Swale Borough Council - One Step Closer to a New Local Plan

Councillors are being asked to approve Swale Borough Council’s draft local plan for 2022-2038.

The draft plan will be discussed at the upcoming cabinet meeting on Tuesday 26th January, and if approved, will go to a special council meeting on Wednesday 3rd February before being made available for public viewing next month.

The new local plan outlines how the council will meet the borough’s housing need, implement ambitious, energy-efficient housing policies and secure 30 per cent affordable housing in Swale.

Updated every five years, the draft local plan provides the clarity and certainty needed to protect Swale’s natural and historic assets and secure much needed funding for improved infrastructure.

Included in the draft plan is a transport strategy that outlines how the council plans to deliver a sustainable transport network for Swale that creates an attractive, green and vibrant borough. It will enable and encourage people to travel sustainably and actively, nurture healthy lifestyles, create less polluted places and upgrade the transport network to meet the borough’s needs.

Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, said:

“This is an ambitious plan for us.

“We know that many people feel that local development of the borough is already excessive, however we are required to try to meet these government-imposed targets.

“Despite the current inadequacy of local infrastructure, low GP levels and under-investment in our communities, we hope that the proposed review of the local plan enables us to meet government targets as well as local demand.

“Our aim is to provide more affordable housing, housing for the elderly and the disabled, and greener, more environmentally friendly housing.

“Developers will be expected to deliver 30 per cent affordable housing on new developments on greenfield sites.

“We’ll be pushing for zero-carbon, energy-efficient housing options to meet the targets set out in our climate and ecological emergency action plan.

“We also plan to double the required 10 per cent biodiversity gain to 20 per cent which will ensure that any new developments will improve the biodiversity of our natural landscape.

“The transport strategy included in the plan will provide the clarity we need to reduce congestion along the A2 and A249 and apply for government funding to upgrade Brenley Corner.

“If the proposed draft plan is agreed, people will then have an opportunity to express their views on the soundness of the plan.”

The plan will be available for public viewing on the council’s website from Monday 8th February until Tuesday 23rd March 2021.

The meeting agenda and full report including proposed local plan can be viewed here

Swale Borough Council

Maidstone Road and Upchurch Surgery - COVID-19 Vaccination Programme

Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi Subbiah

The majority of patients over 80 have now received their first vaccination.

There are still a few patients who are ‘house-bound’ who have yet to be vaccinated.

The practice will now concentrate initially on patients over 75, followed by those over 70.

This month's Surgery Patient Participation Group meeting has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Our next meeting will be on Thursday 15th April at 12:00pm.

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham

Railway Line Between Sittingbourne and Gillingham to Close for 15 Days

The wall of 1-ton bags of stone currently protecting the railway line near Newington.

The railway line between Sittingbourne and Gillingham will be closed for 15 days while Network Rail engineers tackle a 40 Metre landslip near Newington.

Network Rail engineers are preparing to tackle a 40 Metre long landslip that blocked the line at Newington, near Sittingbourne, earlier this week, with work set to begin on Sunday 24th January.

The slip closed the railway on Wednesday and Thursday, while a temporary fix was put in place to allow the line to open for two days. However, the scale of the problem meant a permanent solution had to be put in place as soon as possible, with design work, staff and equipment mobilisation already underway from Friday 22nd January 2021.

The line will close from the last train on Saturday night, 23rd January until the first train on Monday 8th February. This will mean no Southeastern trains will be able to run between Gillingham and Sittingbourne and Thameslink trains from London to Rainham will terminate one station early, at Gillingham.

A bus replacement service will be provided.

The slip occurred on a section of railway built in 1858, where the line is cut 13M deep into the surrounding hill. After days of heavy rain, the top section of the cutting side gave way and slowly slipped downhill towards the track. Over 300 tons of spoil was removed before the line could be reopened and there’s still more to go.

The line is currently protected with a series of 1-ton bags of stone, which will be replaced with a 60 Metre wall of 12M steel sheet piles, sunk into the ground.

Although the landslip is between Rainham and Sittingbourne, shutting the power to the live rail off through the area is not possible without including Rainham, so Thameslink trains will be unable to draw power and will be turning around at Gillingham. If it becomes possible to change this later in the week, Network Rail will do so.

Read more at >> http://bit.ly/3o93ZJJ

Follow Network Rail Kent and Sussex on Twitter for updates: https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSE

Upchurch Matters

Upchurch Parish Council Report - January 2021

Report of the Parish Council January 2021

Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice-Chairman), Cllr Pam Denny,

Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Peter Masson, Cllr Janet Marshall, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence.

