A brief guide to the ways you can respond and things CARE is organising to help.

The council's press release on the Local Plan transport strategy - mainly about buses (city and rural), also improvements at railway stations and some new slip roads.

Kentish Gazette, Fri 1 March 2024

The Gazette's summary of the new local plan, including the removal of the bypasses that would have been funded by the "Cooting Farm Garden Community" and "Aylesham South" developments, both removed. The plan is also five years shorter, which reduces the number of homes legally required.

The council's press release announcing the new, draft Local Plan.

CARE thanks Canterbury City Council for removing the "Cooting Farm Garden Community" (policy R1) from the latest draft plan.

Canterbury City Council to publish new documents online on/around Fri 1 March. Special meeting on Mon 11 March for councillors to formally vote to put plan out to consultation.

Over £2,500 has been raised by the large number of local residents opposed to the wine factory Chapel Down are proposing to build within the protected Kent Downs National Landscape. We are campaigning against the council's decision to award planning permission a second time (legal action last year forced CCC to quash their decision on heritage grounds).

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have been renamed as National Landscapes – in a bid to bring them in line with the importance our National Parks enjoy.

CPRE story on National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) - which allow the Secretary of State to override development plans approved by local communities, without necessarily needing to consult. A commons vote removed Lord's amendments to provide access to nature to new homes, take UK net zero targets into account and to require "sufficient social rent housing".