Medway Local Plan 2035

Development Options consultation January 2017

Medway Council is preparing a new Local Plan to guide the development of Medway up to 2035. The council is consulting on a Development Options document. This builds on the earlier consultation work carried out on Issues and Options in 2016.

You can read a copy of the full consultation document on the council’s website at:

www.medway.gov.uk/futuremedway.

You can also view copies of the consultation document at the council offices at Gun Wharf, Medway Council libraries and community hubs, during normal opening hours.

You can find copies of reports and studies that provide the background to this consultation on the ‘futuremedway’ webpage.

The council welcomes comments on the draft vision and strategic objectives, development options and policy approaches set out in the consultation document. Your responses will be taken into account in the next stages of the preparation of the Local Plan 2035.
Please note that your response will be recorded and published on the council’s website as part of the process of producing the Local Plan. However, please rest assured that any personal or sensitive information will be removed.

You can submit comments online through this survey or you can also comment on the proposals by emailing:

futuremedway@medway.gov.uk

Alternatively you can write to us at:

Planning Policy,   Regeneration, Community, Environment and Transformation
Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

From 1 March 2017 the submission date has been extended from 5.00pm Monday, 6 March 2017 to 5.00pm Monday, 10 April 2017.


Please note that you do not have to answer all questions on this survey form. You can skip sections if you do not wish to make comments on specific policy areas.

CONSULTATION QUESTIONNAIRE

  Do you agree or disagree with the draft vision for Medway in 2035? please see below
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 

Vision for Medway 2035

By 2035 Medway will be a leading waterfront University city of 330,200 people, noted for its revitalised urban centres, its stunning natural and historic assets and countryside.

Medway will have secured the best of its intrinsic heritage and landscapes alongside high quality development to strengthen the area’s distinctive character. The urban waterfront and neighbouring centres will have been transformed into attractive locations for homes, jobs, leisure and cultural activities. The river will be celebrated as the defining feature linking historic and new development, and extended riverside access will connect communities and destinations.

Medway will have established a regional profile for successful and ambitious growth and accrued benefits from wider strategic developments. New development in Medway’s towns and villages will have responded positively to the character of the surrounding environment and needs of existing communities.

Planned growth will have delivered a city that its residents have pride in, providing homes for all sectors of the community, supported by infrastructure to deliver education, transport, health and community services. Vibrant and complementary town, local and village centres will provide a focus for community life.

The distinct towns and villages that make up Medway will be connected through effective transport networks, and green infrastructure links supporting nature and healthy communities. The quality of design and public realm will have delivered an accessible city where all can move around safely.

Inequalities in health, education, economic and social opportunities will be reduced.

Medway will have successfully grown its economy, capitalising on its learning quarter of higher and further education providers to raise skills levels; gaining competitiveness from its strategic location, delivering high speed broadband services to businesses and communities; securing and developing its diverse business base and attracting inward investment in a range of quality employment sites.

Medway will be defined by development that respects the character, functions and qualities of the natural and historic environments, in order to reduce the risk of flooding, to manage finite natural resources, and to ensure that important wildlife and heritage assets are protected and opportunities are realised to enhance their condition and connectivity.  Medway’s growth will promote a low carbon economy, seeking to address and mitigate climate change. Development will be managed to facilitate the sustainable supply of minerals and management of waste.

Strategic objectives

The objectives for the plan are focused on environmental, social and economic well being and regeneration, set out under four broad themes:

·A place that works well
·A riverside city connected to its natural surroundings
·Medway recognised for its quality of life
·Ambitious in attracting investment and successful in place-making

  Do you agree or disagree with the strategic objectives in Section 2 of the draft Local Plan?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 

Development Options

Government policy requires Local Plans to plan positively to meet the development and infrastructure needs of the area. By 2035, Medway will need :
 
         
·29,463 homes
         
·49,943 m2 of B1 office space, 155,748m2 of B2 industrial land, and 164,263m2 of B8 warehousing land
         
·34,900m2 of comparison retail space and 10,500m2 of convenience (groceries) retail space up to 2031
         
·New schools, health facilities, transport infrastructure, open spaces, and community centres

Section 3 of the Development Options consultation report sets out four potential different approaches to meet these development needs. At this early stage of work on the Local Plan, these are broad approaches. Following this consultation, more work will be carried out to identify specific sites to include in the draft Local Plan.

The Council wants to hear your views on where this development should take place so that Medway grows sustainably. We welcome your comments on how different locations and types of development could contribute to successful growth, and where there may be potential issues to address.

