Local Plan Review and the Teynham Area of Opportunity
What are we consulting on in this document?
1.0.8 This document is the pre-submission draft of the Local Plan Review, sometimes referred to as the ‘Regulation 19 plan’.  This consultation seeks representations as to legal compliance and soundness of the Local Plan.   It sets out the strategic vision, objectives and spatial strategy for the Borough, as well as the sites for development and the planning policies that will guide future development.  Once the consultation period for this document ends, the Council will submit the document to the Secretary of State for examination along with all of the representations received.  The Secretary of State will appoint an independent planning inspector who will assess this plan for its ‘soundness’.  The tests of soundness are set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
Plans are sound if they are:
•	Positively prepared – providing a strategy which, as a minimum seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs, and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring authorities is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development;
•	Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence;
•	Effective - deliverable over the plan period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and
•	Consistent with national policy – enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the NPPF.
Teynham Area of Opportunity
5.5.30 Teynham is centrally located within Swale and is one of the largest villages in the Borough. It is defined in this plan as a Rural Local Service Centre as it supports the needs of the existing community and the settlements around it. The village owes much of its good range of services (including primary school, GP surgery, library and retail) and public transport provision to its position along the main Roman Road Watling Street (Greenstreet). 
5.5.31 Teynham village is made up of a number of historic settlements including Greenstreet, Cellar Hill and Barrow Green. The London Road running through the village marks the boundary between Lynsted with Kingsdown Parish to the south and Teynham Parish to the north. 
5.5.32 The straight alignment of the London Road through Teynham owes much to its Roman origins and gives the ‘high street’ in Teynham a distinctive linear character. The presence of medieval and post medieval buildings (particularly around Cellar Hill), but also dotted along the London Road and in the countryside around the village, provide evidence of the long-standing agricultural prosperity of the area, made possible by the rich soils of the north Kent fruit belt. The arrival of the railway north of Greenstreet in the 19th century led to the growth of the village towards the train station. Subsequent development over the 20th century has filled in the land between Watling Street and the railway line.
5.5.33 The countryside around Teynham is rural and agricultural in character and use. The Swale Landscape Sensitivity Assessment has assessed the landscape south of the railway line around Teynham in terms of sensitivity to new development. It divided the area into two sections, reflecting landscape character. The area to the west and south-west of Teynham is described as having a broadly flat or gently undulating landform with a moderate sense of rural character and limited natural features and visually prominent. It concludes this area has a moderate sensitivity to future change from residential and employment development with opportunities to improve the existing urban edge. 
5.5.34 The area to the east, south-east and south of Teynham is more sensitive. It has a gently undulating landform, moderate to high sense of rural character and many heritage assets. It concludes that this area has a moderate to high overall sensitivity to future change from residential and employment development, with high sensitivity around the dry chalk valley to the south of the A2 (the Lyn valley) which has a smaller scale, higher scenic value, historic character and tranquillity.
5.5.35 To the east of the village is a ridgeline overlooking the Lyn valley, running north-south and which forms a natural boundary. 
5.5.36 North of the railway line is the North Kent Marshes: South Swale Marshes Area of High Landscape Value. This includes historic orchard landscapes with minor hills cut by springs and valleys as well as creeks and ditches draining the marshes north of the village. The key requirement for this landscape is to conserve and enhance its qualities including biodiversity, remoteness/wildness and to avoid further development and subsequent deterioration in landscape quality. This locally designated landscape is outside the area of opportunity.
5.5.37 Important Local Countryside Gaps have been identified between Teynham and Bapchild to the west and between Teynham and Lynsted to the south due to the role these areas play in providing a sense of separation between the villages, to safeguard the open and undeveloped character of the land and to prevent coalescence. These are shown in Policy DM 27 . 
5.5.38 There are no international, national or local biodiversity designations at Teynham.
Issues and Constraints
5.5.39 Whilst Teynham is well situated at the heart of the borough there are a number of constraints to development which need to be overcome if the opportunities for the village are to be realised.
