Consultation on the Dartford Borough Council Draft Windfall Sites SPD

Dear Consultee,

In accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 the Council is today undertaking consultation on the Draft Windfall Sites SPD.

An early draft version of the SPD was made available for comment in May 2014.  The draft Windfall Sites SPD has been updated based on the comments received during this early stage consultation, as well as feedback received in the course of using the Windfall Sites Practice Note for determining planning applications.

The draft version of the SPD was made available for comment in May 2014 and the draft Windfall Sites SPD has been updated based on the comments received during this early stage consultation.

The Windfall Sites SPD (attached) is accompanied by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Statement, which concluded that the SPD does not require an environmental assessment.  This Screening Statement, along with the Public Participation Statement and the Public Notice can be found on the web page at www.dartford.gov.uk/windfallsites

The revised Windfall Sites SPD was approved for consultation by Cabinet on 24th July 2014. You are invited to make representations on the Draft Windfall Sites SPD during the consultation period, which runs from Friday 25^th July until Friday 5^th September 2014, and ends at 5:00pm.   The online response form or the dedicated representation form should be used to submit your comments.  They contain important information on data protection issues and will help ensure that your views can be clearly recorded. 

Comments can be made by:

•     Completing an on-line response form at  www.dartford.gov.uk/windfallsites

•     Emailing a response form to LDF@dartford.gov.uk

•     Posting a response form to Planning Policy Team, Dartford Borough Council, Civic Centre,   Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent  DA1 1DR

Response forms and the Draft Windfall Sites SPD are also available on the Council’s website at www.dartford.gov.uk/windfallsites or can be viewed at the following locations (please check opening hours):

-          Dartford Civic Centre

-          Dartford Library

-          Ashen Drive Library

-          Fleetdown Library

-          Greenhithe Library

-          Longfield Library

-          Summerhouse Drive Library

-          Sutton-at-Hone Library

-          Swan Valley Library

-          Temple Hill Library

Response forms can be requested by emailing LDF@dartford.gov.uk or by calling 01322 343213.

After the close of consultation, the responses received will be considered and the SPD will be amended as appropriate prior to adoption. The key issues raised by respondents will be summarised in the Public Participation Statement including details of how the issue was dealt with in finalising the Windfall Sites SPD for adoption.

The key stages are as follows:

•   Early-stage consultation on the Draft SPD (completed)

            •      Comments reviewed and SPD updated (completed)

•   Consultation on the Draft SPD (this stage)

•   Consideration of comments and preparation of Public Participation Statement and final SPD

•   Adoption and Publication on the SPD (Autumn 2014)

Please can you acknowledge receipt of this email and address any other correspondence regarding this matter to LDF@dartford.gov.uk

If you are no longer the correct contact for the Council’s Development Plan documents, could you forward to the right person in your organisation and let us know so that we can update out records accordingly.

Thank you

Regards

Katie Gill

Planning Policy Team

Dartford Borough Council

01322 343213

Highest accolade for the community centre heroes Eddie and Angie Ward of Greenhithe

 By  Lizzy Massey lmassey@thekmgroup.co.uk

Knockhall Community Centre

A husband and wife team have been honoured for their tireless work transforming a community space.

The Greenhithe Community Centre in Alexander Road was draughty and cold, the toilets and kitchen were not fit for purpose and parking was a problem.

Cue Angie Ward, who began volunteering as the centre’s secretary in 2010 after illness forced her to give up her job as a secretary and payroll manager.

The 55-year-old convinced her husband Eddie to volunteer as the booking clerk, and he took over as chairman in 2011.

Straight away the couple, of Hasted Close, Greenhithe, began to turn the centre around.

Eddie, 76, said: “I hadn’t appreciated how much local charities struggle to get volunteers. I was shocked to see the state of the facilities.

“It has been a challenge but we now have a community centre to be proud of.”

The couple accumulated grants from Dartford council and Kent County Council totalling £32,000.

The centre now has double glazing as well as a new overflow car park, toilets, kitchen and energy efficient lighting.

It was reopened in all its glory on Saturday and Angie and Eddie were presented with Dartfordian Award – the borough’s highest accolade – at the same time. Angie said: “I have gained so much from the experience, from the challenge of learning how to fill in grant applications to the joy of seeing the transformation of the centre.

“These improvements have only been made possible by the support of our fellow trustees and local councillors.”

They were the first Dartfordian Awards presented this year.

Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite (Con) and the town’s mayor Cllr Avtar Sandhu and Mayor of Swanscombe and Greenhithe Cllr Susan Butterfill all gathered for the ribbon cutting.

Lower Thames crossing announcement, 15 July 2014

The Secretary of State for Transport has today announced the governments’ response to consultation on options for a new Lower Thames Crossing.

The response sets out the decisions government has reached taking into account the numerous and diverse points raised during consultation. Namely, it

·         confirms there is a need for a new crossing,

·        advises that, as there is as yet no clear preference, government will develop and appraise route options for both location options A and C before choosing where to site a new crossing. (Option A is at the existing crossing and Option C is a new link connecting the A2/M2 with the A13 and M25), and

·        advises that government expects to consult on a proposed solution in late 2015 or early 2016.

