Swale Borough Local Plan Review (Regulation 19) Pre-submission Consultation
15
Feb
The review of the existing Local Plan Bearing Fruits will help guide the development of the borough until 2038 and, if adopted, will set the basis for future planning decisions.
The local plan creates a blueprint for when and where major developments can take place, and where they shouldn’t.
It takes account of the feedback from earlier consultations that have taken place since 2018, including the “Looking Ahead” consultation on proposals for garden communities, which had the largest response of any Local Plan consultation in the borough.
Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, said:
“Many people – myself included – disagree with the excessive housing targets the Government continues to impose on us.
“Unfortunately, we have to make sure we have a local plan that can meet these targets, or we risk losing the ability to decide what is built in the borough for ourselves.
“Previous consultations raised concerns about new garden communities, traffic congestion, air quality, our town centres, the lack of infrastructure and affordable housing and the need for quality jobs.
“We’ve listened to these, removed the contentious garden communities, and worked to put together proposals that I believe makes the best out of the impositions made by government.
“This is a package of ambitious and innovative policies reflecting the priorities of this council towards climate change, bio-diversity, affordable housing and regenerating our town centres.
“We will now go to the public to get their views on the draft, take stock of the comments submitted and consider our submissions to the inspector. This will then become the focus of the independent examination, the next stage in the process, which is expected to take place in 2022.”
Public Consultation - Taking Part
You can find out more details about the public consultation here.
The Swale Borough Local Plan Review (Reg 19) Pre-Submission Document [PDF 119MB] can be downloaded here
Comments can be made via the councils Consultation Portal
or via the Interactive Representation Form [PDF 225KB]. Please save a copy of this (as you write your comments) and email to Lpcomments@swale.gov.uk. You can also print a copy of this form to complete by hand, and send it via post to:
Planning Policy
Swale Borough Council
Swale House
East Street
Sittingbourne
Kent
ME10 3HT