5.5.40 The historic Watling Street which cuts through the village is key to its growth and accessibility but brings with it a number of issues:
•	To access the wider vehicular network, traffic from Teynham has to travel along the A2, via Air Quality Management Areas at Teynham itself, East Street Sittingbourne or Ospringe, Faversham. Traffic between Sittingbourne and Faversham also often uses this route, in particular when there are delays on the M2 motorway
•	Within Teynham itself there is congestion and delays to traffic, often association with narrow, historic junctions, exacerbated by parked / stopping vehicles
•	Narrow street width and parked / stopping vehicles accentuates poor air quality; as mentioned above, part of the A2 within Teynham is a designated Air Quality Management Area
•	Poor pedestrian and cycle infrastructure and environment, including inadequate frequency of pedestrian crossing locations for a high street situation, narrow footways, heavy traffic including frequent large HGVs
•	Poor quality streetscape design including street clutter, limited green infrastructure and unregulated parking (including parking on pavements)
•	Perception and experience of risk from the combination of heavy traffic, narrow pavements, inadequate number of pedestrian crossings, 30mph plus speeds, poor air quality and dirty particulates
5.5.41 The impacts of these issues are detrimental to people using the village and its services, businesses operating in the village, in particular along the London Road, as well as those travelling through. Without adequate mitigation any further development in the village will exacerbate these problems and must be avoided.
5.5.42 Parking is an issue across the village, with inadequate good quality parking provision and limited alternatives to car-based travel leading to inappropriate pavement parking and cars dominating the village scene. 
5.5.43 Current facilities and infrastructure (eg school places, GP and Dentist provision) within Teynham are stretched, but currently allocated development should alleviate some of that with a re-built and expanded primary school and improved healthcare facilities. Beyond this, no requirements for specific new facilities have been identified by the education authority (Kent County Council) or the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group within Teynham itself although financial contributions to infrastructure are expected. This situation will be monitored and reviewed as required. Other needs that may need to be met include youth facilities. Enhancing facilities within the village will assist with reducing the need to travel for everyday needs.
Area of opportunity
5.5.44 Teynham has been identified by the Council as an ‘area of opportunity’ to support new housing development to take advantage of its central location, rail connections, existing facilities and potential to grow. New development would comprise around 1,100 new homes, a commensurate amount of employment and any required infrastructure. Any development must be evidence based and carefully planned to both bring new homes and businesses to the village whilst benefitting the existing community. Consultation with those who currently live and work in Teynham is key. 
5.5.45 The boundary of the area of opportunity, identified on the Picture 5.5.1, is highly indicative at this stage and has been led by sites submitted to the Council as part of its Call for Sites, as well as the Council’s aspiration that the area of opportunity includes all of the current village envelope, south of the railway. A more definitive ‘area’ of opportunity will need to be refined following further evidence gathering including comprehensive assessments of any new routes as well as landscape and biodiversity mitigation. The text below identifies some of the constraints that are currently identified, in particular the Lyn valley to the east of the village and the Cellar Hill Conservation Area.

DECISIONS WILL BE MADE BEFORE THAT!

5.5.46 The Council expects landowners, agents and developers with interests in developing sites within the area of opportunity to work together, and with the Borough Council, to develop a Teynham masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to be adopted by the Borough Council in advance of any determination of any related planning applications.  Given the complexity of the joint work and consultation required to develop an appropriate masterplan, the Council does not envisage any housing delivery from the area of opportunity until after 2028.
5.5.47 Evidence will be needed to support this. This will include:
•	
Cart before the horse! Approve Plan then get evidence to justify it!

Updated Transport modelling is being carried out by the Council to determine the impacts of increased development at Teynham, although the Council would expect those the land interests to work in tandem with the Council to produce more detailed transport assessment and modelling work as they progress towards the submission of planning application(s).
•	Air quality modelling has already been undertaken to assess the overall impacts of the local plan. Further to the results of the transport modelling, further air quality modelling may need to be undertaken. Both transport and air quality modelling will need to inform the development of the masterplan. 
