‘Medway Liberal Democrats call for a Country Park at Deangate’

Having looked at the consultation, we are concerned that the environmental proposal lacks detail and is non-committal. We found that the consultation material was "slick" and showed planning naivety in relation to developing a Country Park for the Peninsula.

An area of concern are details of a new spur "relief" road from a new roundabout on Peninsula Way, which would effectively destroy the western end of Deangate Golf Course and split it in two.

Liberal Democrats are proposing that specific plans should be drawn up, using money allocated to the environment budget in the Housing Infrastructure Fund, for a Country Park at Deangate. This would act as a buffer to Lodge Hill, which is the only protected SSSI site in the country for breeding Nightingales, and would be a continuation of a green wildlife corridor connecting the two. A Country Park at Deangate would protect and enhance the rich biodiversity of Lodge Hill, as well as Deangate itself.

'Deangate already acts as a Country Park with residents demonstrating the need to protect the whole Deangate Ridge Golf Club and Sports Complex as an asset, by their continued and extensive use of the site for recreation. Deangate Ridge Community Partnership succeeded in registered as an Asset of Community Value ("ACV") a recognition of its importance to the social wellbeing and social interest of the local community' - KM Online

Stuart Bourne, for Medway Liberal Democrats said "Once again the Medway Council leadership have put green spaces and the environment as an afterthought. But we feel it should be at the heart of any future development in Hoo. That is why we are calling for the scrapping of the pointless relief road through Deangate, and instead use the land to create a Deangate country park. A park that will not only protect the wildlife to the north, but will be a green oasis for the growing community in Hoo."

Liberal Democrats want to stress that we are not opposed to the Hoo development, but the evidence in the consultation lacks substance with "vague environmental assurances". The area of Deangate clearly shows that it plays a vital role in the community, providing an essential wildlife sanctuary and an area for public recreation acting as a treasured green lung for local residents.

ENDS