On 3 February Medway Council’s Planning Department received an application to “request for a screening opinion as to whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is necessary for a Residential Development of up to 500 affordable dwellings with provision of access, estate roads and incidental open space.” The application refers to the land at Gibraltar Farm on Ham Lane and has been lodged by members of the Medway Magna consortium who have previously applied to build houses in the Capstone Valley, a vital ‘green lung’ in Medway.

In response to this application and the current outstanding planning applications in Lordswood for another residential development off Gleaming Wood Drive, currently sitting with Maidstone Borough Council for consideration, and an asbestos transfer station on North Dane Way, Tracey, who is working together with local ward councillors said:

“Lordswood is under siege from planning applications.  It neither needs or wants any further housing which will overburden our existing infrastructure.  The latest housing applications feel like a backdoor attempt to build on the Capstone Valley and I will vehemently oppose them every step of the way”

More details can be found via the Medway Council Planning website here, by searching for the application using the reference number MC 14/0324.