•	As a result of transport and air quality modelling it is predicated that transport and mobility mitigation works will need to be developed for the A2 between Sittingbourne and Faversham. This will need to include A2 junction improvements, bus prioritisation schemes and the development of a dedicated cycle and pedestrian route from Sittingbourne to Faversham (via Teynham) as an alternative to the A2. Those with interests in developing sites across Teynham will need to work with Kent Highways and Swale Borough Council on transport and mobility mitigation and incorporating it into the masterplan for the area of opportunity. This work will also be informed by the Swale Transport Strategy, currently in development.
•	A southern link route would assist in relieving London Road through the village of traffic and would help unlock development sites to the south of the village. The inclusion of a southern link route for Teynham is being modelled as part of the transport modelling outlined above, although no specific potential alignments have yet been identified. 
•	There is no straightforward route for a new street. Evidence would need to be gathered as to the technical aspects, including  landscape and heritage impacts and benefits to the existing village would need to be assessed against the harm caused. 
•	As well as a southern link route options to improve connections to the north of the A2 need to be explored. These should include enhancing pedestrian and vehicular links across the area, including from the Frognal Lane development to Station Road (via Donald Moor Avenue and Honeyball Walk). Furthermore, the benefits of a multi-modal route connecting Station Road, through the new Land at Station Road development and land south of Barrow Green to the A2 will also need to be explored. These options are also being examined as part of the transport modelling.
5.5.48 Following on from the updated transport modelling, and as part of the masterplan’s development, a feasibility study for these new links would need to be undertaken by those with interests in developing sites across Teynham. This will need to include:
•	Assessment of land ownerships, assuming that some land required may be outside of land submitted to the Council’s Call for Sites
•	Survey work and route design, working with Kent Highways to develop options for possible new and enhanced routes
•	Assessment of mobility, landscape, visual, urban design, green and blue infrastructure, heritage (including archaeology), biodiversity, air quality and drainage and flood risk impacts for these options with the view to mitigating impacts and providing 20% biodiversity net gain
•	Meaningful community consultation as part of the Masterplan SPD process
•	A phasing plan linking the development of new routes to site build outs
5.5.49 Such are the existing issues with the London Road in Teynham (outlined earlier), it is unlikely that without the development of a southern link route, any significant development across Teynham will be able to come forward in a form acceptable to the Borough Council.
Developing a Teynham masterplan
5.5.50 The Council expects landowners, agents and developers and others with interests in developing sites within the area of opportunity to work together, with the Borough Council, to fund and produce a Teynham masterplan for development which will come forward from the mid to the end of the plan period (post 2028). It is the expectation that this will be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) by the Council.
5.5.51 The requirements of the masterplan will need to be informed by the needs of the community, but are likely to include: 
1.	Meaningful community engagement and participation.  Teynham is an active village with a range of groups and societies, two parish councils and people with a depth of knowledge about the area in which they live and work. Whilst development brings change, and is sometimes unwelcomed, it can also be an opportunity to resolve existing issues and bring new opportunities. The community are key to identifying these issues and opportunities and safeguarding what is most precious about the area. Meaningful community engagement and participation will need to be established and maintained as part of the masterplanning process. The engagement process should actively seek to engage with the full range of Teynham’s residents and businesses, including hard to reach groups.
2.	Provision of new housing. The masterplan will need to set out how sites across the village will achieve a mix of housing types in accordance with Policy ST 5 , including those for affordable housing, as well as the requirements of any village/parish needs assessment.
3.	Provision of economic land uses. The allocated development at Frognal Lane includes an expectation for over 26,000 square metres of small-scale employment provision. Any further development in the village will be required to provide an amount of economic land use to balance the housing provided, with the aim of reducing travel to work. Economic land use provision should be informed by local and up to date evidence on need and must be of a type and design suitable for a village location. The Council would be keen to see the development of opportunities for creative, local industries which complement the existing offer in the village. Mixed use units, live-work units, shared space workplaces and spaces that encourage flexible working practices would also be encouraged.  
