Planning protocol
We're signed up to the Kent Planning Protocol which sets out how we'll work with developers and the local community to achieve sustainable growth for the district.
The Kent Planning Protocol has been produced jointly by the Kent Planning Officers Group and the Kent Developers Group.
We are fully supportive of the four commitments that we, together with the Kent Developer's Group, have signed up to in the protocol. Together these commitments promote collaborative working between the development community and local authorities.
The leaders of all the councils along with the chairs of the Kent Planning Officers, Kent Developers and Kent Housing groups have signed up to these commitments.
Kent County Council, which supports us in providing much of the infrastructure that supports growth, has also confirmed its commitment to these principles.
The planning protocol is significant in that it recognises the close collaborative working that already takes place in Kent between developers and councils and aims to ensure that every opportunity is taken to improve on what we do to achieve the objective of facilitating good quality sustainable growth within the county.
It's also important that the government's Planning Minister, Gavin Barwell, recognises the significance of the protocol and has endorsed it with the following:
"Planning reform is essential to delivering the new homes this county needs in places people want to live.
"It is fantastic to see local planning bodies working together in such an innovative way to improve and strengthen the planning process".