The officer introduced the report and advised Members that the Local Plan Review had reached a critical stage. It was explained that the Council was required to proceed to a Regulation 19 consultation in summer 2026 and submit the plan for examination by December 2026 in order to remain within the current (legacy) plan‑making system. Members were advised that agreement of the recommendations was required to allow key evidence work to commence, including transport modelling, air quality assessments and sustainability appraisal. Failure to agree the recommendations would risk delay and potentially move the Local Plan into the new national system following local government reorganisation.

Members agreed that the two recommendations in the report should be considered separately.

Members made comments including:

• Concerned that the growth strategy recommended by the PTPWG would concentrate development disproportionately in the eastern part of the borough;
• arguments that an alternative strategy would provide a more balanced distribution of growth across the borough and better reflect recent approvals and existing development commitments;
• parts of the borough, particularly those already experiencing significant growth, would not support further strategic allocations;
• observations that the PTPWG recommendation had not been unanimous and that Members were therefore justified in reassessing the outcome;
• counter‑arguments stressing the importance of respecting the PTPWG’s evidence‑based work and avoiding undermining the Local Plan process;
• concerns regarding infrastructure capacity, traffic congestion, and cumulative impacts, particularly around Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey;
• warnings that further delay or indecision could leave the Council without an up‑to‑date Local Plan and weaken its ability to manage development effectively; and
• requested that votes on the key recommendations be taken as recorded votes due to the significance of the decisions.

Officers responded that:

• The Local Plan timetable was extremely constrained and additional stages or delay would likely push the Regulation 19 consultation into the autumn, requiring delegated authority for submission;
• officers could not commence detailed evidence work without certainty on the strategic growth option and site allocations;
• the proposed non‑strategic site allocations were based on a hybrid approach using the settlement hierarchy and could operate alongside different growth options;
• strategic sites such as Highsted were treated cautiously due to uncertainties around deliverability and infrastructure mitigation; and
• officers were satisfied that evidence existed to support alternative growth strategies at examination, but emphasised the importance of maintaining flexibility and a housing buffer.

Councillor Ben J Martin proposed the following  amendment which was seconded by Councillor Angela Harrison: That it be recommended to Full Council that option four be selected for the drafting of the Regulation 19 Local Plan consultation.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rules 3.1.19(2), a recorded vote was taken and voting was as follows:

For:
Councillors Bowen, Charles Gibson, Tim Gibson, Gould, Harrison, Ben J Martin, Speed, Wise and Last.

Total equals: 9

Against:
Councillors Baldock, Chapman, Hunt, Jayes, Palmer and Wooster.

Total equals: 6

Abstain:
None
Total equals: 0

Resolved:

(1)  That it be recommended to  that option four be selected for the drafting of the Regulation 19 Local Plan consultation.

Recommendation 2: To recommend to Full Council the non-strategic sites set out in appendices I to VI for the drafting of the Regulation 19 submission version of the Local Plan including:

            o Non-strategic housing allocations.

o Gypsy and Traveller sites.

o Employment land allocations.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rules 3.1.19(2), a recorded vote was taken on Recommendation 2 and voting was as follows:

For:
Councillors Bowen, Charles Gibson, Tim Gibson, Gould, Harrison, Ben J Martin, Speed, Wise, Wooster and Last
Total equals: 10

Against:
Councillors Baldock, Chapman, Hunt, Jayes, Palmer
Total equals: 5

Abstain:
None
Total equals: 0

(2)  That it be recommended to Full Council the non-strategic sites set out in appendices I to VI for the drafting of the Regulation 19 submission version of the Local Plan including:

            o Non-strategic housing allocations.

o Gypsy and Traveller sites.

o Employment land allocations.