4.	An urban and landscape design approach, in keeping with Policy ST 6 , urban and landscape design should be fundamental to the masterplanning of the area of opportunity, informed by community participation and following thorough local studies and examination of the existing issues and opportunities for the village. It should include:
a.	an urban design-led masterplan for the whole area of opportunity, which links the existing village seamlessly to allocated and future development, creating a continuously connected and resilient network of streets that can be developed, in stages, over time and does not prejudice connections to future adjacent sites. New housing and employment across the village should feel part of the village and should connect with social infrastructure, the railway station and the village centre;
b.	masterplanning which explores, responds to and enhances the best features of the existing village, development opportunities and the surrounding countryside to create a locally distinctive village and landscape form that is relevant to Teynham. Options for developing a Design Code for Teynham through the masterplanning process should be explored;
c.	a plan for the creation of healthy and inclusive communities which actively seek to improve health and wellbeing - by increasing access to public and wildlife-rich green space, enabling healthy play and leisure, maximising active travel, inspiring healthy eating and delivering warm, energy efficient and comfortable homes with good air quality inside and out;
d.	an efficient layout, based on perimeter blocks, with a clear definition of public and private spaces should be created, with fronts facing fronts and backs facing backs;
e.	integrated landscape design, enabling green and blue infrastructure to be woven throughout the village from its centre to its outskirts;
f.	an integrated approach to land use where dwellings face and overlook open space and employment uses positively interface with residential (eg homes over shops);
g.	a well-defined countryside edge with new development being outward facing and landscaped to include locally relevant species and planting approaches (eg community orchards, hedgerows etc), based on local Landscape Character.  Where screen planting is proposed it should be carefully designed to fulfil its function, using native species.
5.	A strategy to reduce the impact of private vehicles and improve air quality. Development in Teynham provides an opportunity to enhance the village by reducing the impact of vehicles. A masterplan will need to demonstrate this through:
a.	wholesale assessment of the masterplan’s transport impacts, including cumulative impacts, and how these can be mitigated, for instance through the creation of new links and junction improvements along the A2 (from Sittingbourne to Faversham). Improvements to junctions within the village are likely to be required at the junctions of the A2 and Station Road, A2 and Lynsted Lane, A2 and Claxfield Road and possibly at the junction of The Crescent and Conyer Road. The needs of pedestrians and cyclists are fundamental to the design of junction improvements;
b.	a commitment to improve air quality in the village and along the A2 generally. There is currently an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) along part of the A2 through the village and any development would need to demonstrate that it, in combination with other development, would not lead to any exceedances of air quality objectives. Furthermore, there are a number of AQMAs in Sittingbourne and Faversham/Ospringe and development would need to be assessed for its cumulative impact on air quality throughout these areas;
c.	the provision of village-wide pedestrian and cycle routes and facilities including better north-south and east-west connections to encourage travel by foot and cycle. Within the village itself, these should be fronted onto and over-looked by buildings and appropriately lit. Pedestrian routes should link and enhance established public rights of way within and beyond the village. Cycle routes should link with the strategic cycle route to be developed, connecting Sittingbourne to Faversham and any other local cycle routes;
d.	the introduction of slower speeds across the village including the London Road and a comprehensive public realm improvement scheme. This could reduce the impact of traffic on the London Road in the short term and could be an efficient way to provide a safer and more pleasant cycling and walking experience for the whole village;
e.	the protection and enhancement of rural lanes within and around the village, including the Lower Road (access onto this road will be restricted), Frognal Lane, Claxfied Road, Lynsted Lane, Cambridge Lane and Conyer Road. Consideration should be made for options to reduce speeds on rural lanes, to enhance opportunities for walking and cycling, linking rural lanes, where safe, to a wider cycling network;
f.	the provision of cycle parking and electric charging infrastructure in line with Policy ST 9 and Policy DM 10 ;
g.	the provision of an electric car and cycle club for the village to reduce the reliance on private cars. Consideration should be given to the provision of car-free or low-car development, linked to the provision of car clubs, improved public transport and cycle and walking networks;
h.	a commitment to public transport improvements, for instance including bus prioritisation, station improvements and subsidies;
i.	a strategy to help resolve the existing inappropriate parking in the village (eg pavement parking and parking on the London Road) and the visual dominance of private cars. New development should demonstrate a commitment to alleviate existing parking problems across the village and the impact of car parking on the public realm. New development will be provided in accordance with Policy DM 11 .
