Representation by The Hoo Consortium (The Hoo Consortium)
- Date submitted
- 24 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Barton Willmore, now Stantec acts on behalf of the Hoo Consortium, which comprises the following 5No parties: • Church Commissioners • Dean Lewis Estates • Gladman Developments • Redrow Homes • Taylor Wimpey The Hoo Consortium own/control land for circa 8-9,000 dwellings, new employment development and associated social and community infrastructure. The Consortium has been working closely with Medway Council over the past 6-7 years regarding the future delivery of this strategic growth on the Hoo Peninsula. Medway Council secured circa £170M Government funding via its Housing Infrastructure Fund (in 2019) to realise these growth opportunities for the Hoo Peninsula. This is well documented and forms the basis of the “Hoo Development Framework”, prepared by Medway Council. The Hoo Consortium is concerned that: - The submitted Highway modelling has failed to have regard to this “known” proposed growth; - The submitted information has failed to accord with PINS Scoping Opinion (2017) – in failing to have regard to Medway’s emerging Local Plan (and its planned growth); - National Highways has therefore failed to have regard to the Hoo Development Framework; - The “Lower Thames Area Model” is therefore incomplete and requires greater “sensitivity testing”; - The LTC’s proposed impact on M2 Jn1 has not therefore been adequately addressed. Given that the Government (via Homes England) awarded Medway Council circa £170M+ via the HIF in 2019 to “unlock significant growth on the Hoo Peninsula”, it seems perverse that a Government funded major infrastructure project (the LTC) should have failed to have regard to this “known” Government funded project in Medway. On behalf of the Hoo Consortium I did register and attend one of the preceding preliminary DCO consultations, and specifically asked the question of “known growth” within Medway, and was assured by the Head of National Highways ([Reacted]) that full regard had been given to known growth. This is clearly not the case. Given the anticipated level of direct impacts of the HDF and the LTC will have on M2 Junction 1, it is highly questionable as to why alternative scenarios have not been undertaken to consider the potential traffic impacts. In the light of the above information, the Hoo Consortium questions the overall “soundness” of the modelling undertaken by National Highways and consider it ought to include greater sensitivity testing. The Hoo Consortium wishes to take part in the Examination process and would like to be included in any future consultations.