Medway Council has resolved to grant planning permission for Peel Waters’ redevelopment of Chatham Docks, despite strong opposition from steel group ArcelorMittal, which has a facility on the site’s industrial estate.
Outgoing secretary of state Micheal Gove had issued a holding direction on the mixed-use application, but a resolution to approve was voted for by eight councillors to seven.
Peel Waters said its Basin3 scheme will create hundreds of news jobs across new workspace. James Whittaker, managing director, said: “Our vision for Basin3 will create a dynamic, employment enterprise destination that integrates with existing communities while attracting new employers and business to the area, offering much needed, high-quality, new employment spaces for already established Medway businesses, and bolstering Medway’s economic growth.”
Phil Taylor, of ArcelorMittal Kent Wire, said: “The decision brings the decimation of Chatham Docks and the loss of 800 direct jobs one step closer and it all now rests with the next secretary of state to intervene and stop this threat to the UK construction sector. There are many deficiencies within this application and the fact that it was rushed through even with a holding direction in place is shameful.
“This resolution to grant consent poses a grave risk to our UK operations and the supply of 30% of reinforced concrete steel products to major UK infrastructure projects.
“In an increasingly unstable global world, the necessity of industrial security makes perfect sense, and a continued presence for us at Chatham Docks secures for the UK a vital construction material. The fight isn’t over and we will now be calling on the next secretary of state to do the right thing and call in this application.”
Image from Peel Waters
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