6.	The creation of sustainable neighbourhoods and adapting and mitigating to climate change is fundamental to the masterplanning of the area of opportunity and should be demonstrated in line with the objectives of Policy DM 3 , embracing the Council’s objective for the borough to be zero carbon by 2030 and for new development to be water and waste efficient and to be built from materials with low embodied carbon. The masterplan will be expected to demonstrate the use of sustainable energy production, distribution and storage across the village in line with Policy DM 4 .;
7.	The creation of new streets which contribute positively to the character of the village. Where new vehicular links need to be created, for instance, a new southern link route, these should be done:
a.	to be as efficient as possible so that new streets serve new development as well as the wider village and are part of a wider, connected network of streets;
b.	to be as beautiful as possible, fronted by new development within the built-up parts of the village and tree lined and landscaped throughout;
c.	in a way that manages the needs of all movement modes but prioritises the needs of cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities;
d.	to be slow speed, with a village-wide maximum speed limit of 20mph;
e.	to deliver 20% biodiversity net gain.
8.	The protection and enhancement of landscape and heritage, including archaeology.  There are a number of existing landscape and heritage studies which help guide development around Teynham, including the Cellar Hill Conservation Area Appraisal, the Landscape Character and Biodiversity Appraisal, 2011, the Swale Landscape Sensitivity Assessment, 2019 and the Important Local Countryside Gap study, 2021. The area of opportunity masterplan should be landscape focused, include landscape and visual assessments of the impact of new development and should include the following requirements:
a.	demonstration of the objectives set out in Policy DM 2 and be informed by local studies of urban form, landscape, architecture and heritage. Surveys of natural features including topography, woodland, orchards, trees, hedgerows and water features including ponds and ditches, should inform the layout of new development;
b.	there are a number of listed buildings along the A2, along Cellar Hill and on the outskirts of the village as well as areas of greater landscape sensitivity (eg the Lyn valley), as outlined above. Due regard will need to be made to heritage and landscape features and their settings, as well as to the Cellar Hill Conservation Area and its settings. The masterplan should be informed by a heritage assessment, which also examines the potential for archaeological heritage;
c.	liaison with the Council’s Conservation Team, bearing in mind that the Cellar Hill Conservation Area is deemed ‘at risk’ and the boundaries of it are due to be reviewed in 2022;
d.	the Lyn valley, running along the eastern side of the village is an attractive and distinctive feature in the local landscape. In order to limit the landscape impacts of development any growth to the east of the village between the A2 and the railway line should be limited to below the ridgeline overlooking this valley. To the south of the A2, the existing Cellar Hill Conservation Area determines the eastern extent of the village.;
e.	any growth to the west and south of the village should be informed by the Swale Important Local Countryside Gap study 2021 and its recommendations (including identified potential for enhancement);
f.	no growth should be proposed north of the Sittingbourne to Faversham railway line;
g.	all edge of settlement development to provide an attractive and positive response to the interface with the countryside, particularly at gateways to the village;
h.	the character of rural lanes around the village, including Lower Road, Cellar Hill, Lynsted Lane and Claxfield Road should be retained and enhanced;
i.	development should be designed so that there is always a clear transition from village to countryside around Teynham;
j.	opportunities to improve landscape quality should be explored, for instance the transport depot at Radfield is prominent in views from the south. Enhancements to integrate this facility into the landscape should be explored. This could include planting a more natural buffer;
k.	an assessment of the existing network of hedgerows and trees across the area of opportunity, the identification of gaps and opportunities for enhancement to landscape and biodiversity potential;
l.	potential development around the village should include buffering with hedgerows, tree planting and community orchards, to maintain the rural character of the surrounding countryside.