For further details please access the government website at www.gov.uk/government/collections/lower-thames-crossing for

• a short public information video
• Written Ministerial Statement

·         Press notice

• Response to Consultation document
• 5 technical notes

Department for Transport, London SW1P 4DR

Happy 15th Birthday Bluewater

Bluewater shopping centre turns fifteen 

News By Heloise Wood

Bluewater is celebrating its 15th birthday having welcomed six times the UK’s population into its stores over that time.

Bluewater shopping centre turns fifteen

The Greenhithe-based shopping centre has also launched 50 new brands in its lifetime and provided employment for around 40,000 people. More than 375 million shoppers have visited the store during its lifetime. 

On Monday morning (MARCH 17) there was a special breakfast for all those who worked there since the beginning. 

On March 28 the Learning Shop Awards will reward the people and companies who have shone at Bluewater. Dartford MP Gareth Johnson and Council Leader Jeremy Kite will be on hand to help with celebrations.

The centre’s general manager Robert Goodman said: "Fifteen years is a tremendous milestone and Bluewater has achieved a great deal since opening. 

"Key to our success have been the people that work here and the wider community. "Our celebrations, therefore, are both a recognition of their vital contribution to our success and an opportunity to look ahead to Bluewater’s next chapter." 

Shoppers have also been enjoying discounts, designed to celebrate the milestone.
For more information, visit bluewater.co.uk

Swanscombe residents breathe a sigh of relief at Thames crossing decision

Swanscombe residents breathe a sigh of relief at Thames crossing decision

By Melissa Hills, assistant news editor, Bexley and north Kent

The three crossing options the Department of Transport are looking into.

SWANSCOMBE residents have breathed a sigh of relief after plans for a new Thames crossing through the village were thrown out.

The Government threw out the proposal to connect the A2 to the A1089 road, north of Tilbury Docks, over fears it could jeopardise plans for the huge Paramount Park development which could create 27,000 new jobs. 

The news has been met with happiness but also frustration as North Kent residents continue to await a decision on Option A which would see another crossing built next to the current Dartford-Thurrock crossing and Option C, which would connect the M2 with the A13 and the M25 between junctions 29 and 30 and would land between Coalhouse and Tilbury forts and travel north towards the Orsett Cock junction of the A13.

The other two options are to be studied further by the Department of Transport and environmental impacts will be looked into.

Graham Blew, town clerk for Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council, said: "We are very pleased that Option B has been dropped, but annoyed extra options were not presented like links from the ports. 

"Option C is our preferred choice of the three but we are very frustrated at the timing and that there is going to be further delays.

"We welcome the application into Paramount Park because of its employment options for Swanscombe but we also have reservations. "It needs to be correctly and we need to make sure there is enough infrastructure in place." 

Dartford councilor Bryan Read, lead member for urban regeneration in Swanscombe and secretary of the residents association, said: "We have been pushing for this since day one.

"It was a silly option from the start especially with the plans for the theme park which we support. "We have considered all the options deeply and we get affected everytime there is something wrong at the Dartford crossing. "We are most supportive of Option C or something further down the estuary, we think that's the best thing for everyone in Kent." 

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "We had over 5,700 responses to the consultation and ruling out the least attractive option now gives some clarity for residents and businesses. 

"We are committed to making a decision on the location of the new crossing as soon as possible, but we recognise that whatever crossing location is chosen it will have significant impact for people in the area and the economy. "These are tough decisions to be made and must not be taken lightly." 

The Government remains committed to introducing free flow charging at the Dartford-Thurrock crossing by October 2014 to help with congestion in the short term. 

The new decision has been met with mixed reaction from local politicians and campaigners. Jeremy Kite, leader of Dartford Council said: "I’m very pleased that the uncertainty over a crossing at Swanscombe has been lifted. "It will do much to reassure potential backers of the Paramount Park proposals as well as lift the worry from residents in the area. "Almost the entire growth and business community of Kent have made clear that Option C is the only sensible route." 

Dartford MP Gareth Johnson said: "The investment we are looking at for Swanscombe its great. "It would be wrong to bulldoze through Kent without looking at the environmental impact, getting the decision right is the most important thing." 

Gravesham council leader John Burden welcomed the news but made clear he still isn't happy with the options. He added: "Our position remains, that any decision on a new crossing is premature if it is taken before the effects of removing the Dartford toll booths are known.

"The other two options, at Dartford and east of Gravesend, are to be studied further by the Department of Transport. 

"The latter would have a devastating impact on the green belt and threaten the villages of Chalk, Shorne and Higham including one of Kent’s best country parks. "I want the government to show more common sense and put off the final decision until after the Dartford toll booths are removed to ascertain the real scale of the problem. "A crossing east of Gravesend would potential endanger important environmental sites and lay to waste historic communities. "Worse, it would open the door to developers who would use this new corridor to fill in the countryside. "Once such a disastrous decision is taken the area would be blighted forever." 

