Policy information sourced from the Dartford Core Strategy

CS 3: Northern Gateway Strategic Site

In order to encourage the development of a sustainable living and working community which helps support town centre regeneration, the Council will work with landowners, developers and delivery agencies to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Provision of up to 2,040 homes mainly as family housing but with apartments around the Mill Pond and at the southern end of the site. Specialist housing for the elderly may also be provided.
  • Provision of 1200 jobs in B1, B2 and B8 uses, as far as these are compatible with adjacent residential uses.
  • Provision of a mix of uses and the creation of a new area of public realm around the Mill Pond, creating a vibrant hub within the site, and an additional complementary attractor to the town centre. Uses may include local shops and leisure uses, a hotel, community facilities and cafes, pubs and restaurants fronting onto the waterside. A site management plan will be required to ensure the appropriate management of Dartford Fresh Marshes.
  • Creation of multifunctional greenspace alongside the River Darent and within and across the site, providing at least 30% open space across the site, with provision for biodiversity and landscape improvements as well as recreational, sporting and amenity areas. Land at Dartford Fresh Marsh, the Mill Pond and the provision of a park on the eastern side to form part of the provision.
  • Creation of footpaths and cycle paths along and across the River Darent, connecting to Mill Pond, into the town centre and to the wider Green Grid in the Borough.
  • Minimising the amount of traffic generated by the site, with an emphasis on sustainable forms of travel, with Fastrack provision through the site, direct access to Dartford station and foot and cycle connectivity. Car parking provision on the site to reflect its location adjacent to the station and town centre, with provision related to proximity to these facilities. Planning applications must be supported by a transport assessment which takes into account all planned development in the town centre as well as the Northern Gateway. In advance of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a proportionate contribution will be required towards short-term mitigation measures to address any impact of the proposal on Junction 1a of the M25 (A282). A Travel Plan will be required for each application. See also Policy CS 16, Transport Investment.
  • Provision of a 2-form entry primary school on the site, with developments in the Northern Gateway and Dartford Town Centre contributing proportionally to land and build costs of the school.
  • Provision of primary health services, community meeting hall and other community facilities required, either on or off-site, in a way that best meets the needs arising from the new development as well as supporting neighbouring communities.
  • Achievement of at least Code Level 4 in the energy category in advance of mandatory requirements. Where development commences in advance of a mandatory requirement for Code Level 6, buildings to be designed in a way that enables the retro-fitting of sustainable energy technologies for example through solar thermal, photovoltaic systems, ground source heat pumps. This may also be facilitated by the provision of or re-use of on-site zero/low carbon Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) to serve the development. The potential of the CHP to supply a wider area to be explored.
  • Planning applications for development in Flood Zones 2 and 3 accompanied by a site specific FRA48 to demonstrate that development is safe and will pass part C of the Exception Test49, where applicable. These sites to also be sequentially tested to direct ‘more vulnerable ‘ uses 50 to the parts of the site at less risk of flooding, where possible.
  • Promotion of development that reflects and interprets the riparian and industrial heritage associated with the area, in order to create a sense of place. Archaeological potential within the site should be assessed prior to development through a desk-top study and investigated via fieldwork, where the desk-top study indicates this will be necessary, or through an archaeological watching brief during development, if appropriate. The approach to any finds of significance will be determined through an Archaeological Strategy or Framework, agreed in partnership with KCC.

Planning applications must be supported by a transport assessment which takes into account development proposals for the site as a whole, as well as proposed developments in Dartford Town Centre. A Travel Plan will be required for each of the sub-sites. Local access improvements related to proposed development will be required to be delivered by developers.

The Council will prepare an Infrastructure Delivery Plan, in partnership with landowners, developers and service providers. This will guide the provision and funding of community and infrastructure facilities for each of the sub-sites.

Land uses impacting on the viability of the town centre will not normally be acceptable.

Employment uses successfully operating on the site, including at Riverside Industrial Estate and Victoria Industrial Park, will be protected, whilst the demand for them exists.

Proposal Map 2 shows the site boundaries. Diagram 4 will be used to inform detailed proposals for the site.

For more information please see the Core Strategy