A council has approved its housing plan until 2030, with the hopes to build more homes and improve the rental market.

Medway Council’s cabinet approved the strategy and outlined the authority’s priorities for increasing and improving housing in the Towns.

The council has four key objectives: increasing the supply of affordable housing, improving the quality of housing, engaging residents, and helping residents to live independently.

It is actively considering four sites in Medway for housebuilding, and has already been granted permission for the authority’s housing services to build on sites in Gillingham and Twydall.

Permission to build 18 flats on the site of Aburound House, Woodlands Road, Gillingham was granted in April last year, and plans for 19 homes on the site of the former Lennox Wood care home on Petham Green, Twydall, were approved in October 2022.

Further land being considered for development would bring the total estimated housing delivered to 36 flats and 27 houses.

The council’s plan will also create discussions with landlords as well as tenants to understand the needs of both and fix problems which arise.

Cllr Naushabah Khan (Lab), portfolio holder for housing and property, said it was important to update the housing strategy which was originally designed for 2018 to 2022 due to challenges in the housing market.

She said: “This document takes into account the context of the housing market, but also the principles of this administration has around driving up and changing the housing market and addressing some of the challenges.

“That includes driving up the numbers of affordable homes and social homes, but also driving up standards.

“And just to be clear, when we talk about affordable housing we’re talking about how we deliver genuinely affordable homes.”

She also said the council was exploring additional licensing schemes for houses of multiple occupancy and other types of accommodation which would drive up standards.

Council leader Vince Maple added: “In 10 short months, the track record of this administration on housing is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“I think we’re an exemplar from a challenging place.

“If housing isn’t working, it impacts on the ability for a child to do their homework, the ability of someone to hold a job, their health and well-being. These things matter.”

The housing strategy was unanimously supported by the cabinet and agreed at the meeting on March 12.