9.	A commitment to integrating biodiversity enhancement into development. The masterplan will:
a.	be informed by ecological surveys and follow the mitigation hierarchy;
b.	demonstrate how biodiversity net gain of 20% will be achieved;
c.	recognise that land west of Frognal Lane, land to the east of Claxfield Lane and possibly land to the west of Lynsted Lane has good sight lines to the wider countryside and the potential to act as functionally linked land to European sites of biodiversity interest on The Swale (SPA). Whilst the presence of this land does not present deliverability issues, precautionary measures during the construction and operational phase of any development may be required, following masterplanning surveys, to ensure any birds that do form a significant population of the SPA are not subject to disturbance. It is recommended that at least one season of wintering bird surveys is undertaken to inform the development of the masterplan;
d.	demonstrate a commitment to reduce pressure on the SPA by ensuring provision of appropriate recreational and accessible natural greenspace within the area of opportunity for use by residents and visitors;
e.	ensure that, through both on and off site measures, any significant adverse impacts on European sites through recreational pressure will be mitigated in accordance with Policy ST 10  , including a financial contribution towards the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy;
f.	be required to provide evidence that any development within the area of opportunity will not result in a Likely Significant Effect to any European site of biodiversity interest. To achieve this, surveys will be required to determine habitats and current use of the site and surrounding land parcels to determine if it does support a significant population (a significant population is classified as a site that regularly used by more than 1% of the population of qualifying bird species) of qualifying species. Where habitats are suitable, non-breeding bird surveys will be required to determine if the site and neighbouring land constitute a significant area of supporting habitat. Surveys should be required to be undertaken during autumn, winter and spring and at more than 1 year of surveys may be needed (to be agreed in consultation with the local planning authority and Natural England). If habitat within or adjacent to the site is identified to support significant populations of designated bird features, avoidance measures and mitigation will be required, such as the creation of replacement habitat nearby and any future planning application will likely need to be supported by a project specific Habitats Regulations Assessment to ensure that the development does not result in adverse effects on integrity;
g.	integrate appropriate mechanisms for restoring or creating traditional orchard habitat as part of green and blue infrastructure within development footprints. Loss of Traditional Orchard should be avoided as a result of development and, where-ever appropriate, new development should seek to incorporate new or existing traditional orchards. 
10.	The provision of open space, play and sports facilities to meet the needs of the existing and new residents of the village, ensuring no net loss in existing provision and in accordance with the requirements of Policy DM 17 . Facilities should be provided in liaison with the Borough’s Greenspaces Team and recognising that open space, play and sports provision is more effective if considered holistically across the village and provided strategically and creatively, as part of the masterplan’s urban and landscape approach, with, for instance, more natural play spaces being provided on the edge of the village and more formal spaces being provided more centrally;
11.	Contribution to infrastructure. Infrastructure needs for Teynham have been identified and are outlined in the Infrastructure and Delivery Plan. Due to the likely build out of sites in Teynham post 2028, it is anticipated that these needs may change with time. As such, those with an interest in developing land at Teynham through a masterplan, should engage with infrastructure providers at an early stage, as part of the masterplanning process. It is anticipated that contributions towards the following will be required:
a.	Further to modelling and transport assessment, Kent Highways have outlined that transport/mobility mitigation will be required which will likely include contributions towards: a mitigation strategy for the A2 (including junction improvements and bus prioritisation); air quality mitigation; connectivity improvements within the village; cycle and pedestrian network between Sittingbourne and Faversham; improvements to Teynham Railway Station; footway provision within the village; Claxfield Road/A2 junction improvements; crossing provision for the A2; parking provision for London Road residents; parking restrictions within the village; improvements to Cellar Hill and Lynsted Lane junctions;
b.	Kent County Council (KCC) have assessed the need for financial contributions towards:
i.	secondary school provision (Sittingbourne/Faversham);
ii.	community provision to contribute towards libraries, community learning and youth facilities;
iii.	social care and the requirements that all homes be built to Part M4(2) space and accessibility standards;
iv.	waste.
c.	KCC have also outlined that all homes to have Fibre to Premise broadband provision and that community buildings are built to their requirements (ie dementia friendly, with DDA catering areas, and toilet and changing facilities for the severely disabled);
d.	future health facilities, as required by the relevant NHS Clinical Commissioning Group;
e.	reinforcement of the wastewater network to provide additional capacity to serve development. Early engagement between interested parties and Southern Water is essential. Southern Water have identified that that there may be a need for development to be phased in line with delivery of network reinforcement.
