The purpose of the Guide is to inform district, borough and city authorities and developers about the impact any proposed new development would have on KCC’s services and the subsequent developer contributions required to mitigate those effects.
This includes education, highways, transportation and waste.
This Guide does not specify every type of contribution that may be required to make development acceptable in planning terms, however, it provides an overview of obligations which may be sought by KCC as part of the planning process.
The consultation is set to run from 8 December until 2 February 2023, aimed predominately at every level of local council in Kent, planning professionals, landowners and housing developers themselves.
The consultation is open to Kent residents to participate and there may be those with specific interests and expertise who would like to take a look.
“This guide sets out precisely what infrastructure will be required by KCC to support new housing in the county, how that requirement will be calculated and when it should be delivered.”
KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Derek Murphy, said: "This guide sets out precisely what infrastructure will be required by KCC to support new housing in the county, how that requirement will be calculated and when it should be delivered.
"Kent is preparing for continued growth in our population in the years ahead. This could perhaps be as much as 20% growth by 2040, compared to 2020 figures, reflecting the county’s position as a place where people wish to live, work and thrive at all stages of their lives.
"This growth does require additional housing – of all types – to be developed, with an additional 190,400 homes forecast to be built by that same year 2040.
"Our commitment is to ensure that new development provides the appropriate physical and social infrastructure necessary to support new and existing communities’ quality of life.
"Given the significant levels of projected growth, it is more important than ever that KCC works closely with the 12 borough, city and district local planning authorities to deliver infrastructure that supports sustainable development, and I am delighted that we have strong relationships to further build upon."
Feedback from the consultation will be used to finalise the guide. A report summarising analysis of the feedback will be published on the consultation webpage and presented to the Growth, Economic Development and Communities Cabinet Committee.
For more information, you can visit www.kent.gov.uk/developercontributionsguide
For queries or requests for hard copies, email developer.contributions@kent.gov.uk
For alternative formats, email alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 42 15 53 (text relay service number 18001 03000 42 15 53). This number goes to an answering machine, which is monitored during office hours.
ENDS.
Note for editors
The guide was first published in 2007. It set out to promote a consistent and transparent approach across the county regarding the requirement for and the calculation of developer contributions for KCC-provided services.
It is necessary to update the guide to reflect changes in legislation, policies, service priorities and costs.
