chatham) is an exception. This is avery large and complex junction that caters notonly for motorway traffic but also local trafficaccessing the A299 (Bluebell Hill) betweenMedway and Maidstone. The junction is locatedoutside of the Medway boundary but significantamounts of traffic using it originate in Medway.

8.17 The Highways Agency is concerned that furthergrowth would impact on this junction,notwithstanding the fact that there are fewsignificant proposals for new development closeto it. Given this situation the Council will workwith the Agency and the adjoining transportauthority (Kent County Council) to seek toidentify possible measures to divert some localtraffic using the junction. However given theshort time since the junction was rebuilt it isexpected that the Agency will also considerwhat further investment it should make inimproving the junctions performance.

Other Transport Related Issues

8.18 LTP3 considers a number of aspects of rivertransport and the role of the major port facilities.These include identifying the need to protectand possibly supplement existing piers tosupport possible river bus/taxi services. It doesnot consider aviation issues as these have verylocalised impacts and no scheduled servicesoperate from Rochester Airport.

8.19 However it is important that the Core Strategytakes full account of the planning implications ofthese matters.

8.20 In the case of both the River Medway and theThames, “saved” local plan policies giveprotection to a number of local wharves aswell as the larger docks at Chatham andThamesport. These include a strategicallyimportant aggregates importation wharf atCliffe, wharves on Medway City Estate and awharf at Halling. All benefit from reasonablelandward access and are well established. It isintended that they should continue to besafeguarded over the longer term in order thatthe area can continue to contribute to national,regional and local needs for maritime capacity.

8.21 Thamesport is an international gateway and isa nationally significant container port withpotential for further growth together with thedevelopment of ‘value added’ activities on adjoining land (Grain employment area). Bothsafeguarding it and facilitating its furtherdevelopment is therefore appropriate.

8.22 Chatham Docks caters for smaller vessels – upto 8,000 tonnes – with lock gates controllingaccess from the Medway. The site andassociated facilities need reinvestment but thereis every indication that it has a long-term commercial role, complementing the largerports catering for deep-sea traffic and handlingvessels too large for local wharves and jetties.Accordingly it is intended that it shouldcontinue to be safeguarded although someconsolidation within the site may be possible.

8.23 Over many years efforts have been made toencourage water taxi style services along theurban waterfront, particularly to cater forvisitors during the summer months. Despite anumber of piers and landing places beingavailable this has not proved viable but it isconsidered important to safeguard thesefacilities for the future. The continuingdevelopment of major visitor attractions on orclose to the riverbank and the increasedpopulation that will result from theredevelopment of the waterfront regenerationsites may well present new opportunities, asmay the proposed park and ride site atWhitewall Creek. The relevant locations are:

92


Piers and Jetties:

• Commodore Hard

• Lower Upnor Pier

• Chatham Maritime Marina

• Thunderbolt Pier

• Sun Pier

• Strood Pier

• Rochester Pier

8.24 In terms of aviation there are two establishedfacilities:

• Rochester Airport – a general aviation facilitywith two grass runways, catering for leisureflying, flight training and some emergencyservice uses. It is subject to airspacesafeguarding by the Council

• Stoke Microlights – this is a small,unlicensed, facility situated relatively close tothe large employment area at Kingsnorth.There is currently no safeguarding regime inplace, either for the limited facilities on theground or the surrounding airspace.

8.25 Facilities at Rochester Airport needreinvestment and upgrading and the currentoperator is working closely with the Council tosee how this might be achieved, while alsoensuring that adjacent land can be fully utilisedfor employment purposes (see Economychapter). Investigations are ongoing and it isexpected that a masterplan covering both theAirport and surrounding land will be agreed inthe near future.

8.26 The Stoke facility is limited in scale andconstrained by high voltage power lines andother features. Accordingly it is not proposedto afford it long term safeguarding.

Transport and Development

8.27 Although some continuing growth in privatecar traffic is probable, it is vital thatalternatives are available if congestion alongmany urban routes is not to reachunacceptable levels.

8.28 The urban regeneration areas areexceptionally well located in relation toexisting bus routes and the mainline railstations and so can contribute to theenhancement of these facilities, as opposed tocatering solely for the car.

8.29 In the case of Lodge Hill and the largeremployment areas some highwayimprovements will be required but there are stillopportunities for public transport solutions thatwill contribute to meeting the demand for non-commercial movements arising from thesedevelopments.

8.30 Accordingly it will be important, in allappropriate cases, to strike a balance betweendesign solutions catering for the car andproviding other choices, whether they arepublic transport, walking or cycling.

8.31 This will also be critically important in the towncentres and Chatham in particular. Hereadequate and high quality public parking,geared towards the short stay visitor, isimportant for their commercial viability.However employees and shoppers must alsohave access to high quality bus (including park

93


and ride) and rail options if congestion is to bemanaged and high quality environmentscreated and maintained.

8.32 Taking account of the varying factors set outabove, and proposals in the Local TransportPlan, Policy CS24 sets out the key planningprinciples that will be applied over the planperiod.

Policy CS24: Transport and Movement

Over the plan period:

• The highway system will be proactivelymanaged to minimise congestion, through theoperation of urban traffic management andcontrol systems, the development of a qualitybus network and selective junctionimprovements in congestion/air qualityhotspots

• Car growth will be balanced by increasingthe capacity, reliability and quality of publictransport through:

- The introduction of Fastrack style services onmajor urban and inter urban routes,including to and from Lodge Hill

- Four potential park and ride facilities atHorsted, Whitewall Creek, Strood andbetween Gillingham and Rainham, pluspark and coach facilities

- Improved interchange facilities associatedwith the railway stations and in the towncentres

- Improved main line railway stations atStrood, Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham

- High quality real-time information and crossmode ticketing systems.

• Car parking in the town centres, especially inChatham, will be rationalised (though notreduced in scale) where appropriate intomulti storey facilities available for public use.Contributions will be sought towards newtown centre car parking in lieu of reducedprovision on individual sites

• Lower car parking standards will beconsidered in areas with already or

potentially good public transport availabilityto provide a realistic option to private car use

• All significant development proposals will besubject to an agreed transport assessment,which includes an assessment of the potentialto encourage modal shift away from privatecar use

• Walking and cycling networks will beextended, catering particularly for localjourneys but also sub-regionally, including inconjunction with new developments

• Existing wharf and port capacity will besafeguarded in order to meet national andregional capacity requirements and toencourage the local transportation of goodsby water

• A network of piers and landing places will besafeguarded to facilitate the introduction ofwater bus/taxi services along the urbanwaterfront, linking visitor and otherattractions and providing capacity for visitingvessels

• The Council will continue to work with theoperator of Rochester Airport to objectivelyconsider the future of the general aviationfacility, bearing in mind its co-location with astrategic employment opportunity.

94


Introduction

9.1 The Medway is one of the largest rivers in theSouth East and it is a defining feature of the area.It was made navigable as far as Maidstone in the17th century and then extended to Tonbridge by1746. The outer reaches have a naval historydating back to Henry VIII’s time. Although thenavy has now gone, the Medway is still animportant commercial river and is increasinglyrecognised for its nature conservation value.

9.2 The River forms one of the most dramatic andconsistent features of the Medway administrativearea; providing a strong link as it broadens outfrom the urban areas towards the marshes andthe Thames estuary; weaving together a tapestrythat connects a variety of landscapes, settlementsand communities. It provides Medway with muchof its strong sense of place and it contributessignificantly to the identity of the area. The river isalso highly visible from many places, providingdramatic views, particularly from strategic pointsalong the waterfront and from areas of higherground. However it is less accessible in otherareas – a legacy from the time when the Navyand industry monopolised the waterfront. TheMedway is also home to a significant number ofindustrial archaeological assets.

9.3 The tidal River comprises three reaches – outer(Sheerness to Chetney Marshes), middle (ChetneyMarshes to Gillingham) and inner (Gillingham toAllington Lock). The ‘Conservator’ is the MedwayPorts Authority, part of Peel Ports and operator ofboth Chatham and Sheerness Docks. Theconservator has responsibility (below the highwater mark) for navigation arrangements, ‘trots’or floating berths, associated byelaws and othermatters.

9.4 The local character of the river and its edgesvaries along its length. Distinctive natural featureswithin the undeveloped sections of waterfrontbetween Gillingham and Sheerness includeextensive areas of inter-tidal habitat, comprisingsaltmarsh and mudflat. The wooded slopesaround Upnor provide particularly dramaticviews from the river and from the south bank.Historic military uses are distinctive features alongthe river, particularly at Chatham HistoricDockyard and at Rochester and Upnor Castles.Developed sections along the north bank includemajor infrastructure facilities at Grain andKingsnorth, including power stations and acontainer port. Within the urban area there is aworking port at Gillingham (Chatham Docks).Industrial facilities predominate along the NorthBank at Medway City Estate.

9.5 The estuary also supports nationally andinternationally important populations of breedingand passage birds. It is likely that it will bedesignated as a Marine Coastal Zone.

9.6 Major new housing schemes are replacingformer uses at Rochester Riverside and St Mary’sIsland. There are marinas at various locations,including sites at Upnor, St Mary’s Island,Gillingham Waterfront, Strood, Rochester andCuxton. The rich variety of industrial, historic andleisure uses along the river provides a diverseand varied character with strong localdistinctiveness.

9.7 Important economic activities along the Medwayinclude the gas terminal and Thamesportcontainer site on the Isle of Grain, coalimportation to Kingsnorth Power Station,Chatham Docks and aggregate and other riverwharfs. However most of these activities are notmajor employment generators.

95

9. The River Medway


Management of the Natural Eco-system

9.8 Navigation and dredging is an issue. Siltationhas increased in the river as dredging activitieshave reduced following the departure of theNavy and commercial activities have moveddownriver to the outer reaches. Over the longerterm this has implications for navigation,particularly in the upper stretches.

9.9 The extensive inter-tidal habitats bordering theestuary are of international importance forwildlife and designated as both SpecialProtection Areas and Ramsar sites. Howeverthese are under pressure from industrial activityand ‘coastal squeeze’ whereby the inter-tidalmargins are prevented from retreating and re-establishing in the face of sea level rise due toflood defence structures.

9.10 New habitat creation opportunities thereforeneed to be sought in order to mitigate for theloss of inter-tidal habitats (marshes), inaccordance with the Environment Agency’s

Regional Habitat Creation Programme asrequired by the Marine and Coastal Access Act2009.

9.11 Consultants have completing an update of theStrategic Flood Risk Assessment for the Medwayand an associated appraisal of the potentialoptions to manage flood risk in the UrbanMedway (providing the basis for a StrategicUrban Flood Defence Strategy). This putsforward options for managing flood risk for newdevelopment which are largely based on flooddefence asset replacement and do not considerprotection that could be afforded by acombination of flood risk managementmeasures. The Study indicates which approachwill be best in different flood cells. Currently,there are different standards and levels due todifferent land ownerships and engineering worksof different ages. It is accepted that, although alarge part of the urban waterfront is locatedwithin the flood plain, it needs to be defendeddue to the long established settlement form and

96

Figure 9 1 River Medway


the value of the commercial assets that would otherwise be at risk. Beyond the current urban boundaries however it is important toavoid inappropriate development that wouldincrease flood risk and reduce the capacity tostore flood water.

9.12 In addition to the Green Grid, the Core Strategyalso supports the creation of a ‘Blue Grid’. Thisencompasses a network of rivers, ditches,wetlands, ponds and lakes. As well as providingvaluable habitat, this network is essential tohydrological functioning. The Blue Grid willassist in reducing flood risk, reducing the impactof pollution, and allowing the free passage ofspecies.

Regeneration

9.13 The urban waterfront is the focus for Medway’sregeneration activity, with over 900 hectares ofbrownfield land spanning 11 spectacularkilometres of the River Medway. At its heart isChatham Centre and waterfront. The MedwayWaterfront Strategy (2004) proposed thecreation of a new linear waterfront city,composed of a series of urban quarters. Eachquarter will contribute its own particular sense ofplace to the overall character of the waterfront. Itidentified its unique characteristics as including:

• A series of spectacular meanders of the River,framed by steep escarpments, that create theopportunity for stunning views and visualconnections between the urban quarters

• Substantial areas of green spaces, largely aresult of the military fortifications associatedwith the Chatham Historic Dockyard, forminga distinctive backdrop to the urban areas

• The River Medway is both a busy workingriver and an important ecosystem. Theintertidal sand and mudflats are particularlyimportant as a food source for migrating birds and as spawning grounds for fish suchas sea bass

• The undeveloped coast and internationallysignificant wetland further downstream isdesignated as a Special Protection Area formigrating birds. The North Kent Marshes on

both sides of the river provide dramaticlandscapes and wildlife habitat as well asbeing used as grazing land; and

• The waterfront includes some of the most intactand finest historic features. Rochester Castleand Cathedral are among the oldest in thecountry and Rochester’s historic High Streetcontributes significantly to the environmentalquality of Medway’s Waterfront. During themid-17th century the Historic Dockyard atChatham became the Royal Navy’s pre-eminent shipbuilding and repair yard.Chatham’s naval and military heritage isamongst the most important in the world andthe Government has included it on a list oflocations to be nominated to the UnitedNations for World Heritage Site status.

Marine Leisure

9.14 Marine leisure activities primarily consist ofyachting and motor boating along the middleand upper reaches of the river, largely awayfrom conflict with the bulk of commercialactivities elsewhere. Existing marinas operate ator close to full capacity. It is recognised thatbetter co-ordination between marina operators isdesirable, in order to improve Medway’s leisureboating offer. Residential houseboat mooringsoccupy areas that could be utilised for additionalmarina berthing. Many of the houseboats havelimited facilities and are often somewhatunsightly. Therefore, proposals for upgraded ornew high quality marina facilities and amenitieswill be supported where there will be no adverseenvironmental impacts. In particular, impactsupon the SPA.

