Planning and development

What we want to achieve

To establish and deliver a vision for Medway’s sustainable growth in the new Local Plan, supporting the transition to a low carbon future in our changing climate.

The Local Plan will set the framework for Medway’s growth up to 2037, and it will demonstrate the council’s commitment to address the causes and impacts of climate change.

How we will do this

We have set out a range of actions for how Medway can respond to the climate emergency. These range from actions that the council will take to lead by example, to those that will support the community to act.

 

document iconPrepare a draft planning policy, as part of the Regulation 19 Draft Plan, for statutory public consultation and ongoing negotiation through the development management process. Ensure ongoing review.

group of houses iconShape places to help secure radical cuts in carbon emissions. This requires the location and layout of new development to be planned to:

  • deliver the highest viable energy efficiency
  • reduce the need to travel, particularly by private car
  • secure the highest possible share of trips made by sustainable travel.

House with leaf inside iconShape places and secure new development to minimise vulnerability and provide resilience to impacts from climate change, in ways consistent with cutting carbon emissions.

hand holding leafEnsure that there are real opportunities to encourage community-led initiatives, such as the promotion of decentralised renewable energy use or securing land for local food sourcing.

drainage iconEnsure that major developments include sustainable drainage systems.

Our progress so far

  • From April 2020, major residential developers have been required to submit a climate change and energy efficiency statement in their applications for planning consent. From March 2021 this also applies to all residential and commercial applications for new builds.
  • Our Air Quality Planning Guidance for Developers, introduced in 2016, requires developers to help improve local air quality through appropriate offsetting and mitigation. These include installing charging points for electric vehicles, and planting trees and cycle storage to encourage a modal shift towards more sustainable travel.
  • More than 600 electric vehicle charging points have been secured as part of the planning process. These include developments at:
    • Rochester Riverside
    • Berengrave Nursery - Rainham
    • Kitchener Barracks - Chatham
    • Hoo Peninsula
  • Detailed discussions have been undertaken with the Hoo Consortium and SEMS to develop a surface water management scheme for Hoo which will alleviate existing drainage issues within the area.

Read all the actions

To read all the actions in our plan:

Combat climate change

Only together can we combat climate change. Find out what you can do to take action.

Take action