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Core Strategy - Issues and Options Report

About this stage

This page provides an outline of the process followed in an earlier stage of the production of the Core Strategy. It has been made available for reference purposes, and to evidence the work that has been carried out in the development of the Core Strategy.

Response to representations

Medway Council is preparing a Local Development Framework (LDF) that will consist of a portfolio of documents. It will be the key spatial plan for Medway, guiding development over the period to 2028 and addressing issues relevant to the area. The first and most important of the documents is the Core Strategy, that will set out the vision, strategic objectives and an overall strategic framework for Medway.

An early stage of the plan preparation process was the identification of Issues and Options. The Issues and Options report considered the key issues and challenges facing Medway, based on an analysis of the characteristics of the area. It also set out the spatial choices about where development should go. It was published for public consultation in July 2009:

  • so that everyone interested in the future development of Medway was aware of this work and had an opportunity to influence what is done in the coming months;
  • to test whether the council had identified all the matters that should be addressed in what will be the LDF Core Strategy; and 
  • to explain what broad options there were for the way in which Medway could develop and seek views on which of those options should be reflected in the Core Strategy.

The council responded to all the submitted representations and the responses are available to download below (the following pdfs are in A3 paper size):

Download the Issues and Options public consultation report (pdf 857KB).

Issues

A series of issues relevant to Medway were set out in the report, grouped under the following headings:

  • sub-regional context;
  • population;
  • housing;
  • transport;
  • economy;
  • education and skills;
  • retailing and town centres;
  • community and social infrastructure;
  • leisure, culture and tourism;
  • landscape, wildlife, countryside and open spaces;
  • minerals;
  • waste;
  • energy;
  • climate change;
  • Lodge Hill, Chattenden.

Each section set out the council's key findings, a discussion of the issues arising from these and then a series of questions seeking views.

Options

The report also set out five different development options (spatial choices). Only one option, a new settlement at Lodge Hill, Chattenden, was supported by the council. Other options were included because interested parties had suggested them, and to enable the public to express their views on them. These were:

  • Option 1 – Lodge Hill, Chattenden (new settlement) - this is the option supported by the council;
  • Option 2 - Expanded Hoo (village cluster);
  • Option 3 – Capstone (urban extension);
  • Option 4 – East of Rainham (urban extension);
  • Option 5 – North of Rainham (urban extension).

Options 2-5 were promoted by others and were not supported by the council.

In addition to the council's response the following documents are available to download:

Following the preparation of the Issues and Options report the council has published the following documents:

If you would like to be kept informed about the Medway Local Development Framework, please contact us using the details below.

To use any pdfs on this page, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this on your computer, please use our advice page.

For more information contact Development Policy and Engagement by telephone: 01634 331629 or by email: ldf@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Development Policy and Engagement, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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