9.15 River access to shore facilities, attractions,shopping areas, restaurants and public housesrequire improving.

9.16 There are also a significant number of marineengineering and boat repair businesses thathave an important role within the local economy.

Chatham Docks

9.17 Chatham Docks occupies one of three basins ofthe former naval dockyard. It has a range ofcommercial and industrial tenants within the 56

97


hectare dock estate. It can cater for vessels up to 8,000 tonnes and so complements both deepwater facilities further down the river and smallercommercial wharves and jetties upstream.

Wharves, Piers and Jetties

9.18 A coherent network of piers and landing placesexists along the urban stretches of the river butsome are in disrepair. There is considered to bereal potential to develop tourism based watertaxi or other services between these facilities,despite this not being commercially viable in thepast. In some measure, this is due to thesignificant tidal range in the river but, asredevelopment along the waterfront gatherspace, new opportunities should arise. However,there are a very limited

number of public launching places on the river.Accordingly the retention and protection ofexisting and disused wharves, and public piers,and access land to them will be promoted.

9.19 The river is also strategically important for theimportation of construction aggregates and it isimportant that adequate capacity is retained.

9.20 Facilities for visiting vessels are currently limitedbut there is significant potential for this, not onlysmall craft but also certain types of cruise ship.

9.21 Given not only the great significance andpotential of the river but also its vulnerability toflooding and coastal squeeze, it is vital that it ismanaged effectively and that an appropriatebalance is maintained between its commercial,leisure and environmental roles. For this reasonthe Council has supported the Medway SwaleEstuary Partnership since its formation in the 1990’s. The Partnership brokers contact betweenthe many interests along the river andencourages an active management regime thatbalances different interests.

9.22 As with other bodies of this type there is someuncertainty over its future but the Council willalways seek to work with relevant organisationsto ensure that the river is sensitively managedand that an appropriate balance is achievedbetween different interests.

9.23 Proposals that maximise the potential of the River

Medway, as a valuable natural resource, willalso be supported. The Council will work with theappropriate bodies in order to implementmeasures that will result in improvements to waterquality and pollution levels in order to ensure thatthe Core Strategy helps achieve the requirementsof the EU Water Framework Directive. Financialcontributions will be sought from developers toassist this process in appropriate cases.

Policy CS25: The River Medway

The River Medway is strategically significant in terms ofits employment, environmental, transport and leisureimportance. Accordingly:

• Along the urban waterfront mixed useredevelopment will be promoted in order tocreate safe, high quality environments, providenew homes and jobs, leisure and socialinfrastructure facilities with public spaces asfocal points, a riverside walk and cycle wayand increased public access to the river

• Greater use will be made of the river. Wharvesand port capacity at Chatham Docks andThamesport will continue to be safeguarded forthe transhipment of freight, including waste andaggregates and other materials

• Existing infrastructure that provides access tothe river and the foreshore, such as piers,jetties, slipways, steps and stairs will beprotected unless redevelopment would result inan improvement. New facilities, including piersfor river taxis, will be encouraged whereappropriate.

• Leisure activities on and along the river will besupported as long as they will not harm theenvironment or natural ecosystems

• The river will be protected in its own right, as akey landscape feature of natural beauty.

• Proposed development will be expected toeither maintain or improve water quality andminimise air, land and water pollution.

• The Council will seek contributions fromdevelopers for the maintenance andimprovement of the river, where appropriate.

98


Introduction

10.1 This section of the Core Strategy sets out howthe overall strategy will be applied to specificareas within Medway.

10.2 To do this the administrative area has beendivided up as follows:

• The five towns – Strood, Rochester, Chatham,Gillingham and Rainham – including theirsuburban areas and urban/rural fringes

• The Hoo Peninsula and the Isle of Grain –excluding Lodge Hill

• Medway Valley – this area needs to beseparately considered from the rest of rural

Medway as it is located south of the M2 andis therefore outside the Thames Gateway andso falls into what has been termed the “restof Kent” sub region.

• Lodge Hill – this is considered separatelygiven the scale of change envisaged for thislocation.

10.3 Figure 10-1 shows the general extent of theseareas and context diagrams accompany thesections relating to each area below.

Figure 10 1 Spatial Sub Areas

10. Area Policies

99


100

10.4 In these sections the more significant issuesfacing each area are described and overallpolicies set out how these will be addressed.Each area has considerable contrasts, such asprosperous and deprived neighbourhoodswithin it and these are taken into account. Thebroad scale and location of development thateach area is expected to accommodate is alsohighlighted in table form. The figures in thetables are taken from the Strategic LandAvailability Assessment (SLAA) and so indicatewhat might be termed a baseline capacity foreach area. In practice the capacity of somesites and areas may be greater. This is due tothe strict rules followed in preparing the SLAA.

Strood

10.5 Strood has extensive residential areasbordering the town centre and adjacent ruralareas. These vary from pre-1919 terracedstreets close to the town centre, to post warestates to the west and modern development,still being completed, at Wainscott andFrindsbury.

10.6 The extensive river frontage is of poor visualquality and susceptible to flooding.

This reflects its industrial past. The townscapein the central area is also of variable qualityand although the town centre is performingwell economically it lacks character andsuffers from heavy traffic congestion.

10.7 Strood is a key employment location withextensive estates at Knight Road/Priory Roadand on the Frindsbury Peninsula (MedwayCity Estate). Despite this much of the towncentre and adjoining areas are classified assuffering from deprivation.

10.8 Strood station is strategically important,providing mainline services (including HighSpeed 1) to a number of London termini andacting as the northern terminus for theMedway Valley Line. However it is notwelcoming and needs upgrading in terms oflonger platforms and access. Links to thetown centre are also poor.

10.9 The central area has seen a substantialdecrease in its resident population since2001 and it also has a rapidly ageingpopulation. Deprivation factors include‘income’ and ‘education and skills’. Out ofwork benefit claims are also high.

10.10 The outlying residential areas also havepockets of deprivation related to education,crime and the local living environment.

10.11 Wainscott and Frindsbury have the smallestproportion of working age residents inMedway, with more older people andchildren than the norm. There are relativelyhigh levels of claims for incapacity benefitand carers allowance, indicating underlyinghealth issues associated with older agegroups. Deprivation is not significant but thearea fares poorly on ‘barriers to housing andservices’.

10.12 Significant steps have been taken to beginthe fundamental regeneration of the TownCentre and Riverside with adopteddevelopment briefs for Temple Waterfrontand Strood Riverside and a masterplan forcentral Strood that was prepared specificallyto inform the Core Strategy.


The demolition of the Civic Centre has alsostarted to prepare this prominent site forredevelopment. It is intended that these sitesare taken forward in accordance with thealready agreed development briefs andmasterplan.

10.13 The Strood Town Centre Masterplan has 8 keyobjectives to guide the future development inthe centre of Strood. These are reproducedbelow as they encapsulate the actions neededto revitalise the central area and improve itsimage.

1. Capitalise on major developments

To ensure that the planned housing-leddevelopment of major sites at Strood Riversideand Temple Waterfront, and futureredevelopment of the Civic Centre are all wellconnected to the heart of the town centre toenable them to support the role and functionof the centre.

2. Strengthen the role of Strood’s town centre

To improve the retail ‘circuit’ in the town centrethrough better connections between the keyanchor stores and the High Street,encouraging more linked trips by pedestriansfrom a single point of access/parking andutilising the redevelopment of the Tesco storeto secure an improved retail frontage to theHigh Street/Commercial Road area. Securebetter leisure offer in the heart that willcontribute to the vitality of the centre.

3. Improve the appearance of the town centre

To ensure that redevelopment of sites withinthe Town Centre area contributes to improvingthe street scene and public realmimprovements to key streets and spaces. Anumber of sites on prominent corners currentlymake a poor contribution to the streetenvironment, together with key streets that arelined with surface parking. New developmentshould provide buildings that address thestreet, with parking and servicing located tothe rear.

4. Secure Strood as a working town

To protect, enhance and promote employmentuses and opportunities in Strood to strengthenand grow the local economy, reduce the needto travel, and promote a sustainablecommunity.

5. Managing the Medway – improvingaccess and flood defences

To ensure that waterfront developments, andother areas affected by flooding contribute toproviding broad improvements to the flooddefences for the town. New developmentshould also seek to recover and providephysical links to, and along the waterfront,contributing to an accessible and attractiveriver walk, to improve movement and well-being.

6. Rediscovering heritage assets – promotingdistinctiveness

To recover the lost and hidden heritage ofStrood and ensure that heritage assetscontribute to a high quality townscape andstrong sense of place.

7. Enabling improved access and movement

To ensure that all new development andstreetscape improvements contribute toimproving safer and more attractive routes forpedestrians and cyclists, facilitate better publictransport and minimise the impact of privatevehicles on the functioning of the town.Improvements to access for pedestrians to therail station, and between key shoppingfacilities, should be prioritised.

8. Promoting open space and urban greenspace

To ensure that the redevelopment of thewaterfront also respects the ecological andrecreational benefits of the area and toencourage the waterfront landscape to informlandscape design and new and improvedopen spaces within the town centre.

101


Figure 10 2 Strood Town Centre Masterplan

102


10.14 By comparison to some other parts of theconurbation, the outlying residential estatesare fairly well served by local centresproviding a variable range of services andshopping. The most important of these are:

• Bligh Way, Wells Road and Darnley Road –serving Strood South. These will besupplemented by a new neighbourhoodcentre at Temple Waterfront, in conjunctionwith the redevelopment of this keywaterfront regeneration site.

• Bryant Road and Frindsbury Road - servingStrood North. Additional facilities will alsobe provided in conjunction with the StroodRiverside regeneration scheme andassociated improvements to Strood Station.

• Wainscott Road, Wainscott – servingWainscott and Hollywood Lane. This will befurther improved in conjunction withsignificant residential development alreadyunderway at Hoo Road, Wainscott.

10.15 It is intended that these locations will bepromoted as designated ‘neighbourhoodcentres’ offering suitable locations for theconcentration of local services and acting asnatural focal points for their surroundingcommunities.

10.16 The quality of housing in the suburban areas isof variable quality, varying from tight streets ofsmall terraced properties to large newneighbourhoods, developed since the 1980’s.

10.17 Open space areas are very limited in thecentral area but beyond the town centreTemple Marsh has the potential to be a strikingwaterfront leisure area. Broom Hill enjoysextensive views over much of urban Medwayand the river. The Hogmarsh Valley, ManorFarm and Islingham Farm together perform avital role in separating Frindsbury andWainscott from Upper Upnor and LodgeHill/Chattenden and are very prominent fromthe A289. Although subject to classicurban/rural fringe pressures they also form aprominent gateway to the urban area and itwill be important to progress landscapeimprovements wherever possible.

10.18 Over the plan period the broad scale andlocation of new housing, employment andretail related development is expected to beas indicated in the following tables.

Table 10 1 Potential Housing Development inStrood

Table 10 2 Potential Employment Developmentin Strood

103


Table 10 3 Potential Retail Development in Strood

Housing: showing sites over 100 unitsEmployment & retail: showing sites over 1000 sq. m

10.19 The town centre will continue to bedeveloped as a ‘district’ scale centre,complementing Chatham and in accordancewith the masterplan as outlined above.

Policy CS26: Strood

The role of Strood as a district centre will bestrengthened by;

• Promoting housing and mixed usedevelopments on sites that will enhance thetownscape and cohesion of the centre

• Improving the quality of retail provision andlinks between the retail areas andaccessibility to the railway station andwaterfront

• Safeguarding open spaces and enhancingthe public realm, particularly along thewaterfront

• Promoting employment opportunities throughreinvestment in the existing employment sitesand in conjunction with mixed usedevelopments in and adjoining the centre

• Reducing the impact of traffic throughimproved traffic management and localisedjunction and other improvements.

Beyond the town centre the following local centreswill be safeguarded and promoted asneighbourhood centres:

• Wainscott Road, Wainscott

• Frindsbury Road, Frindsbury

• Bryant Road/Weston Road

• Darnley Road

• Bligh Way

• Wells Road

• Temple Waterfront (new)

Open space areas at Temple Marsh and Broom Hillwill be afforded long term protection and, wherefeasible, landscape improvements will be progressedin the Hogmarsh Valley/Manor Farm/Islingham Farmarea to enhance its role as a strategic gateway andin separating settlements.

104


Figure 10 3 Strood Context Diagram

105


Rochester

10.20 Rochester Town Centre is a nationallyrenowned historic settlement distinguished byits Norman Castle and Cathedral, which arelocated on high ground and dominate viewsfrom the surrounding area. Its built environmentdates from Roman times and the High Street isof the highest architectural importance,containing architectural styles dating back tothe medieval period. The Cathedral, KingsSchool and the Castle are all located inattractive areas of open space and The Vinesand the Esplanade complement the opensetting of the town centre.

10.21 The town centre functions as a district shoppingcentre for the residential areas to the south,and as a cultural and tourist centre. It containsmany specialist shops, restaurants, and otherservices related to this function. It has asignificant evening economy, which can causetensions with adjoining residential properties.Despite its extensive hinterland it has fewconvenience shops but it has retained itshistoric character and avoided damaging,unsympathetic development.

10.22 A conservation area appraisal of Rochestertogether with an area management plan is inplace.

These documents provide a sound basis forpreserving the unique heritage of the centreand managing sensitive change.