Gravesham MP Adam Holloway was disappointed a proper decision had not been made on the crossing and vowed to fight for local residents.

Power plant bid for Swanscombe could affect plans for huge Paramount Park... Yes But Only if its Built...

Power plant bid for Swanscombe could affect plans for huge Paramount Park...

by Thom Morris

tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

Plans to build a power plant with a 213 foot chimney in Swanscombe are being opposed by Dartford council over fears it will impact on Paramount Park.

Teal Energy has submitted plans for the plant, in Manor Way, that will produce renewable energy from non-recyclable commercial waste.

Dartford council has objected over the "incompatibility" of the idea, which would be built close to the planned Paramount Park scheme.

How the site could look

The 24/7 operation will be housed in two large steel-framed buildings.

The fuel will be received and stored in one building on the northern site, which will be 2,250m2 and 36 feet high.

This will be connected by conveyor to an energy plant housed in the building on the southern site, which will be 65 feet high and be 4,247m2 with a 213 foot chimney.

Once operational, it could produce enough electricity for 45,000 homes as well as powering Paramount Park.

What Paramount Park could look like on the Swanscombe Peninsula

Proposals predict an average of 108 HGV deliveries to the site during a 12-hour period, which runs from 7am until 7pm - with routes including Stanhope Road and Swanscombe High Street.

Teal Energy says in it plans: "Our proposal differs from established energy from waste plans which traditionally have been mass incineration of non-recycled waste.

"We use clean, advanced conversion technology to generate renewable energy by converting residual recyclates, the material left after a recycling process, into an energy rich gas and using this to generate electricity. It is considered to be a virtually carbon neutral and clean technology."

Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council has also objected to the application because they are concerned about the environmental impact of the site and the impact of the gasses emitted.

They also object to the application as it will "prejudice the proposals" for theme park on the Swanscombe Peninsula.

Planning officer Sonia Bunn said: "Concern has been raised that the proposal will be detrimental to the proposals for the theme park on Swanscombe Peninsula, but as a planning application has not been submitted for this development yet this cannot specifically be taken into account.

"However, the council's Core Strategy seeks the development of Swanscombe Peninsula to bring about benefits in the area and the current proposal is considered to be prejudicial to this."

The matter will be discussed by Dartford council at a meeting on Thursday night with the ultimate decision being made by Kent County Council at a later date.

The Paramount scheme will see the third-largest theme park in the world, built on the Swanscombe peninsula with Paramount Pictures supporting it.

If planning permission is approved, it is claimed there will be 17,000 jobs on the site with a further 10,000 jobs created to meet the demands of the park.

Fears were announced during consultation for a new lower Thames crossing which could go straight through the park site.

It was revealed during the public consultation that option B for a crossing was putting investors off.

Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite said: "We are meeting experienced and highly credible investors from the UK and overseas to talk about the great opportunities here and almost the first question they now ask is why the government is even thinking about a crossing at the Swanscombe peninsula."

Outline Planning for 350 Berth Marina at Greenhithe Approved...

© 2013 Dartford Borough Council All Rights Reserved

by Thom Morris tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

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The panel at last night's meeting

The leader of Kent County Council has said that the authority will be opting for option C – a new Thames crossing cutting through Gravesham. Appearing at a meeting last night, Paul Carter said he had substantial modifications to the plans put forward by the government, but would not reveal them until later this week.

He said: “Yes I do believe we need a new crossing. We’ve been doing quite a lot of work on our own feasibility studies and the work we did suggested it should be east of Gravesend.

“We’ve had some reservations from members of my group and the Gravesham area but we do believe it should be a tunnel, not a bridge. 

“We would object to the link road going through Shorne and we will put that in our response.”

KCC will not sign off its formal response to the consultation until a meeting of the cabinet on July 15 – a day before the consultation closes.

The meeting, held at Hilton Dartford Bridge Hotel on Crossways Business Park, was organised by BBC Radio Kent and BBC Essex.

During the meeting, the Dartford crossing was closed after an accident.

The leader of Kent County Council has said that the authority will be opting for option C – a new Thames crossing cutting through Gravesham.

The panel consisted of David Burch from the Essex Chambers of Commerce; Natalie Chapman from the Freight Transport Association; John Kent, Labour leader of Thurrock Borough Council; Richard Knox-Johnston from CPRE Protect Kent; and Mike Stephens from the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Present in the audience of about 150 people was Gravesham council leader John Burden, Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite, and people from Essex and Kent. Cllr Kent stuck to the same line that Gravesham council is supporting, that of “none of the above”.

He said: “I don’t think the case has been proven – if you remove the tolls I believe you will free up capacity.

“We don’t need a new crossing and removing the tolls is a lot cheaper than building a new bridge and will give some respite from the congestion we get, day in and day out. “We need to wait and see what the impact is from free tolling.”

But Jeremy Kite, whilst agreeing that waiting to see what the free flowing tolls will bring, said option C was the best of the three.

He said: “I do think we need a new crossing and while I do think we should see what happens with the free flow technology, we’re being asked to pick one of those and we think it should be C.”