The Group considered the report of the Assistant Director of Development and Community Strategy regarding the Development of a Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy for Maidstone Borough.

A member felt that high quality agricultural land should be included as there is little of this land left in the Maidstone Borough and should be protected. 

A grammatical amendment to the wording of draft Policy CS15 was suggested and agreed and is included in the recommendation below.

An A3 map of the proposed Strategic Green and Blue Infrastructure Network was circulated at the meeting.  A slight re-positioning of one of the stars (depicting the Rural Service Centres) was suggested to ensure Marden’s railway station was shown and one member felt that there was a further “Flood Zone 3a” in the northern area of the map.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR REGENERATION:

1.  That the aims of the outlined draft policy CS15 Green and Blue Infrastructure as set out below be approved:-

a)  Help to meet the challenge of climate change;

b)  Connect and enrich biodiversity habitats;

c)  Improve and enhance the strategic importance of the River Medway corridor and its tributaries;

d)  Meet the recreation needs of the Borough;

e)  Develop and enhance  safe, sustainable transport routes for people and extensive networks for wildlife;

f)  Enhance landscape character and respect local distinctiveness;

g)  Realise the potential of historical and cultural heritage features to contribute to local identity and sense of place;

h)  Meet the needs of both existing and new communities in Maidstone Borough.

i)  Provide attractive and inspirational environments in which people want to live, work, learn and play; in which communities thrive and businesses want to invest;

j)   Promote regeneration and tourism opportunities

k)  Water resource/flood management.

l)  Inform the future planning and management of the urban form of Maidstone urban area at the strategic scale

2.  That the further development of a draft wording of Policy CS15, as shown below, together with other associated Policies and diagrams, to be included in the draft Core Strategy be agreed: -

“Draft - Policy CS15: Green and Blue Infrastructure

Open spaces provided as part of new development, either on-site or off-site, must, wherever practicable, be located where they can provide a safe connection, either directly or in the form of a stepping stone, with the existing network of open spaces and wildlife corridors as identified on the Strategic Green and Blue Infrastructure Network Diagrams  Figures XXXX.

Such connections will be required, where practicable, to provide opportunities for movement ,by walking, cycling and, where appropriate, by horse riding and water between and through open spaces, as well as opportunities for natural habitat creation and species migration.

New open spaces provided in association with new development must be designed and managed to facilitate natural habitat creation and to allow, wherever practicable, for species migration across the Green Infrastructure Network.”