10.23 During the 1990s, it was recognised thatRochester Riverside exhibited many of thetypical hallmarks of dereliction: an out-datedroad network; a proliferation of low grade andbad neighbour uses; large tracts of vacant andderelict land and buildings; ground conditionproblems; a poor local environment; lack ofconfidence by investors; and fragmented landownership. The area was in need ofcomprehensive regeneration.

10.24 As a result the site was compulsory purchasedand the Rochester Riverside Development Briefadopted. This seeks to achieve a mixed usequarter providing a high quality environmentfor residential living.

10.25 Outline planning permission was granted in2006, for 2000 dwellings and other uses,including a hotel, and the site wassubsequently cleared. The land has beenraised, a new river wall constructed, ariverside walk has been laid out and adevelopment partner has been appointed toundertake the first phase of the development,which commenced in 2011.

10.26 The historic centre of Rochester and RochesterRiverside are separated by a busy road,Corporation Street and a railway embankmentwhich both have a substantial severance effect.Corporation Street presents an uninspiring,poor quality environment dominated by traffic.

10.27 In 2008, the Council adopted the CorporationStreet Development Framework, which coversthe area from Rochester Bridge to RochesterStation. This proposes a mix of uses includingresidential, offices, retail, a multi-storey carpark and a hotel combined with environmentalenhancements, landscaping and improvedpedestrian facilities. The intention is to reducethe severance effects of the road, improve thearea as a “gateway” to Rochester and tofacilitate high quality development that willcomplement the historic character of Rochestertown centre and the new community atRochester Riverside.

106


10.28 Beyond the centre lie extensive residentialneighbourhoods, extending southwards toRochester Airport and Borstal. These vary incharacter and housing quality and a majorissue is that those further away from thecentre, have few local facilities or obviouscommunity hubs. Limited bus routes and avirtual absence of evening services, results insocial isolation for many, particularly theelderly.

10.29 The long river frontage from the Esplanadepast Shorts Way to Borstal is not exploited toits full potential. In particular there is anabsence of local facilities to draw visitors ormeet the needs of the extensive adjoiningresidential areas.

10.30 Borstal also lacks a natural centre and furtherservices and facilities are justified given itsdistance from Rochester centre.

10.31 Key opens spaces include Watts Meadow,Baty’s Marsh and the open slopes around FortBorstal plus playing field areas at the Alps,Priestfields and Shorts Way. There are fewsignificant employment areas beyond the towncentre, with the exception of the BAe Systemssite adjoining Rochester Airfield.

10.32 Over the plan period the broad scale andlocation of new housing, employment andretail related development is expected to be asindicated in the following tables.

Table 10 4 Potential Housing Development inRochester

Table 10 5 Potential Employment Developmentin Rochester

Table 10 6 Potential Retail Development inRochester

*All Rochester Riverside permissions added togetheras one entry.


107


Policy CS27: RochesterThe highest priority will be given to the conservationand enhancement of the historic and architecturalcharacter of Rochester Town Centre whilstmaintaining its vitality and viability as a districtcentre and its function and character as a specialistretail, service and tourism centre.

New development will be concentrated inCorporation Street in accordance with theCorporation Street Development Brief and atRochester Riverside in accordance with the RochesterRiverside Development Brief.

Beyond the town centre the following local centreswill be safeguarded and promoted asneighbourhood centres:

• Delce Road

• Maidstone Road

• Marley Way – subject to options and viabilitytesting

• Borstal (new)

• Rochester Riverside (new)

Small-scale opportunities will be sought to providelocal employment, particularly in and around theneighbourhood centres.

The Council will work with bus operators to extendaccess to services in the south of the area.

108


109

Figure 10 4 Rochester Context Diagram


Chatham

10.33 The Chatham sub area extends from St.Mary’s Island and Chatham Maritime in thenorth to the borders with the Maidstone andTonbridge and Malling Borough areas northof the M2. It embraces some of Medway’smost affluent communities but also its mostdeprived. The latter include areas to thenortheast and south of the town centre andsignificant parts of Luton and Wayfield,including All Saints. It includes much of theprospective World Heritage Site but alsoextensive post war suburban neighbourhoodsand tight terraced streets of pre-1919housing.

10.34 Chatham town centre is located at the naturalheart of the urban area, bisected by majornorth-south and east-west road links andoccupying a potentially exceptionalwaterfront setting. Other than the river, keylandscape features include the scarp slope tothe Great Lines and the green dry valleyrunning from Horsted to Luton andincorporating the Coney and Daisy Banks.

10.35 The Chatham Centre and WaterfrontDevelopment Framework, which wasadopted in 2004, addressed a number oflong standing problems affecting the centreof Chatham:

• Chatham’s role as a sub-regional shoppingcentre had been undermined by out-of-towndevelopments and competition from othertowns

• The ring road created a hostileenvironment for pedestrians and severedthe centre from its surroundings

• There were no squares or attractive openspaces within the heart of the town

• The architecture was barren andunattractive

• Some of the car parks were unattractiveand threatening

• The railway station was isolated from thecentre and dominated by traffic; and

• The bus station had poor facilities withpassengers enduring noise, fumes and cold(in the winter).

10.36 The Framework set out the measuresnecessary to transform the centre of Chathamas summarised below.

10.37 Greatly improved shopping and leisurefacilities, including:

• Expansion and refurbishment of thePentagon Centre to increase floorspace byapprox. 15,000 sq m

• A new food store of approx. 8,000 sq m;and

• Over 8,000 sq m of small-scaleemployment space and ground floor retailand leisure uses.

10.38 A world class cultural waterfront with:

• A major new contemporary performing artsfacility on the Waterfront

• A major new visual arts facility centred onthe conversion and re-use of historicbuildings at Old Gun Wharf

• A dramatic new Waterfront Park,transforming the quality of the existinggreen spaces at the waterfront

• Improved visibility and access to historicfeatures, including the Barrier Ditch, andconnections to the Great Lines; and

• Hotel development on the waterfront.

10.39 A new central library and learning resourceand Civic Office comprising;

• A new central library and learningresource centre (This has now beenaccommodated in a former militarybuilding on the waterfront near GunWharf)

• A new Civic Office to meet the changingneeds of the Council and to reflect futureapproaches to integrated service deliveryto the community, particularly “First Point ofContact” facilities (This has now beenaccomplished by the Council occupying theformer Lloyds building at Gun Wharf)

110


• A range of related and complementaryfacilities, which could include small scaleretail and cafes and restaurants; and

• A new public square.

10.40 Major environmental improvements throughoutthe Centre including;

• New waterfront park and riversidepromenade from Old Gun Wharf to Sun Pier

• Greatly improved access to the waterfrontby breaking down the severance effectcaused by Sir John Hawkins Way andGlobe Lane

• Increased use of Sun Pier for boat mooringsand related activities

• Greatly enhanced Paddock to provide anattractive and useable civic space; and

• Improvements along the High Street,including the creation of new high qualitypublic spaces within the shopping area.

10.41 Accessibility improvements to, and within, theCentre comprising:

• Returning The Brook and Best Street to two-way streets, with associated environmentalimprovements (virtually complete)

• Closure of Sir John Hawkins Way andGlobe Lane to through traffic anddowngrading of Medway Street and LowerHigh Street (completed)

• Removal of the Sir John Hawkins Wayflyover and enhanced streetscape along theroute to the flyover (completed)

• Greatly improved public transport access,with new, modern, high technology busfacilities along the route of Sir JohnHawkins Way close to the Pentagon Centreand the High Street (virtually completed)

• Enhanced and rationalised car parking,including new, high quality, well locatedmulti-storey car parking to serve the centre

• Improved pedestrian and cycle connections,including links along the waterfront and thepossibility of establishing a cross-river linkto Medway City Estate.

10.42 Two further supplementary planningdocuments were also adopted, which providemore detail on specific areas of the towncentre. These are the Chatham PentagonCentre Development Brief, 2005 and theChatham Centre and Waterfront DevelopmentBrief, 2008. The latter incorporates threemasterplans:

• Station Gateway – featuring majorimprovements to Chatham Station and thecreation of a new commercial quarter andpedestrian routes leading down to theWaterfront and High Street

• Waterfront – featuring development of asignificant scale near Sun Pier and aradically improved waterfront park

• The Brook – promoting radicalimprovements to the local townscape andthe creation of new residential andcommercial uses on the northern side withnew connections to the Great Lines and FortAmherst.

111


10.43 More recently two further masterplans havealso been adopted:

• High Street/Best Street – containing majorretail proposals for the shopping heart ofthe centre, along with radical townscape improvements and new pedestrian linksand open spaces

• Gun Wharf – covering the area from theHistoric Dockyard to the Waterfront withthe objective of bringing to life the richheritage of this area and linking it to therest of the town centre.

10.44 All these documents remain relevant to theregeneration of the town centre and the stagehas now been reached where privateinvestment will increasingly drive changefollowing the completion of extensive publiclyfunded infrastructure works.

10.45 Beyond the centre of Chatham are numerousbut distinct residential neighbourhoodsstretching down to near the M2. Most havewell established local centres providing astrong focus for their communities, althoughthey are of varying visual quality. Detailed schemes for their improvement anddevelopment should be taken forward in

conjunction with local people whereresources permit. There are a number oflocally important employment areas andretaining these and encouraging reinvestmentin them will be important. Initiatives are inplace to tackle deprivation in the mostdisadvantaged neighbourhoods. Theemphasis is on improving skills and access toemployment. A specific challenge will tosustain and expand these programmes overthe longer term.


Table 10 7 Potential Housing Development inChatham

112


Table 10 8 Potential Employment Developmentin Chatham

Table 10 9 Potential Retail Development inChatham

*Chatham Waterfront sites have been combinedunder one entry


113


Policy CS28: ChathamThe centre of Chatham will be developed as aregional hub and as the city centre for Medway inaccordance with the principles of the ChathamCentre and Waterfront Development Framework andDevelopment Brief and the regeneration, economicand retail policies of the core strategy. This willinclude the development of:

• Greatly improved shopping facilities

• A world class waterfront

• Major environmental improvements

• Accessibility improvements to and within thecentre

• New employment floorspace and housingreflecting the five masterplans covering thecentre.

Initiatives will continue to reduce deprivation in themore disadvantaged neighbourhoods and beyondthe town centre the following local centres will besafeguarded and promoted as neighbourhoodcentres:

• Chatham Maritime

• Brompton High Street

• Luton Road

• Luton High Street

• Princes Park

• Wayfield

• Shirley Avenue

• Walderslade Village

• Kestral Road

• Admirals Walk

• Silverweed Road

Local employment opportunities will be encouraged,including through reinvestment in establishedemployment areas.

114


Figure 10 5 Chatham Context Diagram

115


Gillingham

10.47 The Gillingham sub area extends fromGillingham Waterfront through the towncentre to Darland and the Capstone Valleybeyond. The northern part of the area ischaracterised by a generally very tight streetpattern with pre-1919 terraced properties.These give way to post war and modernsuburban developments further south. Thetown centre is by far the most denselypopulated in Medway and this andsurrounding areas have significant pockets ofdeprivation. The area also contains theMedway Maritime hospital and GillinghamBusiness Park.

10.48 Gillingham town centre once rivalledChatham in importance but in recent yearshas consolidated into a district level centreserving a compact but dense catchment area.

10.49 The area has seen much change over the lastfew years, notably the establishment of theuniversities at Pembroke, the development ofthe new Mid Kent College campus at PrinceArthur Road, the Medway Park regionalsports facility and new parks at the LowerLines, Great Lines and Hillyfields. Thegrowing student population in particularpresents opportunities for the future and forthe town centre to re-position itself.

10.50 A Gillingham Town Centre DevelopmentFramework was adopted in 2007. It containsa number of measures to revitalise the centre,including:

• Development of a key retail site in a centrallocation for a new food supermarket, retail,employment and residential uses as well assignificant new public car parkingprovision

• Creation of a series of linked spaces alongthe High Street to break up its length andmake it easier for pedestrians to cross busyjunctions

• Improved connections to wider initiativessuch as Medway Park, the Universities andthe Great Lines Heritage Park

• Promoting Gillingham Hub as a landmarkcultural/entertainment building at thewestern end of the High Street;

• Encouraging regeneration of the railwaystation and improve public space andreduce traffic conflicts outside the station

• Improve links to adjoining residential areas

• Provide a new town square at the junctionof High Street and Green Street as a focalpoint for events and a meetingplace/destination; and

• Introduce more flexible land uses at thewestern end of the High Street, withopportunities for residential uses on upperfloors and a wider range of food, drinkand leisure uses.

10.51 These should continue to be pursued over themedium and longer terms. Significantimprovements to the Station are in hand butother measures will take longer to realise.

10.52 Beyond the centre a range of local centresprovide a number of services. Some haveconsolidated in recent years but others areadapting well to an ever more competitiveenvironment. These are listed in Policy CS29.

10.53 Elsewhere the Strand Leisure Park andGillingham Park are highly valued facilitiesand have significant potential forimprovement. However this will be largelydependant on resources being available. TheCapstone Valley and associated DarlandBanks and Spekes Bottom provide a strikinglandscape adjoining very extensive anddensely populated residentialneighbourhoods. This area also forms part ofthe setting for the Kent Downs AONB. It willtherefore be important to maintain and,where possible, enhance its open character,landscape quality and recreational potential.


116


Table 10 10 Potential Housing Development inGillingham

Table 10 11 Potential Employment Developmentin Gillingham

Table 10 12 Potential Retail Development inGillingham


Policy CS29: Gillingham

In Gillingham Town Centre, priority will be given tothe improvement of the built fabric and public realmthrough the development of a mix of town centreuses, the provision of open space and the promotionof the evening economy, in accordance with theTown Centre Development Framework, in order tostrengthen its role as a district centre.

Specific efforts will be made to capitalise on theproximity of the universities at Pembroke and MidKent College and to continue measures to reducedeprivation.