12.	Stewardship. Long term stewardship of large development such as Teynham’s area of opportunity will be required and will involve the active and positive management of everything from green spaces to arts provision to commercial estates and utility infrastructure. Putting local people (and stakeholders) at the heart of this process can generate increased local support, creativity, entrepreneurialism, and better management of open space and strategic landscaping. Managing ecology and sustainable drainage, for instance, is specialist and requires specialist organisations;
13.	Minerals safeguarding. It is highly likely that safeguarded minerals (Brickearth) are present across the area of opportunity at Teynham. As such, and to inform the development of the masterplan, the quality and quantity of minerals and the practicalities of prior extraction should be investigated via a Minerals Assessment in line with the safeguarding mineral and prior extraction policies contained within the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan;
14.	Contaminated land. It is understood that some land across the area of opportunity (for instance at Barrow Green Farm) may be contaminated. As such an appropriate survey will need to be conducted for the area of opportunity and the land restored so that it is no longer deemed contaminated. Work to inform this should be undertaken in liaison with the Council’s Environmental Health Team;
15.	A Flood risk assessment of the area of opportunity should be prepared to inform the masterplan and a drainage strategy prepared setting out how sustainable drainage will be incorporated across the area of opportunity and incorporated into the green and blue infrastructure network to bring multifunctional benefits. These assessments and strategies should take full account of the risks of flooding associated with climate change and should be prepared to the satisfaction of the KCC as the Lead Local Flood Authority, the Environment Agency and the Internal Drainage Board as appropriate;
16.	The development of the masterplan should be informed by the advice of the Council’s Design Panel at appropriate stages throughout its development;
17.	Viability assessment is fundamental to the delivery of a successful masterplan. The Council have an expectation that the viability evidence will be transparent and available to the community, in order that that they can understand and take part in decisions affecting what can be afforded. The masterplan needs to clearly demonstrate how elements will be paid for and by whom;
18.	Phasing development with infrastructure provision is going to be a key element of the masterplan for Teynham’s area of opportunity and needs to be considered from the start of the development process. 
Policy AO 1
Teynham Area of Opportunity
1.	An area of land around Teynham, as shown indicatively on the Proposals Maps and Picture 5.5.1, is identified as an area of opportunity for development of approximately 1,100 homes, proportionate employment and accompanying infrastructure to be commenced in the mid to latter part of the plan period (post 2028). 
2.	Landowners, agents and developers with interests in this area are required to work together, in liaison with the Borough Council, to contribute to the production of a Teynham masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to be adopted by the Borough Council.
3.	The masterplan document will be evidenced by research and will follow the outline established in the text above and will include a commitment to:
a.	Community engagement and leadership
b.	Housing, economic land uses and infrastructure to meet local needs
c.	An urban design and landscape design approach, respecting and enhancing local landscape and heritage assets, and positively creating an efficient network of new streets to bring development forward
d.	Improving air quality and reducing the impact of private vehicles by creating viable alternatives
e.	Adaptation and mitigation to the risk of climate change, including flood risk and overheating
f.	Reversing declines in biodiversity and providing for a 20% biodiversity net gain
g.	A phased approach, delivering new development, community infrastructure and design, landscape and biodiversity gains in tandem
h.	Long term stewardship
4.	Until the adoption of the Teynham masterplan SPD, no significant development (aside from allocations within the Council’s 2017 adopted local plan) is likely to be approved by the Borough Council within the area of opportunity. New development within the area of opportunity will accord with the requirements set out in the masterplan.

Picture 5.5.2 Teynham Area of Opportunity(Popup full image)