Gravesham Local Plan TO ACTION

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Residents MUST respond before 30th December 2020

Following the Regulation 18 (Stage 1) Consultation in 2018, Gravesham Borough Council (GBC) have considered the representations received and gathered additional information to inform the amount of housing, employment and retail development needed in the Borough to 2036.

GBC are seeking views on these issues and the options for determining where future development could take place to meet identified needs. GBC are also seeking views on the sites that it is proposed to allocate for housing and employment in addition to those already allocated in the Local Plan Core Strategy, and the updated policies in the Development Management Policies Document.

Gravesham Borough Council (GBC) is in the process of reviewing this document which guides housing and employment development in the whole Borough. It therefore has a potential impact for all of us living and working in Higham. As part of the Review GBC are required to consult with residents and other key individuals and organisations. One of its key assumptions is that by 2036, there will be a need for an extra 10,480 houses although the population of the Borough is only expected to increase from 106,900 to 109,500 in the same period – this is effectively 3 houses per new resident!

Where can I find details of the Consultation and associated plans and documents

A large number of documents, site plans showing potential development areas, draft policies that deal with issues arising from planning applications are available on the Borough Council website

https://localplan.gravesham.gov.uk/consult.ti/REG18S2/consultationHome

As we understand it paper copies of the documents are not available, but residents can access them online or can visit the Civic Centre in Gravesend. If you, or someone you know, cannot access via either of these methods you may like to write to the Chief Planning Officer and Chief Executive and say that GBC has a legal duty to provide the information in a manner/format in which you can use it.

What does this Consultation mean for Higham?
Our fields could be turned into housing estates under proposals by Gravesham Borough Council. Across Gravesham a staggering 3,790 houses are proposed which would swallow up 21 areas of precious Green Belt. This includes 1,810 houses in Higham across seven greenbelt sites including the recreation ground.

Local Plan – Promoted Sites for Development in Higham

Here is a quick reference list of the promoted sites for development that can accompany the pdf document above:

HIGHAM

  • GB05 Land Adjacent to Higham Station Higham commercial.
  • GB147 Canal Road, Higham 10 dwellings.
  • GBS-C Land at and adjoining Buckland Farm, Chalk Road, Higham Higham 40 dwellings. Buckland Farm Chalk Road adjoins housing which forms Green Belt boundary.
  • GBS-K Land to the north, east and west of Three Crutches. Higham/Shorne, Cobham & Luddesdown 1385 dwellings & commercial Greenbelt area filling in the gap between the A289 and Gravesham’s boundary with Medway. A small part of this area behind the pub is in Shorne. This is everything, wrapped around the existing ‘hamlet’ of Three Crutches, between the Wainscott Northern Bypass (A289) and the Gravesham’s boundary with Medway, including Rochester United’s football ground.
  • GBS-T Land between Lower Rochester Road, Hermitage Road and School Lane, Higham Higham 85 dwellings. Recreation Ground and adjoining field.
  • GBS-W Land between Taylors Lane and School Lane, to the north of High View, Higham. Higham 250 dwellings.  land north of High Field, between School Lane and Taylor’s Lane

TOTAL 1770 houses

HIGHAM/ SHORNE

  • GB80 Land west of Walmers Avenue, Higham Shorne, Cobham & Luddesdown 40 dwellings. This is in Green Belt and adjoins parish boundary (Walmers Avenue) and the existing houses in Higham but field is in Shorne.

TOTAL 40 houses

What are Higham Parish Council doing about the Consultation?

A number of potential sites in Higham have been identified for potential development and the Parish Council are working hard to look at the implications IF any of these sites were to be developed. Please remember, that these sites have only been identified as potential development sites. Gravesham Borough Council have, at this early stage, only been asked to put consider and forward sites in their Borough that have the potential for development.

Higham Parish Council is working on its response to the Consultation – we will be objecting to the proposed sites and making comments on the other questions. The Parish Council’s response will only count as one objection and we encourage everyone to have their say on the consultation – either by objecting or supporting the proposed development. You can respond to the questions and either post them or email them in.

 

 
The Gravesham Borough Council (GBC) Local Plan Consultation closes on 31st December 2020. Your Parish Council is supporting the CPRE “STOP THE GREEN BELT GRAB” campaign and has already posted a leaflet through your front door.

 

If you have not already responded, and wish to object to the proposals, the Parish Council is now providing you with the attached standard “Letter of Concern”. Simply complete the attached letter by printing your name, adding your address and then providing your signature and the date at the bottom of the letter. It is important to include ALL these details as incomplete letters may be ignored.

 

Every person over the age of 18 can sign a copy of this letter and so please ask every eligible person in your household to complete a copy of it, using photocopies if necessary. If you require extra copies of this letter for additional persons in your household you can collect these from the Village Greengrocers and Higham Post Office.In view of the current delays with Christmas postal deliveries, you may wish to deliver your completed letter into one of our “Drop Boxes” within the village atone of the following locations and we will deliver your responses personally to the Borough Council for you.

 

 24, Chilton Drive (near Gravesend Road-black box on top step)
 1, Taylors Lane (opposite parade of shops-in front porch)
 61, School Lane (near Railway Station-through front door)
 “Larkfield Gate”, Crutches Lane (Near Three Crutches-mail box on fence)
 Higham Post Office
 Village Greengrocers

 

Please be mindful of your elderly neighbours or anyone who may not be able to travel to a Drop Box location within Higham. If you can take their letter for them,this would be much appreciated.
We need as many objections as possible to really make an impact and raise ourconcerns to GBC. Please help us make a difference and prevent the proposedbuilding on the precious Greenbelt within our villages.

 

PLEASE NOTE!! In order for us to deliver your letter to GBC the final date to drop off your letters to a Drop Box is WEDNESDAY, 30TH DECEMBER 2020.

 

 
There is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on our website for Higham residents:
 
Please alert your friends and neighbours to the consultation and encourage them to view the documents, respond to Gravesham Borough Council on the consultation and please look out for further information from the Parish Council.

More Information

For more information on the campaign named ‘Stop the Greenbelt Grab’ that has been organised by Gravesham Campaign for Rural England (CPRE), you can visit their website at

https://www.cpregravesham.org/

The website provides all of the details on how to help, donate and receive regular updates on how the campaign is progressing. Higham Parish Council also urge our parishioners to share this website too.

Thank your for your continued support.

Higham Parish Council 

November 18, 2020 in Consultations, Gravesham Local Plan - News and Info