The following local centres will be safeguarded andpromoted as neighbourhood centres:

• Canterbury Street

• Livingstone Circus

• Sturdee Avenue

• Watling Street

• Twydall Green

Where available, opportunities will be pursued toenhance the recreational potential of the StrandLeisure Park. The Capstone Valley will be affordedlong term protection from built development,reflecting its high quality landscape and contributionto the setting of the Kent Downs AONB.

117


Figure 10 6 Gillingham Context Diagram

118


Rainham

10.55 The Rainham sub area runs from theRiverside Country Park and Motney HillPeninsula through the town centre and on tothe Borough boundary south of the M2.

10.56 Rainham is a generally prosperous areacharacterised by extensive neighbourhoodsdeveloped in the post war period. Theseinclude Rainham Mark, Parkwood andHempstead and Wigmore. The town centrewas a freestanding village in living memorybut has now been surrounded on all sides bydevelopment.

10.57 Important remnant areas of the North KentHorticultural Fruit Belt remain to the north andeast of the town and land next to the estuaryis an important country park. These areasexperience classic urban fringe pressureswith land fragmentation and trespass puttingpressure on farming activity.

10.58 There are pockets of deprivation close to thetown centre, contrasting strongly with thevery prosperous southern neighbourhoods.

10.59 Rainham station is one of the busiestcommuter stops in the region, while largenumbers of London commuters also use dailycoach services to the capital from theneighbourhoods closer to the M2.

10.60 The town centre is dominated by the‘Precinct’ a 1980’s pedestrianised shoppingcentre that is trading reasonably well butwarrants reinvestment. A key feature recentlyhas been the growth of the evening economy,which has diversified the centre and broughtvacant properties back into use.

10.61 The catchment area of the centre overlapswith that of the Hempstead Valley ShoppingCentre. This is a very successful purpose builtcentre, wholly occupied by national multipleretailers and providing an attractivealternative to not only Rainham but alsoGillingham and Chatham town centres.

10.62 Local centres are well located to serve theirresidential neighbourhoods but are, in somecases, struggling to compete with the nearby

larger centres. This is particularly the casewith Parkwood Green but it still provides adiverse range of services to its local area andit is important that it is nurtured.

10.63 Over the plan period the broad scale andlocation of new housing, employment andretail related development is expected to beas indicated in the following tables. The lowhousing numbers reflect the built up nature ofthe area and absence of previouslydeveloped land.

Table 10 13 Potential Housing Development inRainham

Table 10 14 Potential Employment Developmentin Rainham

Table 10 15 Potential Retail Development inRainham

119


* Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre sites havebeen combined under one entry


Policy CS30: Rainham

Rainham town centre will continue to function as animportant ‘district’ level centre and reinvestment inand extensions to the ‘Precinct’ centre will beencouraged.

Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre is also classifiedas a ‘district’ level centre. New retail investmentshould focus on maintaining the current competitiveposition of the centre and not be of a scale thatwould divert investment from other centres andChatham in particular.

Opportunities to diversify the mainly comparisonbased shopping offer and provide a wider range ofnon-retail services typical of a district centre will beencouraged.

The following local centres will be safeguarded andpromoted as neighbourhood centres:

• Station Road

• Hoath Lane

• Fairview Avenue

• Hempstead Road

• Parkwood Green

The Council will work with landowners and farmers,the local community and relevant agencies to activelymanage urban/rural fringe areas, balancingcontinued agriculture production with managedpublic access, open space and biodiversity.

120


Figure 10 7 Rainham Context Diagram

121


Hoo Peninsula and Isle of Grain

10.64 The Hoo Peninsula makes up the largest partof Medway’s extensive rural area. Locatedbetween the Thames and Medway estuaries,it has a distinctive character that stronglydistinguishes it from other parts of Medway.

10.65 The area’s character is defined by a sense ofremoteness, the openness of theinternationally important marshes, andsurrounding estuaries, and the wooded ridgerunning from the south west, contrasted withthe dominant industrial installations at Grainand Kingsnorth, and the pattern of villagesaround the main transport routes. Thepeninsula’s historic environment has beenshaped by centuries of industrial activity, andits strategic position on the confluence of theThames and Medway has given it asignificant military heritage.

10.66 The area has strategic importance for energyinfrastructure, transport and minerals, andalso has large tracts of land in use by themilitary. These activities have strong impactson the surrounding countryside and villages,resulting from their dominance in thelandscape, traffic levels, and particularlyfreight movements on rural roads.

10.67 The area offers potential for managingadaptations to climate change, such as floodwater storage and increases in woodland.The north and east of the peninsula couldoffer sites for new wetland habitat creation inresponse to the Thames Estuary 2100 plan.There are a number of barriers in accessingthe countryside but there is recognition thatthe area could offer a great open spaceresource for local people and visitors throughappropriate management. An accessmanagement strategy, promoting strategicconnections and local routes will bedeveloped for the area, ensuring that visitorpressure is drawn away from the mostsensitive sites.

10.68 There is a distinct rural character to the HooPeninsula, with a dispersed pattern ofvillages. Historically remote from the maincentres of population across north Kent, thearea’s population expanded significantlyfrom the 1960s with the development of theenergy sector on the peninsula. The largestsettlement of Hoo St Werburgh acts as aservice centre for the surrounding ruralcommunities but has a relatively limited rangeof facilities.

10.69 The villages face the pressures of sustainingservices and facilities needed to underpin thequality of life for their residents andsurrounding countryside. These pressurespresent a challenge to the retention of thedistinctive characteristics of rural life. Thepeninsula villages vary significantly in sizeand character, and some are particularlyvulnerable to loss of services, that couldundermine their sustainability. Rural transportservices are critical in preventing isolation.Many villages experienced expansion duringthe 1960’s and 70’s and this has detractedfrom their intrinsic character. In the case ofHoo St. Werburgh and High Halstowexpansion has continued to the present daybut has not necessarily knitted well into thesettlement structure. There are opportunities topromote local landscape enhancements tothe peninsula villages. Particularly their edgesand the roads connecting them, to betterreflect the rural setting.

10.70 Agriculture is a key land use on the HooPeninsula and the area contains a significantproportion of the highest quality agriculturalland. Horticultural production is on asignificant scale, serving markets nationally.In addition to the large industrial sites atKingsnorth, Grain and Hoo Marina, thereare a number of smaller employment sitesacross the area, providing local employmentopportunities.

10.71 The area faces change through expansion ofindustrial activities, the proposed newsettlement at Lodge Hill, increasing visitornumbers, and pressures on the sensitive

122


natural environment, including throughclimate change. The peninsula has alsoexperienced ongoing threats of damagingdevelopment, such as proposals for a ThamesEstuary airport.

10.72 The overarching issue for the Peninsula is thechallenge of realising the strategicimportance of the area, in line with theprotection and enhancement of a sensitiveand important natural environment andsafeguarding a vibrant and distinctivecharacter of rural life. In summary thePeninsula is an area of exceptionalsignificance for a number of diverse landuses – its energy and transport infrastructureare of national importance, its naturalenvironment is of international importance forwildlife, and its agricultural land is of thehighest quality for food production. Itcontains the largest sites in Medwayallocated for residential and employmentgrowth.

10.73 These unique circumstances andopportunities demand that development onthe peninsula is considered with the utmostsensitivity.

10.74 In line with wider national trends, there areincreasing pressures on village services andfacilities, such as shops, post offices, healthfacilities, pubs and village halls. Manyservices have been lost, and much communityinfrastructure is in need of investment. Theseservices together with good public transportare essential to the well-being of thecommunities. The provision of broadband isrecognised as critical infrastructure to supportbusinesses and communities, and existingservices are poor in many parts of thepeninsula. The council will support ruralcommunities in developing village plans toaddress the needs of their local areas.

10.75 Hoo St Werburgh provides a range ofservices and facilities, such as retail,education, community services and leisurethat are not found in the smaller villages. Thedevelopment of Lodge Hill creates both anopportunity to enhance the services and

facilities on the peninsula and a challenge toHoo’s current role. The impact of Lodge Hillon Hoo St Werburgh and the surroundingvillages will need to be carefully managed sothat existing services and facilities are notundermined. Enhanced rural transport linkswill be critical to ensuring that people fromoutlying villages can take advantage of newservices at Lodge Hill, including theexpanded bus services operating from thenew settlement.

10.76 The environment of the Hoo Peninsula hasgained a higher profile in recent years,through initiatives such as the ThamesGateway Parklands programme. These plansseek to develop a greater role for thePeninsula as a location for visitors to enjoy,particularly through walking and cycling. Thiswill be achieved through the development ofkey visitor destinations, such as the RSPBreserves at Cliffe Pools and Northward Hill,Upnor Waterfront and Grain Coastal Park,together with improvements to the footpathand cycling networks.

10.77 The area to the south-west of the peninsula,between Frindsbury, Upnor and Chattenden,is of significant importance as a ‘gateway tothe peninsula’. It is the key interface between

123


urban Medway and the rural area of thepeninsula. It is an area noted for the richnessof its heritage and environment, with ManorBarn, Upnor Castle and Depot, Medwaywaterfront, and neighbouring woodland. Thisarea needs to be actively managed forlandscape enhancements to retain its opensetting and to promote improved access forpedestrians and cyclists between urban andrural Medway.

10.78 Agriculture is facing a number of changesand there is recognition that businesses mayneed to diversify or develop more efficientmethods of production but this needs to beachieved in a sensitive way.

10.79 Villages need local employment to supportthe life and vibrancy of their communities.Small employment sites are part of the fabricof villages, and these need to beencouraged.

10.80 There are extensive residential home parks atAllhallows and Hoo Marina that provide foran important niche within the wider housingmarket.

10.81 Allhallows also has an extensive holiday parkand the operator has identified significantopportunities to upgrade the facilities andincrease visitor numbers. This, in turn, couldput pressure on the surrounding countrysidebut could also be an opportunity to improvethe wider leisure experience for park visitorsand others.

10.82 Over the plan period, the broad scale andlocation of new housing, employment andretail related development is expected to beas indicated in the following tables.

Table 10 16 Potential Housing Development onHoo Peninsula

Table 10 17 Potential Employment Developmenton Hoo Peninsula

Table 10 18 Potential Retail Development onHoo Peninsula


124


Policy CS31: Hoo Peninsula and the Isle ofGrain

The Council will seek to achieve the potential of thepeninsula’s strategic development sites, in line withthe protection and enhancement of its importantnatural environment.

The Council will work to secure the viability of therural communities on the Hoo Peninsula and Isle ofGrain by supporting the retention and developmentof local services and facilities needed to sustainvillage life and reduce the need to travel. It will workwith local communities to prepare and implementvillage plans and other initiatives in order that theycan become more self-supporting and can respond tolocal needs and changing circumstances.

This applies to the following settlements:

• Hoo St Werburgh

• Lower Upnor

• Upper Upnor

• Cliffe

• Cliffe Woods

• Chattenden

• Cooling

• High Halstow

• St Mary Hoo

• Lower Stoke

• Stoke

• Allhallows

• Grain

The Council will seek to realise the potential of thePeninsula as a destination for walking and cycling bysafeguarding and promoting key access routes, suchas the national coastal path, supporting thedevelopment of key sites for visitors and developingimproved connections through the Medway GreenGrid.

Improvements to the Allhallows holiday park will besupported provided they complement the adjoiningsettlement and contribute effectively to the sustainablemanagement of the surrounding countryside.

The Council will support the development of a strongeconomy to sustain local communities and retain thedistinctive character of the countryside.

125


Figure 10 8 Hoo Peninsula Context Diagram

Medway Valley

10.83 This rural area covers the Medway Valley andKent Downs to the south of the M2 and to theeast and west of the River Medway. It ischaracterised by riverside villages set againstthe backdrop of the woods and grasslands ofthe Downs and is strongly marked by thetransport corridors of the M2 and A228 andthe river cutting through the area.

10.84 Its downland landscape and the barriercreated by the M2 give it a different characterto other parts of Medway. Land to the east ofthe river is particularly isolated.

10.85 Much of this area is set within the Kent DownsArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty. On thewestern side running along the MedwayValley, a prominent transport and development

corridor reflecting former industrial uses,contrasts with the upper scarp slopes andwooded ridge of the Kent Downs. To the eastof the river, a more open landscape, lessdamaged by infrastructure, affords generousviews. The valley sides, wooded ridges,marshland and river all contribute to a strongsense of visual richness and localdistinctiveness.

10.86 The area is ‘sandwiched’ between the M2and the M20. Transport infrastructure withinand adjacent to the area has a significantimpact on the landscape and setting of thevillages and countryside. The road networkwill be further extended through a plannedbridge over the Medway linking Halling andWouldham, serving a new development atPeters Pit in Tonbridge and Malling.

126


10.87 There is a strong historic environment, and alegacy of settlement across the centuries fromthe Neolithic period. The valley villages grewup through their links to the river and sawexpansion with the development of the cementindustry in the 19th Century. Most of thecement industry has gone but it has definedmuch of the local landscape, with chalkcuttings and pits, and the ‘blue lake’ atHalling.

10.88 The villages of Cuxton and Lower Halling offera range of local services and facilities wellrelated to their size. These villages are alsoconnected to the Medway Valley rail linelinking Strood, Maidstone and PaddockWood. Many residents look outside ofMedway, particularly to the Malling andMaidstone areas to access services, such aseducation and retail. There are localemployment sites at Cuxton Marina and inHalling, and farming and forestry aresignificant. There is scope for limitedconsolidation of employment land at CuxtonMarina, but only where development realisesthe opportunity to deliver improvements to thelandscape setting of this sensitive area.

