Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the draft Innovation Park Medway Local Development Order (LDO), for the purposes of consultation, which built upon the Innovation Park Medway Masterplan to set principles for development to allow developers and businesses to bring forward high quality development in the high-value technology, engineering, manufacturing and knowledge-intensive sectors. The site covered an area of land currently in use by Rochester Airport Ltd. The Masterplan also covered land leased to BAE, and Woolmans Wood Caravan Site which was privately owned. A small part of the BAE-owned site was also included.

The report stated that an LDO would allow plots to come forward with speed and ease for developers and/or businesses. An LDO would also provide clarity and certainty for the potential occupants with regard to the expected quality of development. A Design Code, set out at Appendix 4 to Appendix A to the report, supported the LDO by setting the key principles to which development on the site must adhere.

The report stated that an Environmental Statement would be produced in accordance with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements and that delegated authority was sought to finalise and approve the statement.

The report stated that consultation on the draft LDO would take place for a period of 30 days. The report also stated that given the site crossed the boundary with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, a separate LDO must be adopted by each Council. Each LDO would be similar in terms of ambitions and permitted development through the LDO, supported by a consistent design code and associated documents, but must be adopted by both Medway Council and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council separately.

Appendix A to the report was set out in Supplementary Agenda No.1.

Reasons:

Public consultation on the LDO is necessary in order to adopt the LDO, allowing high quality development to come forward at Innovation Park Medway.