Medway in Kent includes Chatham, Rochester, and Gillingham. About 6.9% of the district is Green Belt, shaping only the outer fringes. Known for naval heritage, historic streets, and riverside communities, planning focuses on urban regeneration, conversions, and residential growth. We can advise and support projects across Medway.
In the last year Medway decided 1,025 applications which is broadly in line with the national average of 988. The approval rate was 92% (roughly equal to the national average of 88%) and 80% of applications were decided on time, (significantly above the national average of 59%). Stats updated March 2026 from gov. sources. See how Medway performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
The Green Belt is nationally designated land around towns and cities, created to limit urban growth.
6.9% of Medway is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to reasonable levels of scrutiny.
The Green Belt around Chatham, Gillingham, and Rochester preserves historic villages, farmland, and river corridors, which are highly sensitive to urban expansion and crucial for maintaining separation between settlements within the Medway landscape.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
The Open Countryside is generally defined as land outside settlement and Green Belt boundaries, often comprising agricultural or natural land. Development, particularly standard residential development, is usually restricted in Open Countryside.
Medway includes the Hoo Peninsula and river valley farmland, where open countryside and wetland habitats are protected for ecological and landscape reasons.
One of the top reasons poorly prepared proposals in the Open Countryside are refused is that they fail to demonstrate a policy-supported need. To minimise that risk with bespoke advice contact us here.
In some areas of the LPA, flood risk plays a key role in determining planning proposals. The tidal Medway runs through the centre of the urban area, with extensive Flood Zone 3 areas on both banks constraining development across Chatham, Rochester and Strood. Where constraints permit, we can develop proposals that manage flood risk thoughtfully to give applications the best chance of approval.
Nutrient Neutrality ensures new developments do not increase harmful nitrogen or phosphorus levels in sensitive waterways. Parts of Medway drain to the Stodmarsh designated sensitive catchment, requiring both nitrogen and phosphorus neutrality for new residential development in those areas. Unfortunately, Nutrient Neutrality can halt development completely. If you need early-stage, project-specific advice contact us here.
As well as acting as Planning Consultants we are ARB registered architects with over 25 years’ experience. Our site-specific planning proposals balance creativity with strategic insight. We use the following field-tested work stages to help clients in Medway achieve successful planning outcomes:
We work collaboratively with clients and shape a design that respects local character and meets Planning Policy requirements in order to maximise your chances of winning Planning Permission.
Medway in Kent includes Chatham, Rochester, and Gillingham. About 6.9% of the district is Green Belt, shaping only the outer fringes. Known for naval heritage, historic streets, and riverside communities, planning focuses on urban regeneration, conversions, and residential growth. We can advise and support projects across Medway.
In the last year Medway decided 1,025 applications which is broadly in line with the national average of 988. The approval rate was 92% (roughly equal to the national average of 88%) and 80% of applications were decided on time, (significantly above the national average of 59%). Stats updated March 2026 from gov. sources. See how Medway performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
The Green Belt is nationally designated land around towns and cities, created to limit urban growth.
6.9% of Medway is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to reasonable levels of scrutiny.
The Green Belt around Chatham, Gillingham, and Rochester preserves historic villages, farmland, and river corridors, which are highly sensitive to urban expansion and crucial for maintaining separation between settlements within the Medway landscape.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
The Open Countryside is generally defined as land outside settlement and Green Belt boundaries, often comprising agricultural or natural land. Development, particularly standard residential development, is usually restricted in Open Countryside.
Medway includes the Hoo Peninsula and river valley farmland, where open countryside and wetland habitats are protected for ecological and landscape reasons.
One of the top reasons poorly prepared proposals in the Open Countryside are refused is that they fail to demonstrate a policy-supported need. To minimise that risk with bespoke advice contact us here.
In some areas of the LPA, flood risk plays a key role in determining planning proposals. The tidal Medway runs through the centre of the urban area, with extensive Flood Zone 3 areas on both banks constraining development across Chatham, Rochester and Strood. Where constraints permit, we can develop proposals that manage flood risk thoughtfully to give applications the best chance of approval.
Nutrient Neutrality ensures new developments do not increase harmful nitrogen or phosphorus levels in sensitive waterways. Parts of Medway drain to the Stodmarsh designated sensitive catchment, requiring both nitrogen and phosphorus neutrality for new residential development in those areas. Unfortunately, Nutrient Neutrality can halt development completely. If you need early-stage, project-specific advice contact us here.
As well as acting as Planning Consultants we are ARB registered architects with over 25 years’ experience. Our site-specific planning proposals balance creativity with strategic insight. We use the following field-tested work stages to help clients in Medway achieve successful planning outcomes:
We work collaboratively with clients and shape a design that respects local character and meets Planning Policy requirements in order to maximise your chances of winning Planning Permission.
