Additional reporting by Ollie Leader
Residents worry plans for 750 homes will add to the traffic problems already plaguing a town.
Esquire Developments Ltd has asked residents in Lower Rainham about a possible development on land off Pump Lane, recently included for housing in Medway Council’s draft Local Plan.
The site was previously the subject of a planning application for 1,250 homes which was rejected by the council in 2020 and then appealed.
The authority fought the appeal and successfully convinced the planning inspectorate not to allow the development in November 2021.
But now, the land has been earmarked for residential-led development, but with a number of caveats.
The conditions set out in the draft Local Plan say any future development can only be provided by a small to medium enterprise (SME) developer in an attempt to prevent proposals which cram as many houses in as possible.
Additionally, the council sets out that any scheme, referred to as Rainham Parkside Village, must include a nursery, land allocated for a primary and a secondary school, and a community centre.
It also requires a health hub, a care home, and space for a convenience store to serve the new community to be included in any designs, as well as open green spaces and street greenery such as trees.
There would also be a requirement for any development to include up to 15 properties to be used as temporary accommodation by the council.
The authority says these conditions mean any development would be totally different from the one dismissed in 2021, making it a more sustainable development.
The leaflet from Esquire posted to residents in the nearby area of the proposed development lists the items which Medway Council requires as elements with the developer’s plans, but wants feedback from residents.
It says the company wants to reflect the thoughts of locals in the eventual plans it intends to submit to the authority later this summer.
There will also be a chance to speak with representatives from Esquire to ask about their proposals.
But some Rainham residents aren’t happy with the idea of more homes being built in their area, especially somewhere they’ve been prevented before.
Ron and Lin Wood have lived in Rainham for 25 years and they strongly oppose the plans.
Ron said: “I’m absolutely disgusted with it, to be honest with you.
“I was born in Station Road when it was more like a village really, and every field they seem to be filling up with houses is making it into a concrete jungle.
“It would be good to build the amenities first and the houses afterwards.
“They say they’ll put in this stuff, the school, the community centre, after the houses are built, but then when it comes down to it they say they haven’t got enough money to do it.”
Lin agrees, saying: “I don’t want it at all. Because you look at the road up there, all you see is the gridlock.
“Rainham is vastly different from how it used to be, it was more like a village. It was lovely. There were green fields along the end of Henry Street.
“They’re just ruining the place. There’s other places they can build. I think it’s all down to greed.”
Similarly, Heather Williams lived in Rainham for 41 years but has recently moved to Herne Bay because of the way the area has changed.
She said: “I’ve just moved to Herne Bay, because I do not like how Rainham’s becoming.
“Too many houses, too many cars, trying to go somewhere and you can’t because it’s gridlocked – and I loved Rainham when we first moved here, it was a proper little community.
“The housebuilding is just never ending. Rainham used to be known for its fields, its greenery.
“It’s changing for the worse, and it won’t come back.”
But Carl Dunks, who’s lived in Rainham for 35 years, says he doesn’t mind the new homes so long as it’s done responsibly.
He said: “As long as they do it in an environmental way, yes, because, obviously, people do need housing.
“It’s good for business, but they’ve also got to provide the infrastructure in the first place.
“I don’t think the area can cope at the moment. It gets so gridlocked. The road structure along Lower Rainham Road definitely needs to be improved.
“But if they can get more social housing in that will definitely help people who are struggling.”
The two consultation events run by Esquire are to take place on July 21 and 31 between 1pm and 7pm at The Oast Community Centre.
Esquire says the feedback received will influence their eventual application, anticipated to be later in the summer.
