Gravesham

So let's assume local government reorganisation does come back.

What's going to be very important in a much bigger unitary authority with lots of competing political voices, that Medway's voice is not lost and Medway's specific issues are not brushed under the carpet because, you know, voices are louder in Gravesham or voices are louder in Dartford.

So, you know, whatever happens, Medway First will stay around.

We're absolutely going to put candidates up at the next general election because I think Medway's voice needs to be heard in Parliament, not via a Conservative or via a Labour MP, but by people who live and want to make things better in Medway.

Well, the proposal was for 3,500 new homes, commercial and healthcare floor space, so an 8,000-seat stadium for the football club, as I mentioned, uh, together with a hotel and community facilities, so a very major development.

And the site, which was in Gravesham Borough, was located alongside the River Thames and actually includes a safeguarded minerals wharf as well as an industrial estate a- and of course, Ebbsfleet's existing football stadium.

And the Inspector in his report noted that existing businesses on site are diverse, requiring in some cases highly specialized employees, and that there is a thriving business ecosystem.

And the issue was, with the development, was that some of these operations would be severely impacted by it, and there was actually no commitment from the applicants, the Inspector observed, to producing a relocation strategy.

Medway, which obviously has a very different set of constraints because it's quite urbanised and dense, hit 60% of its target.

Gravesham is in the same kind of situation, hit only 61% of its target.

But again, Gravesham... is an area that's quite dense already right next to Dartford.

Tunbridge and Morling hit only 63%, several of them hit around 70%.

So it's not like every single Kent Council is just languishing and barely hitting its target.

The multi-million pound redevelopment project has transformed the 200-year-old former office building into 27 social homes managed by the Pinnocks charity.

The scheme aims to help tackle local housing need and will double the charity's capacity to provide accommodation for people across Gravesham.

Bradbourne Lakes in Sevenoaks is set to undergo its biggest restoration in nearly 300 years.

The park will close from today and is expected to reopen by summer 2027 with upgrades to lakes, paths and habitats.