10.89 Much of the land is Metropolitan Green Belt.The Medway Valley also forms part of an areawhere it is intended to prevent coalescencebetween Medway and the Maidstone/Mallingarea and maintain the character of the varioussettlements in between.

10.90 The closure of the Cemex plant at Halling is akey site and will accommodate a significantnew employment and residential development.It is more than sufficient to meet localrequirements and so can also contribute tomeeting needs in the surrounding area. It hasa particularly important role in providingreplacement employment for that lost when thecement works closed. The amount of landavailable is such that it will significantly extendthe settlement and redefine how services areprovided and located. The new developmentwill need to demonstrate sensitive design andknit into the existing development form of thewider village.

10.91 Until recently the area has been somewhereto travel through rather than it being adestination in its own right. However that isnow changing as the rugged industriallegacy softens and new countryside initiativesimprove appreciation of its exceptionallyhigh intrinsic quality.

10.92 Recognition of the area’s environmentalassets, together and promotion of theobjectives of the AONB, underline the needfor positive management of this sensitivelandscape. This will need to focus onstrengthening its distinctive character,enhancing connections to the river and widercountryside and improving access fromneighbouring urban areas. Work is alreadywell underway through the Valley of Visionsprogramme, and work at Ranscombe Farmand Nashenden Valley. The Valley of Visionsprogramme focuses on improving access,enhancing the quality of the environment andengaging with local communities in sharingthe area’s heritage.

10.93 The Medway Valley is of key importance tostrategic green infrastructure networks acrossnorth Kent, through its strong connections toadjoining districts. The North Downs Wayand the surrounding footpath networkprovide links to Cobham, Shorne and morewidely to the south. Although the area sitswithin the valley of the Medway, access andviews to the river are limited. There is astrong interest in giving greater emphasis tothe river. A feasibility study for the creation ofa path running along the riverside connectingMedway and Maidstone has been producedby Sustrans to support plans to develop thisstrategic route.

10.94 The special character of the area requiressensitive treatment. This includes roadcorridors, the marked impact of the M2,improved links to the river and the links toStrood. Halling Marshes should also bedeveloped as a key site for wetlandmanagement and improved access.

127


10.95 In line with wider national trends, there areincreasing pressures on village services andfacilities, such as shops, pubs and villagehalls but new developments have helpedsustain a good range of services in Cuxtonand Lower Halling.

10.96 Despite this there is need for furtherinvestment to ensure that the ruralcommunities are able to continue to meetlocal needs. Cuxton has a specific issue withthe provision of community hall facilities. Thecouncil will support local communities inassessing the needs of their village andsustaining services.

10.97 Agriculture and woodland are significantland uses in the area but there is a need toimprove woodland management in someareas.

10.98 Over the plan period, the broad scale andlocation of new housing, employment andretail related development is expected to beas indicated in the following tables.

Table 10 19 Potential Housing Development inMedway Valley

Table 10 20 Potential Employment Developmentin Medway Valley

Table 10 21 Potential Retail Development inMedway Valley


Policy CS32: Medway Valley

The focus on green infrastructure planning in theCobham-Shorne-Ranscombe area will be maintainedand developed to improve access to andmanagement of the high quality environment.

Cycling and pedestrian routes connecting to adjacentareas will be promoted, including the strategicconnection between Medway and Maidstone.Opportunities for landscape enhancement in line withthe objectives of the Kent Downs AONB designationwill be encouraged.

The Council will support the retention anddevelopment of local services and facilities inCuxton, Lower Halling and Upper Halling andencourage local communities to plan for the needs oftheir villages.

The Council will support a strong economy in theMedway Valley to sustain local communities. The siteof the former cement plant at Lower Halling shouldbe a major contributor to this. The land-basedeconomy will be supported through more activewoodland management and the sympatheticdiversification of agriculture.

128


Figure 10 9 Medway Valley Context Diagram

129


Lodge Hill

10.99 Lodge Hill, Chattenden has been identified asa location for a new freestanding settlementsince 1995 when the Thames GatewayPlanning Framework was published. Theprinciple of development has beenconsistently restated and reconfirmed in allplans since then.

10.100 The site is currently owned by the Ministry ofDefence and comprises the Lodge HillTraining Area, Lodge Hill Camp, ChattendenBarracks and the Chattenden Training Area.The site extends to around 320 hectares intotal, of which around 256 hectares isconsidered to be developable. A significantproportion of this can be classed aspreviously developed land. The site excludesfurther land in the Ministry’s ownership,including the Wainscott Training Area andCamp, which will remain in military use.

10.101 Much of the site is set between theChattenden and Deangate ridges and islargely hidden within the landscape of theHoo Peninsula. However there are alsoexceptional views from these ridges and theadjoining rich woodland and countrysidecreates an outstanding setting for thedevelopment area.

10.102 Due to its location close to the A228 and itsproximity to existing villages on thePeninsula, the development of Lodge Hillprovides an opportunity to enhance therange of services available locally. However,it must also respect the character of nearbysettlements and the wider Peninsula. Itsposition between the main urban area andthe major employment areas on the Peninsulais a major asset in establishing Lodge Hill asa new centre for employment growth.

Figure 10 10 Lodge Hill Connections

130


10.103 The site’s physical constraints are recognisedand understood. Detailed investigations havebeen undertaken which demonstrate that theycan be appropriately addressed to allow themajority of the site to be developed over theperiod covered by the Core Strategy. Therehas been extensive engagement with localcommunities. This will need to continuethroughout the planning phase of the newsettlement, leading up to the submission ofplanning application(s) for the redevelopmentof the site. The new community as it growswill also need to be involved as thedevelopment evolves.

10.104 There is no comparable opportunity in theThames Gateway for a new settlement of thisscale and nature on previously developedland and it is important that every effort ismade to create a settlement that meets highstandards of design and sustainability whilerelating sensitively to its exceptionalsurroundings. The following vision reflectsthis:

Lodge Hill will be a sustainable andintegrated community, capitalising on itsexceptional setting, complementing andsupporting nearby settlements and the HooPeninsula as a whole.

It will be a distinctive place that connects tothe surrounding rich countryside, with aland use pattern that minimises the need totravel. It will be an exemplar for theThames Gateway in the way that itminimises its impact on the environmentand provides for an excellent quality of lifefor all its residents.

It will also become an important focus forhigher value economic activities, takingadvantage of its location between urbanMedway and the existing and emergingindustries at Grain and Kingsnorth.

It will be a resilient place that is capable ofadapting to environmental, social and otherchanges over the long term.

10.105 In delivering this vision the followingprinciples will guide all planning anddevelopment decisions:

• Strong character – making the most of thenatural landscape and military heritage tocreate a distinctive and attractive placewith a strong identity and a legiblehierarchy of spaces and places.

• Active community – a diverse, inclusive,vibrant and creative local cultureencouraging pride in the local communityand achieving a sense of mutual supportand well being

• Environmentally sensitive – design,infrastructure, delivery and managementthat respect and enhance the naturalenvironment, conserve natural resourcesand support people to lead sustainablelifestyles

• Well connected – bringing people togetherand to jobs, schools and services in anefficient, safe, affordable and upliftingway, both within the new settlement andbetween Lodge Hill and surroundingcommunities

• Thriving economy – achieving a highquality, prestigious employment offer,unique to Medway and complementary toMedway’s economic vision. Prosperousand diverse, Lodge Hill’s economy willprovide a range of training, employmentand business opportunities

• Well served – allowing the communitywithin Lodge Hill and beyond to benefitfrom public, private and voluntary servicesthat are accessible to all and meet people’sneeds and aspirations

• Well run – effective engagement andparticipation by local people, groups andbusinesses in the planning, design anddelivery of Lodge Hill, with a sustainablemanagement model and effectiveleadership, governance and participationof the community in the long-termstewardship of Lodge Hill.

131


10.106 In this Core Strategy, Lodge Hill iscategorised as a ‘strategic allocation’, whichis defined on the Proposals Map. PolicyCS33 below will be expanded on by a site-specific Development Brief and a masterplanfor the site, which will guide detailedplanning decisions. The masterplan will besubject to regular reviews to ensure thatproposals for the site remain robust in theface of changing circumstances.

Policy CS33: Lodge Hill

Lodge Hill, as shown on the Proposals Map, will bedeveloped as a freestanding mixed-use settlementproviding:

• Approximately 5,000 new homes, of whicharound 4,300 will be completed within theplan period. Provision of 30% affordablehousing within this total will be sought, in linewith the provisions of Policy CS14

• Employment opportunities generally inbalance with the resident working agepopulation (c. 5,000), not only reflecting theneeds of the settlement but creating a newfocus for higher value economic activity inMedway

• Retail provision of at least 5,000 squaremetres GEA floorspace.

Planning permissions will be granted subject to:

• Being consistent with a Development Briefand site-wide masterplan. These should fullyreflect the Vision and Objectives for the siteas set out above and be in accordance withthe design principles and parametersillustrated on the Lodge Hill Concept Plan

• The provision of supporting infrastructure,including transport links, green infrastructureand community facilities

• Design solutions having due regard to:

- The military history and heritage of the site

- The proximity of the Chattenden Woods Siteof Special Scientific Interest, including theneed for appropriate buffers andmanagement arrangements

- The provision of open space and othercommunity facilities

- The benefits of retaining existing trees,hedgerows and other landscape featureswithin the site

- Measures to enhance biodiversity withinand in close proximity to the site

- The potential for a comprehensive heatinggrid, neighbourhood power and heatgeneration, SUDs and other featuresminimising the carbon footprint of thedevelopment as a whole, including a waterstrategy

The need to create a well defined ‘town centre’ andassociated neighbourhood centres serving not onlythe needs of the resident and working community, butalso existing smaller settlements on the HooPeninsula, and in particular the existing settlement ofChattenden

The need to create liveable neighbourhoods wherethe built form, mix of uses and layout of developmentenables future residents to achieve a good quality oflife and encourages healthy and active lifestyles

The requirements of a comprehensive AccessStrategy and associated Transport Assessments, to bephased in accordance with the demands generatedby the development, including:

Accesses at the eastern and southern ends of the site

Contributions to offsite highway and junctionimprovements directly related to the scale andphasing of the development

Early provision of a high quality bus service includingpriority measures on the highway network, or othercomparable public transport facilities connecting thesettlement to the main Medway urban area

Measures to actively promote sustainable transport,including public transport use, walking and cycling

Measures to minimise rat-running on the surroundingrural road network while promoting connectivity forpedestrians and cyclists

132


Figure 10 11 Lodge Hill Strategic Allocation

Implementation

10.107 Given the scale of the development theprecise mix and quantum of uses is likely tovary over time due to, for example, changingtechnology and market trends. The followingbroad land use mix is anticipated:

133


Table 10 22 Proposed Land Uses at Lodge Hill

10.108 The amount of development expected withinthe Core Strategy period has been calculatedbased on anticipated market absorption ratesfor residential dwellings on an annual basis,and an allowance for the provision ofaffordable residential dwellings. Marketabsorption rates are based on an analysis ofthe following:

• The expected size and tenure mix of theresidential accommodation anticipated

• The simultaneous marketing of multipledevelopment opportunities to differentdevelopers

• The response of the housebuilder industry topredicted changes in industry and economiccircumstances; and

• The appeal of Lodge Hill in the short,medium and long term in a local, regionaland national context.

10.109 It is expected that the first residentialdwellings would be delivered in 2014. Theannual delivery rate of dwellings will step upfrom the start on site and will fluctuate acrossthe period. It should reach an average of

around 300 dwellings (all tenures). This isreflected within the housing trajectory. LodgeHill is expected to contribute approximately1,000 dwellings within the first five yearsafter the Core Strategy’s adoption.

10.110 In terms of the delivery of economic growthand employment opportunities, there will be arange of employment opportunities across theuses proposed, including business premises,shops and leisure, hotels and public services.As part of the objective of creating sustainableeconomic growth, the development of the newsettlement should also explore opportunities tofacilitate new working practices such aslive/work and local communications andtechnology hubs.

10.111 The policy is based on the delivery of aminimum of 43,000 square metres ofdedicated space for business uses, whichreflects the fact that it will take a certainamount of time to establish Lodge Hill as ahigh quality business location. However, thereis capacity to accommodate significantly moreemployment floorspace if its full potential isrealised. The policy incorporates an ambitionfor a higher level of provision.

134


10.112 The development is expected to be deliveredin phases. There may be strategicinfrastructure that will be delivered ahead ofthe phased sequence. This will assist thedelivery of future phases and may also help

in meeting some of the objectives for thedevelopment. Land remediation may also beundertaken intensively at the beginning of thedevelopment process.

Figure 10 12 Lodge Hill Concept Diagram

135


10.113 The evidence base for the Core Strategyincludes a number of Lodge Hill-specificdocuments that assess infrastructurerequirements/provision for the development.It sets out the responsibility and fundingsource for delivery of each element, and theconsultation bodies who have a bearing onthe delivery. It demonstrates that there aregood prospects of this being provided toenable the scale of development expectedwithin the Plan period to be delivered,consistent with the requirement set out inPPS12.

10.114 The landowner’s consultant team has beenworking closely with the Council and otherrelevant agencies. This early engagement hasinformed the indicative masterplan and isreflected in the site-specific evidence base. Itwill continue through the Development Briefprocess, the initial planning application andover the longer term to ensure that the

strategic allocation is delivered inaccordance with the policy.

Monitoring

10.115 A number of formal and informalmechanisms are already in place to monitorprogress of this strategically importantproject. An extensive development team is inplace, as are arrangements for ongoingcommunity and stakeholder engagement.

10.116 As the project develops progress will bereported formally through the AnnualMonitoring Report but this is likely to besupplemented by at least six monthly projectreviews and update reports to the RuralLiaison Committee and other relevant bodies.

