Development briefs, policies and guidance
We provide several supplementary planning documents to add further detail to the Local Plan and give advice on specific planning sites, or issues such as design. This expands upon and conforms with national planning guidance and should conform with the policies in the adopted Local Plan. It cannot be used to challenge or amend those policies.
Development briefs are usually prepared to guide development on larger sites where complicated issues may arise and help applicants make successful planning applications.
Development briefs help:
- guide development on larger sites where complicated issues may arise
- applicants make successful planning applications
- developers, the public and councils understand the issues and how to deal with them before applications are submitted
- avoid delays during the formal consideration of planning applications and provide a degree of certainty for the financing and programming of developments.
Development briefs cover a range of matters which will change from site to site and could include:
- planning policies
- design and layout
- infrastructure
- community facilities
- landscaping
- access
- financial contributions
- drainage
- water supply.
View extra planning guidance, documents, masterplans and area based policies
Housing Design Standards
Developers should comply with the Government's Nationally described space standard with regard to dwelling floor areas.
We also have the Medway Housing Design Standards which developers must follow, which include topics that are not included in the National Standard. These include:
- shared outdoor amenity space
- shared access and circulation
- cycle storage, refuse and recycling
- landscape and building management
- visual privacy and private outdoor space
- environmental comfort.
Medway Guide to Developer Contributions and Obligations
The Medway Guide to Developer Contributions and Obligations (2018) was adopted by Cabinet on 8 May 2018.
This Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides information on what you need to take into account before submitting a planning application for 10 units or more.
View the Medway Guide to Developer Contributions and Obligations 2018
Affordable housing - commuted sums
A commuted sum is an amount of money paid by a developer to the council. This sum will need to be paid if the size or scale of a development means it triggers a need for affordable housing but it is not possible for the developer to deliver affordable housing on site.
The sum will be used to provide affordable housing on an alternative site in the local authority. We will seek independent scrutiny of all sums to ensure that the assumptions within it can be agreed in terms of the payment.
Payments for advice like this will be funded by the developer and we will then make a decision as to whether to accept a financial contribution rather than on site provision.
View the utilisation of commuted sums policy
View the commuted sums bid proforma
Other guidance
We provide a range of planning guidance to support and expand upon specific Local Plan policies. Where relevant, we encourage you to consult this additional planning advice before submitting a planning application.
These guidance documents do not have the status of formal supplementary planning documents, but are a material consideration in determining planning applications.
These include guidance on: