Infrastructure fears with proposals for 28,000 new homes in Medway

The proposed Local Plan could see 50% of development being built on greenfield land to meet targets. Pictures: LDRS.

Transcript

00:00Medway has a growing population. The average house price here, nearly nine times higher than the average wage.

00:08And it's said that number won't improve without new properties.

00:12Well, proposals from the council could see more than 28,000 by 2041.

00:17But opposition councillors are worried that infrastructure just isn't here.

00:22It's difficult to get any service, to be fair. Access to GPs is a big problem.

00:27The Medway Hospital is still not providing a good enough service to residents.

00:33If you go up to Medway Hospital, getting parked up there, accessing the hospital is a real problem.

00:38And, you know, but it's also things like primary schools. So where are these children going to school?

00:45Cabinet members admit that infrastructure currently isn't up to scratch to meet future demand.

00:50And they say they'll be reliant on external funding to meet this.

00:54That needs to be coming from the developers, from government and from an improving economy.

00:59Those are the elements that bring forward the money to spend on infrastructure.

01:03And we're working on all three of those aspects.

01:05As a local authority, we set the rules on where development takes place.

01:09We have the planning authority powers, if you like, but it's working with developers.

01:13It's working with the other sectors of the community, like the NHS, with the education authorities

01:17and all those working with the transport authorities as well.

01:20These proposals are part of Medway's local plan.

01:23At the last Cabinet meeting, it was agreed to move into the next consultation phase.

01:27Authorities use these plans as a blueprint for future development.

01:31I wish some of the sites in Capstone, which have already got permission, weren't there.

01:39And why have they got permission? Because we didn't have an up-to-date local plan.

01:43Because I think it's about looking at Medway as a whole.

01:46And not Medway as a whole today, Medway as a whole in five and ten and fifteen years' time.

01:53The council are keen for locals to comment on their proposals,

01:56with a particular interest to hear from younger generations,

01:59who the authorities say are the future of the area.

02:02Gabriel Morris, in Medway.