10.117 The following indicators and targets will beused to monitor the progress of Lodge Hill.

Table 10 23 Monitoring Targets for Lodge Hill

136


*Where appropriate, targets for these indicators will be set through the development brief and planningapplication process and will be monitored once in place

137


138


139

Introduction

11.1 To deliver the Core Strategy’s spatial vision,objectives and targets, a robust implementationand monitoring framework is needed to ensurethat outcomes are realised. This chapteridentifies mechanisms for delivery, keymilestones and delivery partners and providesa framework to monitor progress. It also setsout the basis for what are often termed‘developer contributions’. The Council, as aLocal Planning Authority, is required to publishan Annual Monitoring Report (AMR). Thisassesses progress against core indicators andpolicies. Significantly, the AMR should alsohighlight what actions might be necessary toaddress core indicators and policies that arenot being achieved.

11.2 Whilst the Council has produced the spatialstrategy, its development has been informed bycontributions from a wide range ofstakeholders who will also support its delivery.The Core Strategy will be implemented by theCouncil working with its partners, through theplanned investment of private and publicresources and by proactively managingdevelopment through planning applicationsand related planning processes.

Delivery Partners

The Private Sector

11.3 Implementation will be heavily dependent oninvestment by the private sector through newbuild or the redevelopment of key land usessuch as housing (including affordable housing)and employment (including retail). Muchinfrastructure is also dependent upon privatesector investment, including some transportimprovements, utilities upgrades and greeninfrastructure.

11.4 As new developments are built, developers areexpected to contribute towards a range offacilities through Developer Contributions.

11.5 This can affect the viability of individualdevelopments, which have varying costs andconstraints. The pattern of developmentproposed in the Core Strategy has beencarefully assessed in this respect and threepoints need to be borne in mind:

• Provision has been made for a greater scaleof development than is actually required todeliver the strategy. This is to provide forreasonable flexibility and ensure that thestrategy can be progressed in a volatileeconomic climate

• Medway’s location in the Thames Gatewaymeans that it has some of the most complexand difficult development sites thanks to alegacy of past industrial use, flood risk andcontamination. In these complex cases someelement of public subsidy is likely to berequired to bring them forward andprospects for this are uncertain. This againpoints to the need for flexibility in deliveringthe strategy

• The Council has well developed systems inplace to assess the viability of sites andnegotiate in a transparent and consistentway with developers.

11. Implementation, Monitoring and Review


Other Public Sector Bodies

11.6 The Council will work with other public sectorbodies, such as the Department forCommunities and Local Government,Department for Transport, the Homes andCommunities Agency and the Local EconomicPartnership to deliver this spatial strategy. Aparticular focus will be placed on working withthese partners to deliver key infrastructure (e.g.transport, green infrastructure and utilities) anddevelopment (residential and employment)projects.

Local Strategic Partnership

11.7 The LSP is comprised of a number of partnersand is a forum for collectively reviewing andsteering public resources in Medway to meet the needs of the local communities. Together,these partners have a direct role in developing,delivering and monitoring this spatial strategy.Many ‘public’ facilities will be providedthrough Medway Council, their partners andcharitable and voluntary organisations workingin partnership. The Sustainable CommunityStrategy 2010 closely reflects this spatialstrategy and has the support of these partners.

Implementing Development

11.8 Although the Council, as local planningauthority, determines planning applications fornew development it has little direct control overwhen these are brought forward orimplemented if permission is given. As such itis heavily reliant on private developersvoluntarily coming forward with proposals.Even in a strong economic climate this can beunpredictable but prospects are particularlyuncertain in the current economic downturn.

11.9 In response to the downturn in the market theCouncil was one of the first in the country tobring in a system of deferred payments fordevelopment contributions. It also has astructured process for pre-applicationdiscussions and it brokers introductions withaffordable housing providers. Progress ismonitored by, amongst others, the MedwayStrategic Housing Board that reports into theLocal Strategic Partnership.

11.10 Severe reductions in public funding haveimpacted on the Council’s ability to directlysupport the regeneration programme but itnevertheless remains a top priority of theauthority as set out in the Council Plan.

11.11 Policy CS 34 takes account of these factorsand sets out the primary mechanisms theCouncil will use to implement the CoreStrategy.

Policy CS34: Implementation of the CoreStrategy

The Council will utilise all appropriate measures toensure the effective implementation of the CoreStrategy. These include:

• Working closely with partners, particularly indelivering supporting infrastructure

• Seeking additional resources to bringforward strategic regeneration sites

• Ensuring that progress is closely monitoredand, where necessary, remedial action taken

Intending developers are strongly advised to:

• Discuss proposals at an early stage using thepre-application process

• Ensure significant proposals are subject toconsultation with the local community beforeplanning applications are submitted

• Be prepared to follow an ‘open book’approach where the extent or nature ofdevelopment contributions are at issue

• Seek planning advice from the Councilbefore acquiring land to ensure thatappropriate costs are reflected in the landvalue.

Service partners should keep the Council informed ofprogress with and changes to their investmentprogrammes to ensure they can be coordinated andadapted to changing circumstances and the MedwayLocal Infrastructure Plan is kept up to date.

140


Implementing Infrastructure

11.12 New development within Medway needs tobe supported by a level and type ofinfrastructure that is appropriate to meet theneeds of existing and future residents. Thismay be achieved through the protection andimprovement of existing infrastructure and/orrequiring new infrastructure to be establishedalongside new development.

11.13 PPS12 states that the Core Strategy is ameans for orchestrating the necessary social,physical and green infrastructure to ensure sustainable communities are delivered. In order to ensure that the infrastructureneeded to support development in Medwayis delivered, the Council needed to establisha comprehensive understanding of theinfrastructure requirements of futuredevelopment and growth, and work withpartners to identify how it will be provided.

11.14 There are many delivery partners responsiblefor the delivery of various parts of theStrategy. The key areas relate to housing,employment and retail development. Workundertaken to prepare an Infrastructure Planhas examined what will be needed, where itis to be located, when it will be provided,who is responsible and the means toimplement and deliver the development.Further detail can be found in theInfrastructure Delivery Schedule at the end ofthis chapter.

Monitoring and ImplementationFramework

11.15 The following Monitoring and ImplementationFramework (MIF) has been derived from workundertaken to provide a baseline position forboth the Spatial Strategy and theSustainability Appraisal.

11.16 The MIF set out below identifies how CoreStrategy Policies are to be implemented, bywhen and by whom. It also sets out indicatorsto monitor these policies. As stated above,the Council reports annually on coreindicators as well as national indicators in

the AMR. The Sustainability Appraisal alsoincludes a monitoring framework to monitorthe performance of the Council’s spatialstrategy against sustainability criteria in orderto ensure more sustainable development issecured. The MIF therefore builds on theseexisting processes, rather than establishingan additional framework and will likewise bereported in the AMR.

Review

11.17 Significant issues or changes incircumstances, which might necessitate a fullor partial review of the Core Strategy, willalso be considered through the AMR.

Developer Contributions

11.18 The Council has powers to enter intoplanning obligations with those who have aninterest in the land concerned. These are setout in S106, 106A and 106B of the Townand Country Planning Act 1990 (asamended by the Planning and CompulsoryPurchase Act 2004). They are a means ofensuring that the environment is safeguardedand that necessary infrastructure andfacilities are provided to serve newdevelopment and offset any consequentialplanning loss to the area.

11.19 Regulation 122 of the CommunityInfrastructure Regulations 2010 (CIL) sets outthe tests for such obligations. It is unlawfulfor a planning obligation to be taken intoaccount when determining a planningapplication for development that is capableof being charged by CIL if the obligationdoes not meet the following tests:

• Necessary to make the developmentacceptable in planning terms

• Directly related to the development; and

• Fairly and reasonably related in scale andkind to the development.

141


11.20 Medway Council’s Guide to DeveloperContributions, a Supplementary PlanningDocument11, sets out what obligations andcontributions will be required for futuredevelopments in accordance withGovernment guidance. Developers areexpected to take account of, and meet therequirements of, this document beforesubmitting planning applications to theCouncil. It is designed to help them knowwhat the Council is likely to require for newdevelopments in Medway.

Community Infrastructure Levy

11.21 The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is anew charge that local authorities can chooseto introduce to fund infrastructure in theirarea. The CIL regulations came into force inApril 2010. CIL is intended to providegreater certainty, predictability andtransparency as to the level of contributionthat will be required, as it takes the form offixed standard charges.

11.22 Medway Council will establish anappropriate Charging Schedule for theCommunity Infrastructure Levy. It will gothrough a process of public consultation andIndependent Examination before becomingoperative. Funding from the CIL will then beused to help finance any necessaryimprovements to infrastructure. The Councilhas set out, in its revised Local DevelopmentScheme (LDS), its timetable for adopting itsCIL. In the meantime, its DeveloperContributions Guide SPD will continue to beapplied.

11.23 The Infrastructure Delivery Plan is intended toprovide the evidence to support a MedwayInfrastructure Charging Schedule. It will needto be supplemented by an economic viabilityassessment of the impact of any proposedlevy when the charging schedule is submittedfor examination.

11.24 The accompanying Infrastructure DeliverySchedule identifies infrastructure ofimportance to the overall delivery of the LDF.

Fortunately the scale and location ofdevelopment proposed in the Core Strategyis not dependent upon critical infrastructureworks such as major new road links.However a range of infrastructure will still berequired to ensure that new and existingdevelopments are properly integrated, thenatural environment is protected and newresidents have access to essential services.

Policy CS35: Developer Contributions

Developers will be required to make provision forinfrastructure where the need arises directly fromdevelopment. The Council will seek to enter into alegal agreement with developers to provide for newphysical infrastructure, social, recreational andcommunity facilities (including education facilities)and environmental mitigation or compensationmeasures where mitigation on site is impossible orinadequate on its own. Provision will be sought inproportion to the size and nature of the individualdevelopment and will take into account the existingpattern of provision in the locality.

Provision will be made on the site where this can bereasonably achieved. When this is not the case,contributions will be sought for the provision offacilities and ecological features elsewhere, providedtheir location can adequately serve the developmentsite or are appropriately related to it.

This policy will be adapted, as necessary, in theGuide to Developer Contributions to reflectGovernment guidance and regulations in force at the time.

142

11http://www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/planning/developercontributions.aspx

Publication Draft Core Strategy - August 2011Ta

ble

11 0

1 M

onito

ring

and

Impl

emen

tatio

n Fr

amew

ork

143

��

�

��

��

��

� �

� � ��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


144

� � ��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


145

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


146

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��


147

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

��

�

��

�

��

��

�


148

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


149

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


150

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��


151

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


152

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�

��

�


153

Tabl

e 11

02

Infr

astr

uctu

re D

eliv

ery

Sche

dule


154


155


156


157


158


159


160


161


162


163


Appendix A: Schedule of Superseded (Replaced) Policies

Superseded Policies:

Local Plan Policy Core Strategy Policy No.Policy No.

S1 Development Strategy CS1, 17, 24, 6, 7, 8, 12S2 Strategic Principles CS2, 32, 4, 19, 26 To 32S4 Landscape And Urban Design Guidance CS2, 7S5 Medway’s “City” Centre CS1, 24,28,19, 8S6 Planning Obligations CS34S7 Rochester Riverside Action Area CS1, 2,12, 24,27S9 Chatham Historic Dockyard CS2, 12S10 Strood Waterfront Action Area CS1, 8, 9, 2, 24, 6, 26, 12, 17S12 Kingsnorth CS17, 21S13 Isle Of Grain CS17, 21S14 Ministry Of Defence Estate, Chattenden CS33, 13, 17,19, 24

BNE1 General Principles For Built Development CS2, 8BNE4 Energy Efficiency CS4BNE12 Conservation Areas CS12BNE14 Development In Conservation Areas CS12, 7, 8, 2BNE25 Development in the Countryside CS7 BNE26 Business Development in rural Settlements CS7BNE28 Farm Diversification CS7BNE29 Farm Shops CS7BNE31 Strategic Gap CS7BNE32 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty CS7BNE33 Special Landscape Areas CS7BNE35 International and National Nature Conservation Sites CS6, 7BNE36 Strategic and Local Nature Conservation Sites CS6, 7BNE37 Wildlife Habitats CS6, 7, 8BNE38 Wildlife Corridors and Stepping Stones CS6, 7, 8BNE39 Protected Species CS6BNE40 Cliffe Conservation Park CS6, 7BNE44 Community Woodlands CS6, 7, 8BNE45 Undeveloped Coast CS5, 6, 7, 8BNE48 Agricultural Land CS7

164


Local Plan Policy Core Strategy Policy No.Policy No.

ED9 Chatham Port CS24, 25ED11 Existing Tourist Facilities CS18ED14 Bed & Breakfast Accommodation and Guest Houses CS18H3 Affordable Housing CS14H5 High Density Housing CS15H10 Housing Mix CS15H11 Residential Development in rural Settlements CS7H13 Gypsy Caravan Sites and Travelling s CS16

Showpeople’s Quarter

R10 Local Centres, Village Shops and Neighbourhood CS19, 26 TO 32 Centres

R11 Town Centre Uses and the Sequential Approach CS19R13 Retail uses and the Sequential Approach CS19

L13 Water Based Leisure CS25

T5 Bus Preference Measures CS24T6 Provision for Public Transport CS24T9 River Buses and Piers CS24, 25T10 Wharves CS24, 25T11 Development Funded Transport Improvements CS34

CF1 Community Facilities CS9, 10, 11

CF2 New Community Facilities CS9, 10, 11

CF4 Primary Healthcare Facilities CS9

CF5 Nursing and Special Care CS15

CF7 Further, Higher and Adult Education CS17, 20

CF9 Power Stations CS21

CF11 Renewable Energy CS4

CF13 Tidal Flood Areas CS5

165


Appendix B: Schedule of Current Supplementary Planning Documents

166


167


168


169

Publication Draft Core Strategy - August 2011A

ppen

dix

C: H

ousi

ng T

raje

ctor

y an

d So

urce

s of

Sup

ply

2006

- 2

028+

170

Sour

ce: H

ousi

ng P

hasi

ng E

stim

ates

as

at Ju

ne 2

011.

