Object

Representation ID: 855

Received: 29/07/2021

Respondent: Mr Paul Fletcher

1. Gillingham St. Michael’s School is already full and does not have spare capacity for the existing Hopkins development of 22 houses let alone a further increase of children from the proposed 35 houses. The existing parking problems at the school are severe and will be exacerbated if steps are taken to accommodate more pupils in the future.
2. The proposed new housing development for 35 houses will intensify existing traffic problems along the Street, particularly along the section where residents have to park their vehicles. It is also not clear whether the Street at its entrance to the current Hopkins housing development will need further widening.
3. Part of the site is in Flood Zone 3, which therefore has a high probability of flooding.
4. Local Plan making Government advice indicates that any proposed development should be located where the risk of flooding is lowest, taking account of climate change.
5. In East Anglia, climate change is indicated to increase river flows significantly, which was experienced in winter 2020/21, and will lead to more flooding particularly in Flood Plains in the future. This does not appear to have been taken into account.

I have no objections to additional housing in Gillingham, but this and the adjacent land behind Kings Dam are clearly unsuitable for housing development.