Decision details

This report will ask Cabinet to recommend to Council on 4 October that Medway Council becomes a signatory to a revised simplified Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Planning Memorandum following the opening of the completed high speed railway line. The new Memorandum will establish a modified planning regime under which any future requests for the approval of details submitted by the railway operator will be considered by local planning authorities along the route of the CTRL.

167/2007 The Cabinet agreed that the Secretary of State for Transport be advised of Medway Council's agreement to the adoption of the simplified Channel Tunnel Rail Link Planning Memorandum.
168/2007 The Cabinet agreed that the Secretary of State for Transport and/or the Channel Tunnel Rail Link High Level Forum be advised of Medway Council's agreement to the disbandment of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Planning Forum.
169/2007 The Cabinet recommended to Council that the Constitution be changed, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, to allow Plans and Specifications submissions made pursuant to Paragraph 15 of Schedule 6 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 to be determined by the Director of Regeneration and Development under the Employee Delegation Scheme.

The CTRL planning regime needs to be updated to respond to the likely ad hoc nature of any CTRL development proposals once the new railway becomes fully operational. The adoption of a simplified Planning Memorandum and the disbandment of the CTRL Planning Forum represent appropriate updating measures for the CTRL planning regime. The amendment to the Constitution will provide greater clarity and certainty for Members and officers and will ensure that the Council can meet its obligations under the simplified CTRL Planning Memorandum.