Thi

s da

ta w

ill b

e in

corp

orat

ed in

to th

e ne

xt re

view

of t

heSL

AA

and

the

Ann

ual M

onito

ring

Repo

rt at

the

end

of 2

011.

Publication Draft Core Strategy - August 2011A

ppen

dix

D: E

mpl

oym

ent

Traj

ecto

ry

Dat

a so

urce

Em

ploy

men

t Pha

sing

Esti

mat

es a

s at

June

201

1. T

his

data

will

be

inco

rpor

ated

into

the

next

revi

ewof

the

SLA

A a

nd th

e A

nnua

l Mon

itorin

g Re

port

at th

e en

d of

201

1.

171

-40,

000

-20,

0000

20,0

00

40,0

00

60,0

00

80,0

00

100,

000

120,

000

140,

000

160,

000

2006/7

2007/8

2008/9

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

2026/27

2027/28

2028+

Com

plet

ions

to d

ate

ELS

Pha

sing

Flo

orsp

ace

sq m


Appendix E: Transport Objectives, Schemes And Actions In TheThird Local Transport Plan (LTP3)

172

Transport objective 1: Highwaymaintenance

Schemes/actions:

• Maintenance of highway assets including

improvements to street lighting, traffic signalsand highway drainage

• Medway Tunnel upgrade including operatingand control systems


• Structural infrastructure maintenance includingto bridges retaining walls etc.

• Carriageway maintenance

• Footway and cycle track maintenance

• Public rights of way maintenance.

Transport objective 2: ImprovingInfrastructure Capacity

Schemes/actions:

• Network management, guided by the NetworkManagement Plan

• Operation of Urban Traffic Management andControl. This is currently being implementedand is expected to

- Improve the operational efficiency of thehighway network;

- Provide real time travel and parkinginformation to drivers;

- Respond to incidents on the network;

- Enable bus routes to be more punctual andreliable with improved journey times;

- Measure traffic related air quality and mitigatepollution episodes where possible;

- Link to neighbouring local authorities and theHighway Agency to enable sub regionaltraffic management.

• Tackling congestion hotspots. These are listedbelow, along with the intended programming ofschemes designed to achieve improvements.Normally this will be in the form of capacityimprovements to junctions to relieve bottlenecksand aid free flowing. They are also intended toimprove air quality.

• Strategic car park management. Actions willfocus on:

- The rationalisation of existing spaces inChatham and the development of threestrategically located car parks

- A review of parking charges to discouragelong stay parking in identified locations (thisaction to be delivered in conjunction with theexpansion of Park and Ride facilities)

- Review the overall parking provision in centresof regeneration

- A robust process to secure developercontributions towards the provision andoperation of town centre parking and Parkand Ride sites

- Operation of real-time monitoring and displayof car parking availability.

- A temporary additional car park at StroodCivic Centre

• Management of freight, including through:

- Further improvements to the A228 to Grain

- Improvements to the Thamesport freight line,including Hoo junction (in Gravesham)

- Directing HGV traffic away from unsuitableroads

- Ensuring major freight traffic generatingdevelopments provide access to the railnetwork for freight movements

- Encouraging freight operators to use rail andriver transport options

- Monitoring growth in freight movementsoriginating from International Gatewaysthroughout Kent and working sub-regionally tomitigate negative consequences

- Investigating the provision of faster and morereliable highway linkages from business,storage and distribution sites to the strategichighway network.

Transport objective 3: Improving publictransport

Schemes/actions:

• Improving travel by bus and taxi, includingthrough:

- Development of Fastrack style bus links toChattenden and other major development sites

- The development of new Park & Ride sitestogether with supporting routes andinfrastructure

- Expansion of Quality Public TransportCorridors routes to support serviceimprovements

173


- Development of traffic management schemesthat contribute to more reliable bus journeytimes

- Expansion of the real-time information systemand/or text messaging service to all stopsacross the bus network

- Development of sub-regional bus services inpartnership with operators and neighbouringauthorities

- Improved ticketing and fares initiatives,including investigating the introduction ofSmartcard technology potentially inpartnerships with neighbouring authorities

- Continued support for initiatives thatencourage young people to use bus services.

- Improved promotion of bus services, inparticular through workplace and residentialtravel plans and personalised travel planning

- Enhanced promotion of bus services throughall forms of media.

- Review of taxi rank locations and waitingfacilities for accessibility and personnel safety

- Investigating the provision of CCTV in all taxisoperating in Medway

- Investigating the opportunities for concessionsto use travel credits in taxis or buses using asmartcard based system

- Investigating the potential for a new rivercrossing to support public transport, walkingand cycling between the Medway City Estateand Chatham

- Improved partnership working with operatorsto identify opportunities to improve theoperational environment for public transport

- Improved customer care training for front linestaff, including considerate driving skills andsupporting vulnerable user groups

- The introduction of bus stop improvements,which aid accessibility for passengers whilstassisting in reducing layover times at bus stops

- The use of on-bus CCTV parking enforcementto ensure bus priority routes remain congestionfree.

• Developing park and ride, including:

- Expansion of the existing Park & Ride site atHorsted

- New Park & Ride site at Whitewall Creek(developer funded)

- New Park & Ride sites to be identified nearStrood

- New Park & Ride site to be identified to theeast of Gillingham, possibly located on orclose to Gillingham Business Park

- Quality Public Transport Corridors linking Park& Ride sites to key destinations

- Operation of bus services between Park &Ride sites and key destinations

- Implementation of town centre parkingstrategy to reduce long stay car parkingspaces in town centres.

• Improving travel by train, including through:

- Major station improvements, including:

- Reconstruction and possible relocation ofRochester station (identified in Kent RUS,2010);

- Reconstruction of Strood station

- Reconstruction and reconfiguration ofChatham station to support regeneration andimprove the gateway to the town centre

- Delivery of accessibility improvements tostations, including forecourt improvements atRainham station

- Capacity improvements at Rochester bridgejunction as part of East Kent resignalling(identified in Kent RUS, 2010)

- Improved transport interchange opportunitiesat key mainline stations

- Encouragement of cycling to stations byimproved cycle links and more secure cycleparking.

• Coach travel, focussing on coach park andride

• Community transport, focussing on the furtherdevelopment of the Villager service

174


• River transport and river crossings, focussingon:

- Maintaining and developing a comprehensivenetwork of piers that could support a river taxiand other leisure related services

- Seeking a partner to operate a river taxi orpossibly an amphibious vehicle

- Investigate the potential for a new rivercrossing for pedestrians, cyclists and publictransport.

Transport objective 4: Encouraging activetravel and improving health

Schemes/actions:

• Accessibility to bus services by:

- A programme of bus stop improvements,building on a network where 60% of the highfrequency bus stops are accessible

- Alterations to bus stops to increase patron’sfeelings of safety whilst waiting for servicesincluding the introduction of CCTV

- Investigation of measures to allow those withlearning disabilities to undertake independenttravel

- Partnership working with operators toinvestigate opportunities to reduce costs andutilise savings in the reduction of fares and /orincreased frequency of services.

• Encouraging walking, including through:

- The development of schemes that allow easyaccess to local shopping facilities andamenities with priority given to those in areasof socio-economic deprivation

- Improving accessibility to public rights of waythrough network and waymarkingimprovements, including making more of thenetwork accessible to people with mobilitydifficulties

- Participation in the regional Coastal Accessproject and sub-regional Valley of Visionsproject

- Ensuring new development provides adequatefacilities to access facilities by foot

- Expanding the walking bus initiative.

- Increasing opportunities to access play andpark facilities as a pedestrian

- Develop schemes that remove barriers topedestrian movement including a programmeof installing drop kerbs at junctions.

• Encouraging cycling, including through:

- Participation in the development of a sub-regional cycle network and enhancement ofthe National Cycle Routes

- Promotion of cycle facilities and the healthbenefits of cycling

- Organised cycling activities

- Ensuring new development provides adequatefacilities for cyclists, including off-site cyclelinks

- Supporting the Sustrans cycle ranger scheme

- Enhancing existing routes by improvedmaintenance and minor improvements

- Increasing and improving secure cycleparking

- Creating new opportunities for recreationalcycling, by developing more facilities off-roadand on quiet roads

- Expanding the existing utility cycle network byinfilling gaps and making linkages to keydestinations.

• Green Grid through the delivery of thetransport elements of the strategy and ensuringmajor developments are linked to the Gridwhere this is practical

• Improving air quality, including through:

- Development of air quality management area(AQMA) traffic management schemes with thekey objective of improving local air quality

- Development of operational protocols, toenable UTMC to respond to episodes of poorair quality

- Supporting interventions that contribute totackling poor local air quality

- Working with Network Rail to widen DarnleyArches, which have been identified as a

175


significant point of constriction on the network associated to poor air quality

- Investigate opportunities to disseminate high-resolution air quality data to hospitals anddoctors surgeries to assist patients withrespiratory illnesses

• Design guidance for developments by:

- Taking account of new design guidance whenconsidering estate layouts, for exampleManual for Streets

- Updating current design standards andparking standards

- Reviewing and publishing a highwaysadoption manual

- The use of shared space at selected locations

• Travel Plans, with outcomes focussing on:

- Increasing active travel by encouragingwalking and cycling

- Promoting public transport use

- Improving accessibility to goods, services andemployment for people without access to a car

- Reducing the need to travel, particularlyduring peak periods

- Proactively monitoring the success of travelplans associated with new development andseeking additional measures if targets are notachieved

• Targeting travel plans for:

- Existing and new schools without an activetravel plan (developed in conjunction with theSafer Routes to School initiative in objective 5)

- Significant employers or areas of employment

- Major new residential developments

- Further and Higher education establishments

Transport objective 5: Improving travelsafety

Schemes/actions:

• Road safety schemes, including:

- Alterations to the road environment to modifyroad user behaviour

- Alterations to the road layout (on a varyingscale) to control vehicle movements

- Additional on-street parking restrictions inlocations where road safety is compromised

• Road safety education and training, withactions including;

- Continuing Bikeability cycle training for schoolstudents

- Practical pedestrian training

- Monitoring and training school crossingpatrols

- Working with schools to deliver the correctroad safety message to the correct age group

- Educational Resources loaned to schools

- Working with partners to focus on vulnerableroad users including young drivers and mopedriders

- Extend the Junior Road Safety Officer scheme

• Road safety publicity and promotion, withcampaigns and promotion focussing on:

- Drink and drug driving

- Distractions in collision causation

- Being visible on the highway network

- Walk to School schemes throughout the year

• Road safety enforcement

• Safer routes to school, including through;

- Improvements to key pedestrian routes fromkey catchment areas to schools

- Expanding the existing walking bus initiative

- Appropriate highway infrastructure andfocused parking enforcement in the vicinity ofschool entrances

- Campaigns and initiatives

- Information and education on safer walking

- Providing bus safety education

- Encouraging schools to work withneighbouring schools so that joint initiativescan reflect any wider issues within the area

• Community safety initiatives.

176


Affordable HousingHousing provided for those people who need to be inan area but who are unable to afford open marketprices or rents.

Ancient Semi Natural WoodlandWoodland likely to have existed prior to 1600 andcontaining trees and shrubs that are predominantlynative. All stands of ancient woodland, which does notobviously originate from planting.

Annual Monitoring Report (AMR)Authorities are required to prepare annual monitoringreports to assess the implementation of the localdevelopment scheme and the extent to which policiesin local development documents are being achieved.

Appropriate AssessmentAppropriate Assessment is a requirement of the ECHabitats Directive 92/43/EEC and EC Birds Directive79/409/EEC and is used to assess the impacts of aland use plan against the conservation objectives of aEuropean Site and to ascertain whether it wouldadversely affect the integrity of that site.

Area Action Plan (AAP)Planning frameworks for areas of change and areas ofconservation.

BiodiversityThe number and variety of species found within aspecified geographical area

Brownfield sites/Land (Derelict land,Recycled land)Previously developed land that is, or was, occupied bya permanent (non-agricultural) structure and associatedfixed surface infrastructure. The definition covers thecurtilage of the development (except housing). It mayoccur in both built up and rural settings.

Call for SitesThe process of asking landowners and developers, toput forward sites to Medway Council to consider fordevelopment for the period up to 2026 and beyond.Sites should be able to accommodate 5 or moredwellings or are 0.15 hectares or greater in size

Carbon Capture and StorageThis is a means of mitigating the contribution of fossilfuel emissions to global warning, based on capturingcarbon dioxide and storing it away from theatmosphere by different.

Category A TreesTrees that are particularly good examples of theirspecies, especially if rare or unusual, of significantconservation, historical, commemorative or othervalue or those of particular visual importance.

Climate ChangeRising global temperatures which will result inchanges in weather patterns, rising sea levels andincreased frequency and intensity of extreme weather

ClusterA geographical concentration of inter-connectedbusinesses

Coastal squeezeAreas of mudflat or salt marsh that are reducing inarea as a result of rising sea levels againstincreasingly defended land.

Combined heat and power (CHP)Technology for energy recovery systems, whichprovides both electricity and heat and can be linkedto community heating schemes or to individualpremises.

CommitmentA development proposal which is allocated in adevelopment plan or for which planning permissionhas been granted.

