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Lodge Hill

Core Strategy Development Allocation

The council has proposed land at Lodge Hill, Chattenden as a location for development in the Submission Draft Core Strategy. Policy CS33 of the emerging Medway Local Development Framework Core Strategy makes a strategic allocation of land at Lodge Hill for a new settlement, and sets out key principles that will have to be followed in its development.

This strategic development allocation was considered as part of the Examination of the draft Core Strategy. At the hearing session in June 2012, new information about nightingales in the Lodge Hill area was presented by RSPB. This has led to further work being carried out to assess the importance of the area for nightingales and the feasibility of creating alternative habitats for the birds to compensate for loss which might result from development at Lodge Hill. The Core Strategy Planning Inspector suspended the Examination from September 2012 until 14 January 2013 to give time for this work to be completed.

The Council is working with a number of organisations to determine the scale of potential loss of nightingale habitat at Lodge Hill and the feasibility of providing alternative sites. It reported back to the Planning Inspector before the re-opening of the Core Strategy Examination in January 2013.

Natural England has considered if land at Lodge Hill should be designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of its nightingale population. Its Executive Board took the decision in October 2012 not to proceed with notifying a SSSI that time, due to incomplete evidence.

Details of the key correspondence and documents relating to this matter can be found on the examination- Lodge Hill information page.

Lodge Hill Development Brief

The council has written a Development Brief for the Lodge Hill site. This was approved by Medway Council’s Cabinet in December 2011.

To use the pdfs 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 331446 or by email: lodgehill@medway.gov.uk

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

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