July edition

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Future Hoo monthly e-newsletter.

Coming up this month...

• Take part in our Community Parklands consultation
• Our next public engagement event
• An update on the Roads scheme
• Schools and youth groups: Working together
• Whose Hoo – project update                               

Community Parklands consultation

Our latest consultation provides residents with the chance to comment on our latest designs for the Community Parklands programme. This includes our plans for Hoo Wetland Reserve and Lodge Hill Countryside Site.

The plans across both sites will benefit wildlife, provide leisure activities, celebrate local history and improve access to the local countryside for everyone. 

Here's a bit more info about both sites:

• Hoo Wetland Reserve: The site is located between the settlement of Hoo St Werburgh to the west and Kingsnorth Power Station to the east. It covers approximately 60 hectares and consists mainly of arable farmland,with areas of grazing marshland.

Did you know? Bringing Hoo Wetland Reserve into management as a nature reserve will formalise pathways across the site to increase public access for the local community whilst also providing a larger, expanded area for wetland birds.

Take a look at the proposals

• Lodge Hill Countryside Site: The site is located on the prominent Chattenden
  Ridge, north of Chattenden and Hoo St Werburgh. Currently it is an area of agricultural land grazed by livestock that lies immediately north of the Lodge Hill Training Area, which is not publicly accessible. The site is adjacent to the Chattenden Woods and Lodge Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest
  (SSSI) which supports a nationally important population of breeding nightingales.

Did you know? The project aims to improve and enhance the habitats and the connections between them to help support rare and common wildlife found in and around Lodge Hill.

Take a look at the proposals

The consultation closes on Sunday, 24 July. 

Future Hoo: Coming to you

Thanks to everyone who came down to one of our Future Hoo consultation events over the last month. Our project team have visited Hoo Parish Church (twice) and The Hundred of Hoo school to provide residents with the chance to take part in the latest consultation for the Community Parklands programme. During these events, we've also been sharing the latest designs for two phases of the Roads scheme.

Our most recent event at Hoo Parish Church last Tuesday (5 July) was well attended, with a mixture of families, couples and workers visiting the church and having a chat with our friendly team.

If you missed out, we’re running a further event tomorrow (Wednesday, 13 July) at Chattenden Community Centre between 4pm – 7pm. Come down and take a look at the latest designs

Got a question?  Email us at futurehoo@medway.gov.uk OR.... Leave us a message on 01634 331 166 and we'll come back to you.

Roads update

Have you seen the latest outline designs for the Roads scheme for Phase 2 and Phase 4?

This includes:

Phase 2: The final alignment option we will be pursuing for Phase 2 following previous feedback. This phase is around Upchat Roundabout to A228 Main Road.

Phase 4: The decision for Stoke Road Roundabout following previous feedback and traffic modelling outcomes.

You can take a look at the designs now via our Roads update webpage

Did you know? There are six phase overall for the Roads scheme

Other news

Schools and youth groups The Future Hoo Project Team is keen to work with schools and youth groups across the Hoo Peninsula over the coming months and years on the Future Hoo programme. We're hoping to run workshops later this year. If you'd like us to visit your school, club or community group, please email futurehoo@medway.gov.uk

Whose Hoo: Project update We're about to advertise for two roles to help take forward our Whose Hoo programme. This will include a project manager role and a supporting project officer role. The roles will be advertised later this month on our jobs website Made possible by National Lottery players, the Whose Hoo project aims to help residents discover and celebrate the heritage and habitats of the Hoo Peninsula. Development funding of £260,000 has been awarded to help create an initial integrated programme of heritage schemes and events with a view to progress plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant at a later date. Whose Hoo brings together a wide range of community, wildlife and environmental groups, to work in partnership with Medway Council, Gravesham Borough Council, Kent County Council and parish councils.

If you're interested in knowing more about the HIF project and following future progress, sign up to receive the Future Hoo updates direct to your inbox: