Hoo residents are being asked to give their views on two new community parklands, as well as discover the proposed final routes of key roads in the Future Hoo project.
Open from 13 June to 24 July, the consultation will focus our plans for the Community Parklands programme. The proposal is to create the Hoo Wetlands Reserve, a new wetland habitat to extend and complement the existing nature conservation in the area. A network of paths will be created to give visitors first-hand experience of nature and find out more about why the area is so important for wildlife.
The Lodge Hill Countryside Site will see habitat improvement works that will link up designated areas to benefit species like Nightingale and Skylark. A new path will be created through the site and along the route enabling visitors to learn about the area’s unique wildlife, landscape and military heritage.
Shaping a sustainable future
Councillor Alan Jarrett, Leader of Medway Council, said: “The views of local residents have been central to the development of our Future Hoo project, and I am pleased that we are now able to bring forward some further exciting environmental projects for the Hoo Peninsula for consideration.
“We have also made significant progress on the detailed design proposals for two key road improvements which I hope will demonstrate that have been listening to local views and we thank everyone for their ongoing commitment to shaping a sustainable future for communities across the peninsula.”
The Future Hoo team will also be presenting the updated design of two key road improvements:
- The proposed relief road from Upchat Roundabout to Main Road Hoo Roundabout, plus A228/ Main Road Roundabout junction modification and new A228 roundabout and associated spur link road.
- Improvements to Ropers Lane Roundabout and modification to the Stoke Road roundabout to allow access to the new railway station.
The update on the proposed £86m investment in Hoo’s road network follows the announcement earlier in the year of improvements to existing highways. We responded to local concerns and are replacing the proposed flyover with a signalised T-junction at Islingham Farm Road and Woodfield Way, as well as providing new slip roads to Higham Road junction.
The latest consultation will be available online and delivered by a programme of public exhibitions, including:
- 1pm to 4pm, Thursday, 16 June: Hoo Parish Church
- 6pm - 9pm, Thursday, 16 June: Hundred of Hoo School
- From 10am on Friday, 17 June until 5pm on Friday, 24 June: The exhibition boards will be at Hoo Library
- 2pm - 7pm, Tuesday, 5 July: Hoo Parish Church
- 4pm - 7pm, Wednesday, 13 July: Chattenden Community Centre
Following the consultation on the Community Parklands programme, the feedback will be gathered, reviewed and shared with the Future Hoo project team and its partner Homes England.
This latest programme of consultation follows the Phase 2 consultation which concluded in January 2022 on how £170m of Government support via the Housing Infrastructure Fund would be spent ahead of delivering new homes on the peninsula. We have committed to sharing the headline results of the Phase 2 consultation on the environmental, rail and road programmes. The headline results of the consultation will be available to view online from Monday, 13 June with full results released in July.