19 July 2023

Medway Green Party has been campaigning to protect the internationally important, Hoo Peninsula from unsustainable over-development since 2013. Marilyn Stone, Green Party Parish Councillor for High Halstow and Bernard Hyde, Planning Advisor to Medway Green Party, have worked hard with local residents to create a viable and robust Neighbourhood Plan for High Halstow.

Since Medway Council secured the Housing Infrastructure Fund in 2019 we have been deeply concerned that the fund is simply not enough to support “sustainable” development on the Hoo Peninsula. The £170m would be barely enough to improve the infrastructure needed for the existing residents, never mind the addition of at least 36k new residents, which was always a clear and unambiguous caveat to receiving the funds.

The Labour Party are now responsible for the creation and implementation of the Local Plan, a plan which both The Conservative Party and The Labour Party have been unable to deliver for the past 2 decades.

The Labour Party must recognise the importance of the Hoo Peninsula both nationally and internationally. The plan to build 12k+ houses on farm land and flood plains when we are at the beginning of climate collapse, which will see more frequent and severe crop failures and a sea level rise which will impact the Hoo Peninsula directly is both short term idealism and the road to disaster.

Not to mention that the local housing needs assessment has already identified; the types of houses needed for Medway residents, those already on the housing list, and the volume needed (half of what we currently been told to build). Needless to say, the types of houses needed will not be provided for on the Hoo Peninsula with or without the HIF funding.

Medway Green Party understands the needs of residents, the Labour Party and the Conservative Party understand the needs of housing developers.

We want to see a local plan written for local people not for the profits of internationally owned corporations, to the detriment of our priceless ecosystems of international importance, and the land we need to feed this country.

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