Overview

The Sittingbourne Town Centre and Milton Creek Supplementary Planning Document  (SPD) was adopted on 9 September 2010.

The SPD is, in effect, a Masterplan which indicates the general urban structure and layout of the area; the amount and type of land uses; the overall design approach to the built environment and the public realm; transport and infrastructure arrangements to deliver the Masterplan; phasing of development; and criteria for sustainable design and buildings.

Now that the SPD is adopted, it forms part of the Local Development Framework for Swale Borough Council and will be the context for deciding planning applications for new development in the town centre and Milton Creek.  

What does the Masterplan (SPD) contain?

There are a number of documents: the SPD itself and its supporting Appropriate Assessment; the Adoption Statement and the records of public consultation.

1. The Supplementary Planning Document. You can download the Masterplan document in a Pdf file format. As it is a large document, it is made available in sections (All files open in new browser windows):  
   • Foreword and Chapter 1: Introduction
   • Chapter 2: Area Analysis
   • Chapter 3: Vision and Objectives
   • Chapter 4: The Masterplan - Guiding Principles
   • Chapter 5: Districts
   • Chapter 6: Sustainable Transport and Street Strategy
   • Chapter 7: Green Charter
   • Chapter 8: Delivering the Masterplan
   • Appendices
2. Adoption Notice September 2010
   The formal notice indicating that the statutory regulations for producing the SPD have been complied with prior to adoption.
3. Appropriate Assessment August 2009
   Assessments under the EU Habitats Directive which was revised in consultation with Natural England after the consultation period.
4. Statement of Consultation
   Records of formal public consultation carried out March - May 2009
5. Schedule of responses to public consultation - August 2009
   • a) Table of all comments received during public consultation on the SPD, the Borough Council's responses and changes made to the SPD as a result.
   • b) Short summary of comments on the Draft SPD and the main changes proposed.
6. Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Schedule of Comments - received August 2009
   A SA was produced and consulted on with the draft SPD. However, the statutory regulations changed shortly after the public consultation and the SA is no longer required to support an SPD. The public comments were taken into account, however, and are reported here for completeness.
7. Appropriate Assessment (AA) Schedule of comments - received August 2009
   The schedule of comments received on the AA during public consultations and the Borough Council's responses. The AA and the SPD were amended in consultation with Natural England, having taken these comments into account.