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It’s 2035 and Medway is a leading waterfront university city of 330,000 people, renowned for its revitalised urban centres, and its stunning natural and historic assets, and its countryside.
That is the vision Medway Council has for the future of the Towns. Today the council launched its draft local plan with a public consultation set to start on Monday, January 16.
As one of the largest urban areas in the south east, Medway’s population sits at more than 276,000, around the size of Brighton and Hove, and is expected to continue growing.
The population is predicted to reach 330,200 people in 2035 making Medway around the same size as current day Nottingham. Despite its size, Medway is not classed as a city and councillors say they still have ambitions to gain city status.
The council’s plan involves managing the growing population over the next 20 years while creating a sustainable environment for future generations.
Their idea focuses on employment opportunities, housing need, economic growth and environmental impacts.
The main task is to find enough land for up to 30,000 new homes as well as employment and retail land, infrastructure investments and community services and facilities, while also protecting and enhancing the natural, built and historic environment. The plans include four secondary schools and 12 junior schools.
Cllr Jane Chitty, portfolio holder for planning, economic growth and regulation, said: “The new local plan is set to reflect the hopes and aspirations of local people. We want residents to be proud of where they live, and the local plan is key to that, planning for a sustainable, exciting and prosperous future.
“This is all about planning for new and enhanced services and facilities, new schools and roads, opportunities for businesses creating more jobs for the area, and developing sites for affordable homes for our growing population.
Watch: Councillors Jane Chitty and Rodney Chambers discuss the plans
“While the local plan is something we have a duty to deliver, it’s very much an exciting opportunity for us to work with local people to create the best possible version of Medway. With everyone’s input Medway can become an even more valued place to live, work, visit and learn.”
The council see the local plan as an opportunity to achieve great things for residents and their families in years to come and want local people to play a role in the decisions.
There are four development options that the council believe could help manage the growth while also providing the homes, jobs and services that people need.
All four options include the development of 3,000 homes with supporting infrastructure at Lodge Hill by 2035, and then 2,000 after.
Medway Council’s leader Cllr Alan Jarrett said: “This is a really important opportunity for Medway residents to have their views heard about the various proposals. We understand this is a sensitive topic for some local people, so it’s key that everyone gets involved at this early stage, attends up coming events to find out more and understand the scale of what the council is obliged to achieve.
“Regeneration is at the core of Medway’s growth plans and its vision for how the area should look and function by 2035. We’re committed to providing renewed urban areas with high quality services and developments along the waterfront and in town centres that bring jobs, homes and services to Medway’s communities.”
The council is obliged by central government to create a local plan to set out how the area will develop up until 2035.
Before a final decision there are many stages of consultation and assessment to go through, and if it is given the go ahead by a planning inspector it should come into play in 2019.
The public consultation will run for seven weeks, from Monday, January 16 to Monday, March 6, 2017.
Consultation documents are available at medway.gov.uk/futuremedway and an online feedback form and background documents will be available from January 16.
The dates and locations of public engagement events will be announced shortly.
