FAQ

Housing

Question:

How many new homes are you planning to build as part of this project?

Answer:

The regeneration project is being led by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) along with key partners Swale Borough Council (SBC), Kent County Council (KCC) and Swale Forward to develop a masterplan that will outline how the project will take shape.

SEEDA in conjunction with SBC has already prepared a Draft Development Framework for Queenborough, which was published alongside the Deposit Draft Local Plan Review by Swale Borough Council.  Plans so far include 18 hectares of residential and community use with waterfront access, a 64 hectare mixed employment site and a new 1km Rushenden Link Road which will include a bridge over the railway.

Public consultation on the Local Plan and the Draft Development Framework has been completed.  It is now being considered by Council Members and subject to any agreed amendments resulting from comments received, will be adopted later this year as Supplementary Planning Guidance.   The next stage is to develop a Masterplan which will look in yet more detail at individual development areas, how and when development will be phased, when and what form new social and community facilities will take. It is expected a draft l masterplan will be completed by Summer 2005 when it will be published for consultation. It is anticipated that the Master Plan will be adopted by the Borough Council later in 2005 and will form the basis on which applications for planning permission will be sought. At this stage it is not known whether or not the planning application will be for the whole scheme or whether it will or split into four or five separate schemes.

At present no decision has been made on the exact number of homes that will be built in Queenborough and Rushenden as a result of this regeneration project. Close consultation will be carried out with businesses and the communities before any final decisions are reached. At present the Local Plan refers to 735 homes being provided by 2016 ? 670 to the south of Queenborough Creek and the remainder to the north of the creek. However, the plan acknowledges that this figure may well change over time as work on the masterplan progresses.

Q: What is affordable housing?

A: It?s low cost or subsidised home that is available to households that cannot afford to buy or rent homes available on the open market. Affordable housing can be any  type of property from a one bedroom flat to a large family house, and can also include sheltered accommodation for the elderly and other shared schemes.

Q: Who provides it?

A: A Registered Social Landlord (often known as housing associations) or Local Authority. The main provider locally is Swale Housing Association, which has 7,500 homes in North Kent.

Q: How does it work?

A: Residents rent their homes from a landlord. Anyone can apply to go on the waiting list, which is known as the Housing Register. Once accepted, applicants then wait for a suitable property to become available. Homes are allocated depending on need - those people in greatest need are top of the list.

Q: Who is affordable housing for?

A: Anyone who cannot afford to buy or rent their own home privately. Everyone has the right to a decent home.  But with house prices now very high, more and more people are finding themselves unable to afford a home. This is because they do not have enough income to meet repayments on a mortgage or to pay a market rent required by private landlords. This may be because they are on a low income or unemployed, or because they are vulnerable, for example, they may be homeless or in poor health

An example is Kerry, 27. She and her son Robert, 3, are now homeless, after Kerry?s marriage broke down. She has a part time job which does not pay enough for her to get a mortgage or rent privately. They need somewhere to live and are now waiting for a suitable affordable home to become available for them.

Q: Isn?t there enough affordable housing already? Why do we need more?

A: There is a huge shortage of affordable housing, not just here, but across the country. In Swale, there are around 4,000 households like Kerry?s waiting for a suitable affordable home to become available for them. But only 600 or so homes become available each year. We need to build more so that those people have a decent place to live.

Q: Why do you want to build more homes in Queenborough and Rushenden?

A:. A lot of money will be invested here in the coming years because this area desperately needs more facilities, services and initiatives to help people and community groups. In order to make sure that the community can sustain this regeneration, it needs more people, which means more homes. For example, the more children needing a school place, the more likely it is that the existing school will be enlarged or even that a new one will be built. Also with the new bridge providing a vital transport link, Sheppey is becoming a more desirable place to live.

Marine employment

Question:

I have heard a rumour you are planning to build a marina? Will this only attract visitors to the island, what use will it be to me?