Comparison Shopping/GoodsHigher value non-food goods (consumer durablessuch as clothing, footwear, jewellery, books, etc) –purchases tend to be less frequent than everydayitems, and often involve comparison between differentitems and brands. Traditionally associated with HighStreet shopping.

Conservation AreaAn area designated under the Town and CountryPlanning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)Act 1990 on account of its special architectural orhistoric interest where its character and appearanceshould be preserved and enhanced.

Convenience Shopping/GoodsFood, drink and other frequently purchased lowervalue items e.g. household cleaning materials,newspapers, and confectionary.

Glossary of Terms

177


Core StrategyA development plan document, forming part of thelocal development framework that sets out the longterm spatial vision for an area with strategic policiesand proposals to deliver that vision

dBA decibel is a unit for measuring the intensity of asound.

Derelict landLand so damaged by industrial or other developmentthat it is incapable of beneficial use without treatment.

DevelopmentThe carrying out of building, engineering, mining orother operations in, on, over or under land, or themaking of any material change in the use of anybuildings or other land.

Development BriefA supplementary planning document prepared insupport of policies and proposals within theDevelopment Plan. They inform developers and otherinterested parties of the constraints and opportunitiespresented by a site and the type of developmentexpected or encouraged by local planning policies.

Development Plan Document (DPD)Spatial planning documents covering a range ofpolicy areas that will undergo a process ofconsultation and are subject to alteration followingindependent examination.

District Centre Shops, separate from the town centre, usually arecontaining at least one food supermarket orsuperstore, and non-retail services such as banks,building societies and restaurants.

Ecological FootprintAn ecological footprint is a concept based on howmuch land and water area a human populationneeds to produce the resources required to sustainitself and to absorb its wastes, given prevailingtechnology.

EcosystemsA complex set of relationships between species andhabitats of an area. Ecosystems vary in size witheach species dependant on one another

Edge of centreA location that is well connected to and within easywalking distance of the primary shopping centre.

Environmental Compensation/MitigationMechanisms whereby the loss of environmentalresources can be mitigated or compensated for wherean environmental feature is lost, with a feature of atleast equivalent value.

Green BeltGreen Belts are specifically established throughdevelopment plans and consist of predominantlyopen land around urban areas and other settlementswith the strategic role of preventing the outwardexpansion of built up areas, safeguarding thesurrounding countryside from encroachment, assistingurban regeneration and providing areas for outdoorrecreation.

Green Corridors/Green GridA network of open spaces, often linear in nature,possibly linked and providing connections betweentown and country.

Greenfield land/sitesPreviously undeveloped land within or beyond theconfines of built up areas. National definition of this(PPG3) includes former mineral working which hasbeen the subject of an agreed restorationprogramme.

Greenhouse GasA gas in the Earth’s atmosphere (such as carbondioxide) that absorbs infra-red radiation emitted bythe Earth’s surface as a result of exposure to solarultra-violet radiation, thus increasing the meantemperature of the planet.

Green InfrastructureSustainable Drainage systems (SUD’s), flood riskmanagement water resource management, tackling ofheat island effect e.t.c.

GEA Gross External Area

Gross Value AddedMeasures the contribution to the economy of eachindividual producer, industry or sector in the UnitedKingdom and is used for the estimation of GrossDomestic Product (GDP)

178


HouseholdOne person living alone or a family or group ofpeople living at the same address and sharingdomestic facilities and housekeeping arrangements.

LandbankA supply of land intended for a particular purpose.For minerals it relates to the mineral reservesassociated with land that has planning permission.

LandfillThe deposition of waste onto hollow or void space inthe land, usually below the level of the surroundingland in such a way that pollution or harm to theenvironment is prevented

Listed BuildingA Building of special historic or architectural interest.Listing gives a building statutory protection againstunauthorised demolition, alteration and extension.

Local CentreA small group of retail and services outlets usuallycomprising a newsagent, a general grocery store, asub post office and occasionally a pharmacy, ahairdresser and other small shops of a local nature.

Local Development Documents (LDDs)Introduced in the Planning and Compulsory PurchaseAct 2004, they comprise both statutory developmentplan documents (DPD’s) and non-statutorySupplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). LDDsinclude core policies, area action plans, proposalsmap, site-specific policies and a Statement ofCommunity Involvement.

Local Development Framework (LDF)Introduced in the Planning and Compulsory PurchaseAct 2004, they comprise a ‘folder’ of LocalDevelopment Documents (LDDs). They have replacedthe former framework of District Local Plans, Mineralsand Waste Local Plans and Supplementary PlanningGuidance. They form the framework for delivering thespatial planning strategy for the area. The series ofdocuments, which when adopted will replace theadopted Local Plan

Local Development Scheme (LDS)The LDS is a public statement identifying which localdevelopment documents will be produced, in whatorder and when.

Local PlansThe lower tier of the former statutory developmentplan setting out detailed policies and proposals for alocal authority’s area, or for a particular subject (e.g.the Kent Waste and Minerals Local Plans wereprepared for the Kent & Medway area). Local Planswere required to be in general conformity with theadopted Structure Plan for the area.

Local Strategic PartnershipA single body that brings together at a local level thedifferent parts of the public sector as well as theprivate, business, community and voluntary sectors sothat different initiatives and services support eachother and work together. They are responsible fordeveloping and driving the implementation ofCommunity Strategies and Local Area Agreements(LAAs)

Low Cost Market HousingHousing provided at a purchase price significantlybelow prevailing open market prices in the locality.Does not mean either smaller housing or housing builtto a lower standard.

Mixed Use DevelopmentAreas/Buildings where a mixture of commercial,retail and residential uses predominate therebymeeting social, economic and cultural needs in onearea and contributing to communities with goodaccess to a full range of services and reduced needto travel.

Multi Area AgreementA voluntary agreement between two or moreauthorities, their partners and the governmentworking collectively to improve local economicprosperity

National Nature ReservesAreas defined by English Nature and considered tobe of such national importance as to requirepreservation and management. Designated undersection 19 of the National Parks and Access to theCountryside Act 1949 or section 35 of the Wildlifeand Countryside Act 1981.

Permitted Development Rights (PD)Small scale developments, which do not requireplanning permission from the Local PlanningAuthority.

179


Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act2004An act to make provision relating to spatialdevelopment, town and country planning and thecompulsory acquisition of land

Planning Policy Statement (PPS)Subject specific national Government policies, onnational land use in England that replaced PlanningPolicy Guidance (PPGs) notes.

Previously Developed LandLand in urban or rural areas, which is, or was,occupied by a permanent (non agricultural) structureand associated fixed surface infrastructure, includingthe curtilage of the development (except housing). Itincludes defence buildings and land used for mineralextraction and waste disposal where provision forrestoration has not been made.

Primary Road NetworkThose inter-urban routes, which provide access towithin five miles of the larger urban centres. Theseroads include motorways, trunk roads and primary“A” roads.

Quality Bus CorridorsQuality bus corridors are uncongested, have real timebus information at bus stops and easy access ontoand off the buses.

RAMSAR SiteSites designated under the RAMSAR Convention onthe Conservation of Wetlands of InternationalImportance Especially Waterfowl Habitat, ratified bythe British Government in 1976. Natural England hasthe responsibility of identifying RAMSAR sites.

Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)Identification and definition of policies relating to thedevelopment and use of land in the region that wereprepared by the regional planning body andapproved by the Secretary of State.

Regionally Important Geological andGeomorphological SitesDesignated by locally developed criteria to cover themost important places for geology andgeomorphology outside statutorily protected landsuch as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Registered ProviderAny organisation registered with the Tenants ServicesAuthority as a provider of social housing. This caninclude Housing Associations Local Authories andPrivate Companies.

Retail ParkGroups of retail warehouses formed into “Centres”generally with shared car parking

Retail Warehousing/WarehousesStores specialising in an aspect of comparison goodsretailing, frequently trading in bulky goods such ashome improvement products, major electrical items,motor accessories, furniture, carpets and gardenproducts and bulky DIY items, catering mainly for car-borne customers and often in out-of-town locations.

Rural Service CentreSettlements within rural areas that provide animportant service role (e.g. employment, shops,community facilities) to their local population andtheir immediate rural hinterland.

Scheduled Ancient MonumentAn archaeological site of national importance(buildings or other structures) included within aschedule compiled by the Secretary of State forCulture, Media and Sport under the AncientMonuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (asamended by the National Heritage Act 1983), asbeing of significant archaeological importance.Consent is required from the Secretary of State forworks affecting a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Semi-Natural AreasAn area of native flora and/or fauna species that isapparently natural but has been significantly modifiedby human activities.

Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs)Prepared by a group of agencies including localmaritime authorities and the Environment Agency.SMPs provide a large scale assessment of the risksassociated with coastal processes and present aframework to reduce these risks to people, propertyand the environment.

Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI)Identified by the Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) andconsidered to be of countywide importance.

180


Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)Nationally important areas for the conservation ofwildlife habitats, geological features and landforms.SSSI’s are areas of land that have been notified byEnglish Nature as being of special interest under theWildlife and Countryside Act 1981 or the NationalParks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

Social rented propertiesA form of housing tenure owned and managed by thestate or not-for-profit organisations, usually with theaim of providing affordable housing

South East PlanThe South East Plan is the Regional Spatial Strategy(RSS) that set out a vision for the future of the SouthEast Region until 2026, outlining how to respond tochallenges facing the region such as housing, theeconomy, transport and protecting the environment

Spatial PlanningSpatial planning goes beyond traditional land useplanning to bring together and integrate policies forthe development and use of land with other policiesand programmes which influence the nature of placesand how they function.

Spatial PortraitA description of the main social and economiccharacteristics which sets out the context for the LDF

Special Areas for Conservation (SAC)Areas designated under Directive 92/43/EEC on theConservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna.They contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.

Special Protection Area (SPA)Areas designated under European CommunityDirective 79/409 on the Conservation of Wild Birds,to conserve the habitat of rare or vulnerable birdsand all regularly occurring migratory birds.

State of Medway ReportOne of a series of factual reports produced to informthe preparation of Medway’s LDF

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)The statement of community involvement explains tolocal communities and stakeholders how they will beinvolved in the preparation of local developmentdocuments, and the steps that authorities will take tofacilitate this involvement.

Strategic Land Availability AssessmentAn assessment to identify sites that are available orcould become available for housing, employment orother developments in the period up to 2026 andbeyond. Sites should be able to accommodate 5 ormore dwellings or are 0.15 hectares or greater insize

Strategic GapAn area of predominantly open land betweenexisting urban areas which serves to maintain theirseparate identity and prevent their coalescence witheach other or with smaller nearby settlements.

Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUD)A sequence of management practice and controlstructures designed to drain surface water in a moresustainable fashion than some conventionaltechniques.

SuperstoresSelf-service stores selling mainly food or food andnon-food goods, usually more than 2,500 squaremetres trading floor space, with supporting carparking.

Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)Issues and sites for which the local planning authoritywishes to provide detailed policy guidance, whichwill supplement policies and proposals in thedevelopment plan documents.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)Assessment of the environmental, economic andsocial impact of policies, to ensure that all policiesand proposals reflect sustainable developmentprinciples.

Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS)A document prepared by a local strategic partnershipwhich sets out a vision and plans for agencies,organisations and communities who work together toimprove the quality of life in an area

Sustainable DevelopmentCommonly defined as “development that meets theneeds of the present without compromising the abilityof future generations to meet their own needs” (WorldCommission on Environment and Development,1987).

181


Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)SUDS provide for more environmentally sustainableurban drainage through systems designed to reducerun off, slow its rate or provide for filtering,sedimentation and biological degradation of thewater.

Thames GatewayThe regional growth area on both sides of theThames Estuary within North Kent, South Essex andEast London which is of national and regionalimportance for economic regeneration,redevelopment of brownfield sites and the promotionof sustainable development.

Town CentreCity, town and traditional suburban centres, whichprovide a range of facilities and services and whichfulfil a function as a focus for both the community andfor public transport. It excludes small parades ofshops of purely local significance.

Traffic calmingMeasures to reduce vehicle speeds to improve safetyand enhance an area’s quality of life.

Thames Gateway Planning FrameworkA planning framework that established a set ofprinciples to guide the consideration of futureproposals for the development and environmentalenhancement of the Thames Gateway.

Travel PlansA package of practical measures to encourage staffand/or visitors to a development to choosealternatives to single occupancy car use and toreduce the need to travel.

Urban CapacityAn estimate of the potential for additionaldevelopment that can be accommodated within anurban area.

Urban ExtensionA large expansion of a town or city

Urban FringeCountryside on the periphery of urban areas oftensubject to development pressures or activities thatthreaten the appearance/management of thecountryside.

Use ClassesA classification of land uses for development controlpurposes defined by the Town and Country Planning(Use Classes) Order 1987 and subsequentamendment orders. Changes of use of buildings orother land between uses within a single ‘use class’are excluded from the definition of development inthe Town and Country Planning Act 1990, thusmaking planning permission unnecessary i.e. AStatutory Instrument which defines broad categoriesof use of land and buildings.

WasteRefers to all types of waste including trade,commercial, industrial, construction and demolition,agricultural, mineral, quarrying and household waste.

Windfall sitesSites, which become available for development,which were not previously identified as allocations oridentified as commitments through previous planningpermissions.

World Heritage SiteCultural and natural sites of outstanding world-widevalue designated by the World Heritage Committeefor inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.

182


183

Development Plans and Research Team, Regeneration, Community and Culture, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.medway.gov.uk/ldf

local development framework

Documents

strood context diagram

medway employment sub

core strategy stages2figure

core strategy timetable

rainham context diagram

rochester context diagram

chatham context diagram

local areas