Exclusive: Kent County Council’s response to Govt Free port Consultation revealed

The Shepwayvox Team have managed to get hold of Kent County Council’s response to the Government’s consultation on a proposed new Free port policy. It can be found at the end of this blog, free to download and read at your leisure.

This is not the specifics, this IS the response to the consultation. As we understand the Government will be asking for expressions of interest for Free ports in September or October of this year.

KCC are working with the Port of Dover, industry and with a range of local partners to develop transformational proposals…to make the Freeports policy a success.

The documents mention locations, such as Eurotunnel, Manston Airport, Ramsgate, Discovery Park (near Sandwich), Sheerness, Swale etc.

It also mentions KCC’s attitude towards planning liberalisation mentioned in Chapter 5 of the free port consultation document. They respond by saying:

• Kent County Council broadly supports this proposal in principle. However, any extension of Permitted Development Rights should be subject to environmental, drainage, heritage and highways/transportation being considered and suitably mitigated.

and go onto say in a response to a further question:

• We welcome efforts to streamline planning processes, where they will help to accelerate additional economic activity, and we will work with potential Freeport operators and the Local Planning Authorities in support of this. It will however be important to ensure that highways, environment, air quality and heritage issues are considered by freeport operators, and the County Council should remain a statutory consultee.

• It is also important that Freeport developments contribute to the long-term sustainability objectives that we have set out above and that planning freedoms do not have a negative environmental impact.

We note KCC stress being sensible about our environment here in Kent; and the air quality too. That is a welcome approach at this moment in time.

There is much more we could say, but for now, we present KCC’s document to you, the public, to read and air your thoughts.

KCC letter to Freeports Team re Freeports Consultation

The Shepwayvox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime