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The challenges facing Kent and Medway over the next 20 years are
substantial. The county is a special place with a distinctive identity
and a high quality countryside and environment which needs to be
protected and enhanced. There are the demands and opportunities
arising from Kent's 'gateway' position between the UK and mainland
Europe. At the same time there are threats and challenges from over
development and from the Government's growth targets. Two of the
four growth areas for the South East identified in the Government's
Sustainable Communities Plan (2003) - Thames Gateway and Ashford
- are within the Kent and Medway area.
We recognise that Government has made it clear that its targets
for housing provision in the South East region must be met. The
new Kent and Medway Structure Plan provides fully for Kent's contribution
to this. But development must not be viewed in isolation from its
consequences and requirements. The Deposit Structure Plan clearly
establishes that if housing development is to go forward it must
be accompanied by the provision of essential community facilities
and infrastructure. This was strongly supported by the wide-ranging
public consultation undertaken for the Structure Plan during Spring
2002 at a formative stage in its preparation. The need for housing
to go hand in hand with job growth is another essential requirement
for development - Kent and Medway's economic performance continues
to lag behind that of other parts of the South East. We must press
home the importance of these relationships to achieving balanced
and sustainable growth.
Another key objective of the Structure Plan is for development
to be of the highest quality creating really attractive communities
with new housing clustered around high quality neighbourhood facilities
and open space. Necessary development must be a positive force for
change making the best use of land, reflecting a high quality of
design and sensitivity to community needs.
We place great weight on protecting our distinctive countryside
and heritage, supporting the regeneration of our towns and town
centres and building on local strengths and opportunities within
the economy of Kent and Medway. This Structure Plan provides an
opportunity to put in place strong policies on these matters.
Kent and Medway have a strong track record in providing a sound
and up to date strategic planning framework for the county. This
must be maintained. The new draft Kent and Medway Structure Plan
builds on the aims and objectives of our community strategies in
setting out our proposed framework of policies and proposals for
environmental protection, major transport priorities and the scale
and broad pattern of new housing and economic development.
Taking forward the Plan requires wide partnership and support and
we commend this draft Plan to you. When finally adopted following
consultation, a public examination and any necessary amendments,
the new Plan will replace the 1996 Kent Structure Plan.
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