RESPONSE TO CAPSTONE PARK HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
The news to build housing on Capstone Valley, hailed as Medway's green lung would have a detrimental impact on the surrounding environment. Medway Liberal Democrats see the need to preserve and protect our open spaces around our towns and Capstone Valley is essential as a green space and for air quality.
Medway Liberal Democrats are completely opposed to this development. The proposed development will cause harm to the vista from Hempstead to Lordswood and will destroy an area of locally valued landscape.
We see the need for new housing, but it must be in the right places, Medway is rich in brownfield areas and these sites need to be resourced where there is a good provision of infrastructure, especially public transport links. The development does not take into account the impact upon the highway network surrounding the area, the needs of the community and the increased population on underfunded local services.
Medway Liberal Democrats acknowledge the developmental pressures that face the Medway Towns and the need for new housing, but the proposals to build new housing stock on Capstone Park would open the floodgates to develop parcels of open land across Medway.
The Medway Green Belt of land around Capstone, Darland and the Coney Banks are a vital asset for everyone. The Conservative-run council has not adopted a coherent, credible Local Plan which gives clear guidance on where to build sufficient housing to meet government targets, regenerating by developing on 'brown build' sites as opposed to developing on Green Belt sites.
Developers and local authorities must gain an accurate understanding of local opposition to these types of housing developments and find solutions that address the challenges.
Medway Liberal Democrats are calling on the Council to adopt a Local Plan as soon as possible to help protect the environment and simultaneously improve the quality and quantity of new residential development to stimulate regeneration in our town centres.