  Now you have read about the four potential development options please rank the options in your order of preference, from 1 to 5, where 1 is your most preferred option and 5 is your least preferred option  (PLEASE TICK ONE BOX PER ROW AND ONE BOX PER COLUMN ONLY)
  1 (most preferred)   2   3   4   5 (least preferred)  
  Option 1 - Maximising the potential of urban regeneration          

  Option 2 - Suburban expansion          

  Option 3 - A rural focus          

  Option 4 - Urban regeneration and rural town          

  Option 5 - Alternative sustainable development option (if applicable).                                         There is space to tell us about your alternative option in the 'Other alternatives for delivering sustainable development' section further on.          
 

Option 1 - Maximising the potential of urban regeneration

 
 

Option 2 - Suburban expansion

 
 

Option 3 - A rural focus

 
 

Option 4 - Urban regeneration and rural town

 
 

Other alternatives for delivering sustainable development

 

Local Plan approach to policy development

As part of the Local Plan the Council has to develop a number of planning policies that will be used to assess planning applications once the new Local Plan is adopted.  The Council needs your help to understand whether the policy approaches set out in the consultation document  would be effective in meeting the objectives for Medway’s development.

The Development Options consultation document sets out the council’s proposed approach to policy development in nine areas for your consideration:

·Housing
·Employment
·Retail and Town Centres
·Natural Environment and Green belt
·Build Environment
·Health and Communities
·Infrastructure
·Sustainable Transport
·Minerals, Waste and Energy

Housing

For the housing policy approaches set out in SECTION 4, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for housing delivery?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for housing mix?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for affordable housing and
starter homes?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for Supported Housing,
Nursing Homes and Older Persons Accommodation?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for student accommodation?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for mobile home parks?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for houseboats?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for houses of multiple
occupation?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for self-build and custom
house building?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for gypsy, traveller and
travelling show people accommodation?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Employment

For the employment policy approaches set out in SECTION 5, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for economic development?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for the rural economy?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for tourism?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for visitor accommodation?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Retail and Town Centres

For the retail and town centre policy approaches set out in SECTION 6, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for retail and town centres?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Natural Environment and Green Belt

For the natural environment and green belt policy approaches set out in SECTION 7, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for Strategic Access
Management and Monitoring?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for securing strong Green
Infrastructure?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for landscape?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for flood risk?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for air quality?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Built Environment

For the built environment policy approaches set out in SECTION 8, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for design?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for housing design?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for housing density?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for heritage?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Health and Communities

For the health and communities policy approaches set out in SECTION 9, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for health?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Infrastructure

For the infrastructure policy approaches set out in SECTION 10, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for general and strategic
infrastructure?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for education?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for community facilities?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for communication
infrastructure?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for open space and sports
facilities?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for utilities?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for implementation and
delivery?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Sustainable Transport

For the sustainable transport policy approaches set out in SECTION 11, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for transport?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for transport and the River
Medway?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for waterfronts and river
access?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for marinas and moorings?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for aviation?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for vehicle parking?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for cycle parking?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for connectivity?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

Minerals, Waste and Energy

For the minerals, waste and energy policy approaches set out in SECTION 12, please indicate below whether you agree or disagree with the following policy approaches:

  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for minerals planning?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for waste planning?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for energy?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
  Do you agree or disagree with the policy approach for renewable and low
carbon technologies?
Agree   Disagree   Don't know/ No opinion  
       
 
 

General Comments

 

Equalities Monitoring

We collect the following information to help us better understand the communities that we serve so that services and policies can be delivered to meet the needs of everybody. Please feel free to leave questions that you do not wish to answer. All of the information gathered in this questionnaire is confidential.

  Are you?
 
 
 
  In which of the following age bands do you fall?
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Do you have any long-standing health problem or disability? Long-standing means anything that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
 
 
 
  If yes, what is the nature of your health problem or disability? (please tick the appropriate box)
 
 
 
 
 
  What is your ethnic group?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Your Contact Details

 
 
 
  Type of Consultee (Please select one of the below option)
 

We will record your contact details and use them for further consultation stages on the Local Plan, and to keep you updated on the progress of the plan preparation. We will not share your details, or use them for any other purposes. The responses and contact details will be kept as part of the formal record of the preparation of the Local Plan. This will be for a minimum of five years.

Medway Council will keep the information provided above as confidential. Access to, retention and disposal of this information will be strictly in accordance with data protection requirements.  Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Medway Council’s Data Protection notice.

 


Thank you for taking part in the consultation on the Medway Local Plan 2035 Development Options document. At the end of the consultation, the council will collate and consider all responses received. The findings of the consultation will be published, together with the council’s response. The information gathered through the consultation process will be used in developing a draft version of the new Local Plan.

Please note that all comments received will be publicly available and will be included on the council’s website.

If you would like to receive this information in another format or language please contact Customer Contact on 01634 333333.

 
   
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