5 October 2026
Three further documents have been added to the examination documents:
- MLP/ED37 - Medway Green and Blue Infrastructure
- MLP/ED38 - Further justification for a stepped trajectory
- MLP/ED39 - Viability assessment of Southern Waters' request to consider greater water efficiency standards.
View the new examination documents
5 October 2026
In the inspectors' post phase 1 hearing letters (MLP/ED32) they asked the council to consult on a number of documents.
View the council's phase 1 hearing session consultation
1 October 2026
The phase 2 hearing sessions of the examination will take place over 2 weeks, opening on Tuesday 17 November 2026.
View the hearing sessions page for more details
30 September 2026
The council's response to actions M5.1 and M5.2 arising from the Phase 1 Hearings is available at MLP/ED33.
View MLP/ED33 in the examination documents
29 September 2026
The Inspectors’ post Phase 1 Hearings letter to the council can be viewed at MLP/ED32 in the Examination documents.
21 September 2026
The council have submitted a proposed main modification concerning the housing requirement and supply. This is available in the examination documents at MLP/ED31.
View MLP/ED31 in the examination documents
16 September 2026
The council have written with an update on Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. The council letter can be viewed at MLP/ED28 in the examination documents.
View Gypsy and Traveller accommodation letter MLP/ED28
15 September 2026
The inspectors have accepted 3 additional documents submitted by the council relating to transport and flood defences.
See MLP/ED25 to MLP/ED27 in the examination documents.
15 September 2026
Statements of Common Ground (SoCG) between the council and site developers for the Hoo Consortium, Capstone Valley, Rainham Parkside Village, North Gillingham and West Strood are available in the examination documents under MLP/ED24B to MLP/ED24F.
View SoCG between the council and site developers
15 September 2026
An updated SoCG between Medway Council and prescribed bodies has been submitted at MLP/ED24A in the examination documents. Also published are copies of the Maidstone Local Plan and the inspectors' report. These documents are available under MLP/ED23 to MLP/ED23C.
View the updated SoCG and copies of the Maidstone Local Plan and inspectors' report
14 September 2026
The hearing sessions of the Medway Local Plan Examination open at 10am on 15 September 2026.
The hearings will be live streamed. A link to the live stream will be available on the hearing sessions pages when the hearing sessions are taking place, including the agendas for each session and the daily list of participants.
View hearing session information
10 September 2026
The inspectors have published agendas for the phase 1 hearing sessions and these can be viewed on the hearing sessions page.
View our phase 1 hearing sessions published agendas
7 September 2026
The draft programme with participants is now available on the hearing sessions page.
View the draft programme with participants
28 August 2026
Hearing statements for the Phase 1 hearing sessions covering Matters 1-8 can now be accessed on the Hearing Statements page.
17 August 2026
In the inspectors' letter to the council (MLP/ED13) they gave a deadline for submission of Statements of Common Ground (SoCG) of 14 August. The council have written to the inspectors with an update on the preparation of SoCG and have requested an extension of this deadline.
As Statements of Common Ground will assist the smooth running of the examination, the inspectors have agreed to the extension of a new deadline for the submission of the SoCG is Monday 14 September 2026.
View the council’s letter to the inspectors on timings for submission of Statements of Common Ground
View the Statement of Common Ground between Medway Council and National Highways
View the Statement of Common Ground between Medway Council and Southern Water.
13 August 2026
The council have written to the inspectors with the Scrutiny Committee papers (MLP/RF18 and MLP/ED18A) relating to the call-in on the Update on Provision for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation (MLP/ED17).
5 August 2026
Details of the council's recent consultation on the supporting evidence documents and the responses received can now be viewed. View consultation on the Medway Local Plan supporting evidence documents.
The council have written to the inspectors to set out their actions to address the needs for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople.
View the council's letter to address needs for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople - MLP/ED17.
30 July 2026
Hearing session dates have now been arranged for the Medway Local Plan examination. The sessions will be held at St John's Chatham, 18 Railway Street, Chatham, ME4 4JT starting on Tuesday 15 September 2026.
Find out more about the hearing sessions.
8 June 2026
The inspectors have asked the council to run 2 consultations.
One is on the supporting evidence documents that were not available when the council invited comments on the version of the Local Plan that was submitted for examination.
The second is a Call for Sites for anyone to suggest land that could be used for development of Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation.
View more information about the supporting evidence consultation and Call for Sites.
5 June 2026
The council's reply to the inspectors' letter setting out the next steps in the examination (MLP/ED9). The letter can be viewed in the examination documents MLP/ED10.
View the council's reply to the inspectors' letter setting out next steps.
1 June 2026
After receiving the council's response to the inspectors' initial questions, the inspectors have written to the council setting out the next steps in the examination. The letter can be viewed in the examination documents MLP/ED9.
View the inspectors' letter setting out the next steps in the examination.
18 May 2026
The council's response to the inspectors' initial questions relating to Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation (MLP/ED8) is now available in the examination documents.
Please view the inspectors' letter (MLP/ED5) paragraph 31 for details of the next steps in the examination.
12 May 2026
The council's response to the inspectors' initial question relating to Green Belt matters (MLP/ED7) is now available in the examination documents.
The council's response to the inspectors' queries on Gypsy and Travellers accommodation is due on Friday 15 May 2026.
View the council's response to the initial question on Green Belt matters.
6 May 2026
The council's response to the inspectors' initial questions (MLP/ED5) is now available in the examination documents. The council's reply to Green Belt matters will follow on 8 May 2026.
The inspectors will consider the council's responses and will advise on the next steps in the examination shortly. This will not be until after the inspectors have received and considered the council's response to the Green Belt matters.
View the council's response to the inspectors' initial questions.
28 April 2026
The inspectors have allowed an additional 48 hours for the council to submit their documents in response to the inspectors' initial questions. The final deadline is on Wednesday 29 April 2026 at 5pm for all documents except for the Green Belt note, which has a deadline of Friday 8 May 2026 at 5pm.
The documents will be available in the examination documents once the inspectors confirm they can be published. A note with the reference numbers of the documents will be published here.
30 March 2026
The inspectors have written to the council setting out their initial questions. The letter can be viewed in the examination documents at MLP/ED5.
View the letter to the council MLP/ED5.
24 March 2026
The inspectors will be writing to the council shortly setting out their initial questions for the council.
Richard Buxton Solicitors have written to the inspectors on behalf of Save the Hoo Peninsula. Their letter is available in the examination documents at MLP/ED4. The inspectors are considering the points raised in the letter and will request a response from the council on the points raised, including other matters in their initial letter to the council.
View Richard Buxton Solicitor letter MLP/ED4.
27 February 2026
To assist the inspectors with their initial assessment of the plan and to identify key issues relating to soundness, Medway Council were asked to prepare spreadsheets of representations received at the Regulation 19 stage. The spreadsheets are set out in Plan Order and Representer ID Order.
The spreadsheets can be found on the Regulation 20 representations page.
12 January 2026
Inspectors D Hendley BA (Hons) MA MRTPI and A McCormack BSc (Hons) MRTPI have been appointed to carry out the independent examination of the Medway Local Plan.
5 January 2026
The Medway Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination on 18 December 2025.