Answer:

One of the schemes being considered as a key part of the Queenborough and Rushenden Regeneration Project is the redevelopment of the Creekside for marine use. The hope is this would lead to significant employment opportunities for people living the communities of Queenborough and Rushenden in terms of work at the marina itself and in the shops, bars and restaurants that could be built around the marina, providing leisure facilities for both residents and visitors. Several sites are being considered for the development of a marina as part of the masterplanning process but no decisions will be made without further public consultation.

Contamination

Question:

I am very concerned about plans to build on land that in the past has been used for industrial use, and which we have been told for years is contaminated. How will you make that land fit for use again?

Answer:

A large part of the proposed site has been or is still used for industrial processing and chemical works. Therefore a thorough programme of investigation will be carried out by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) along with key partners Swale Borough Council (SBC), Swale Forward and Kent County Council (KCC) before any decision is made on where different parts of the development will be situated. There will be an extensive clean-up operation on land that has been contaminated over many years due to industrial use.

Road Infrastructure

Question:

No-one seems to know where the new road will be going. What are the plans and when will we know the route?

Answer:

A highways consultant, on behalf of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), is carrying out a detailed highway capacity study in liaison with the engineers for the A249 improvements. The completion of this and the Rushenden Link Road will enable the development to be opened up. SEEDA and its partners need to stress to members of the public that before any decision is taken on the road link there will have been considerable public consultation. Plans for a comprehensive network of cycle ways and footpaths linking Rushenden and Queenborough will be included in the masterplan proposals.

Community Facilities

Question:

How will this regeneration project benefit people already living in Queenborough and Rushenden?

Answer:

SEEDA is committed to ensure that the project is developed in close consultation, and partnership, with people who live and work in the area. A Community and Skills Group is assisting SEEDA to identify community needs and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be consulted.

A number of Planning For Real sessions are already underway which will give the both planners and developers a strong idea of exactly the kind of community facilities the people of Queenborough and Rushenden believe will benefit them. This could include a new health centre, community centre or other amenities such as shops. Information from Planning For Real will not only feed into development of the masterplan and, but will also help partners improve local service provision.

Ideas under consideration include an improved community centre and library at Queenborough, as well as other facilities in or near Rushenden.

Flooding

Question:

Everyone who lives in Sheppey KNOWS there is the potential risk of flooding so how on earth can you plan all this building work in the area. How do you know it will be safe?

Answer:

It is true that the Isle of Sheppey has a history of flooding. A detailed flood risk assessment is due to be carried out by the Environment Agency ? hopefully later this year -  to ascertain the impact any development would have on groundwater levels and storm flows. The potential risk from tidal flooding will also be examined as part of the masterplanning process.

Education Facilities

Question:

We have only got one primary school in the area at the moment. Is there any chance that the regeneration work could incorporate a new school building? Surely we will need this if lots of new families are going to be moving onto the island?

Answer:

We do not know at this point whether the education system for the Island will change in future years from the current 3-tier system to the 2-tier system which operates across the rest of the county.  This will be a matter for Kent County Council and any decision will follow a period of consultation.  In relation to the regeneration proposals, provision will be identified in conjunction with KCC.  Initial thoughts are that the masterplan will include sufficient land for a one form entry first school at Rushenden, with the existing school remaining as it is.  Provision for additional places for older children will be in the form of financial contributions as these schools are sited well away from the regeneration area.

Raising education and skills levels is a priority on the island and in the development area; the latest Census data showed that 40.8% of residents in Queenborough & Halfway ward had no qualifications in 2001, compared with 29.1% nationally (34.4% in Swale). Through its Community and Skills Group SEEDA intends to work with a range of educational providers and businesses to enhance educational opportunities as part of the project.

A number of educational opportunities for all age groups will also be considered as part of the regeneration programme.

Water

Question:

If all these new homes and businesses are going to be based on Sheppey, how on earth will our water and sewage systems cope?

Answer:

We are taking advice from Southern Water and recognise that the water supply and sewerage capacity are likely to be an issue in relation to the regeneration scheme. Time is required to plan the necessary improvements. The masterplan will take account of this when setting out a phased programme for the overall development.