Bus Shelter

It has been brought to the Council’s attention that some people are leaving books and bric-a-brac at the bus shelter in Horsham Lane. While Councillors appreciate the gesture is well-meaning especially during this current pandemic, the Council cannot guarantee that this is not contributing to the spread of the virus. Residents are requested not to leave items at the bus stop.

Planning

i. Ref: 20/505172/FULL Address: Brown Jug 76 Horsham Lane Upchurch ME9 7AP

Proposal: Change of use of Public House with residential accommodation and rear pub garden into 1 no. two bedroom dwelling and 1 no. three bedroom dwelling with associated residential gardens and alterations to windows and doors.

There were no objections to the proposal and that the views of neighbours be taken into consideration.

ii. Ref: 20/505298/FULL Address: Land Rear Of 91 & 93 Chaffes Lane Upchurch ME9 7BG

Proposal: Demolition of existing garage and erection of a three/four-bedroom dwelling with associated access, parking and landscaping.

Councillors considered the application and noted that the proposal is outside the built boundary and in the open countryside. Councillors agreed to object to the proposal.

iii. Ref: 20/505437/FULL Address: 75 Forge Lane Upchurch Sittingbourne Kent ME9 7AD

Proposal: Erection of a two storey rear extension.

There were no objections to the proposal and that the views of neighbours be taken into consideration.

Ref: 19/501773/OUT Address: Land Off Jubilee Fields Upchurch Kent ME9 7AQ

Proposal: Outline application for residential development of 41no. two, three and four bedroom houses. (All matters reserved except for access)

The appeal has been turned down by the Planning Inspector as it is not within the Local Plan and for the size of the development, it brings little benefit to the village.

Ref: 19/504657/FULL Address: Car Showroom London Road Upchurch ME9 7PD

Proposal: Change of use of auto showroom and workshop (Sui Generis) to a banqueting hall, including food processing and distribution (Class D2 and B2), including the creation of a mezzanine floor and alterations to fenestration. (Resubmission of 19/503293/FULL)

PINS Ref: APP/V2255/W/20/3254725

The matter has gone to appeal and the Council has reiterated its objections to the proposal.

Recreation Ground 

There is a small section in the new fence to be completed, the contractor was short of two posts which have now arrived and the mesh has also arrived. The work is due to be completed soon.

Finance

The Parish Council has agreed the precept at £46,294 making the additional Council Tax for Band D properties £44.93.

This is a precis of Council business; full minutes of all meetings can be found on the website when ratified.

Date of next meetings:

Full Council - Thursday 4th February 2021 at 7:30pm

The Planning Committee and General Purposes Committee - Wednesday 17th February at 7:30pm

The Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Meetings) Regulations 2020 now gives Local Councils the power to meet remotely during this COVID-19 pandemic and Upchurch Parish Council is now holding meetings virtually. Please check the website for details of the meetings.

 

All residents are welcome to view the meetings and there is a time for members of the public to comment, raise concerns or ask questions.

Please contact the Clerk, clerkupc@outlook.com to obtain login details for the meeting.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01622 739324
Email: clerkupc@outlook.com
Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Temporary Suspensions to Chalkwell 326 / 327 Bus Services from 25th January 2021

Due to ongoing Coronavirus lockdown measures and low usage, Chalkwell Coach Hire will be temporarily suspending some local bus journeys from Monday 25th January 2021.

Customers can still travel on all other journeys in order to access essential facilities.

The temporary suspensions are:

326 / 327 Monday to Friday

The 1100 and 1620 departures from Sittingbourne are suspended.

The 1155 departure from Chatham is suspended.

326 / 327 Saturday

The 0900, 1115 and 1620 departures from Sittingbourne are suspended.

The 1020, 1215, 1505 and 1710 departures from Chatham are suspended.

Alterations and suspensions are also in place for some school buses.

Details of changes to school buses can be found at: https://chalkwell.co.uk/revised-school-bus-services-from-18th-januar-2021

Chalkwell says these arrangements may change and they will provide updates as and when they are able. The operator hopes to resume a full service in the near future.

Upchurch Matters

Public Inquiry Completed into M2 Junction 5 / A249 Stockbury Roundabout Improvements

View of proposed improvements to the slip roads and junction

approaches at the M2 Junction 5 / A249 Stockbury Roundabout.

The public inquiry into Highways England's proposals to make improvements to the M2 Junction 5 / A249 Stockbury Roundabout has finished.

A report is now being prepared by the Planning Inspector for the Secretary of State and Highways England expect a decision on the project at the start of summer 2021.

The public inquiry was held as a virtual event in November 2020, and you can view the documents and information gathered during the review on the programme officer’s website at: https://programmeofficers.co.uk/m2j5

Highways England will share more information about the final designs later this year.

Previous updates and project information is available at: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/our-work/south-east/m2-junction-5-improvements

Upchurch Matters