Policy information sourced from the Dartford Core Strategy
CS 4: Ebbsfleet to Stone Priority Area
In the Ebbsfleet to Stone area, the Council will promote a chain of distinctive and individual but linked communities, existing and new. These will sit alongside a range of facilities of a regional and sub-regional scale and quality, generating vibrancy in the area and providing local access to a wide choice of jobs, retail, leisure and community facilities. Development of the area will continue beyond 2026. The Council will work with its partners to achieve the following outcomes:
- New residential communities focused on Ebbsfleet Valley and Stone, providing up to 7,850 homes within the Plan period, with further development beyond 2026.
- Local community facilities, with a new primary school, GP premises, an enhanced community meeting place and improved facilities at Stone. A range of facilities in the Ebbsfleet Valley (see Policy CS5) to support the new residents and enhance provision for existing residents, in particular, a new secondary school and its sporting facilities and a lifelong learning centre at Eastern Quarry. All new development will be required to contribute proportionally to the land and build costs of facilities, in relation to the demand generated by that development. (see also Policy CS26/1b).
- 9,700 jobs in offices and other B1 uses, provided within the Plan period, with a concentration of these in the Ebbsfleet Valley.
- A distinctive network of multifunctional green spaces defining each community and serving recreational and biodiversity functions. This will include natural habitat enhancement and making existing spaces publicly accessible at Craylands Gorge, St Clements Valley, the eastern end of Stone Lodge and the former Stone House Hospital; creating new spaces in the Ebbsfleet Valley and at St James Lane Pit; and improvements to Stone Recreation Ground. e) A centre of excellence for sport and recreation at Stone Lodge, expanding on the existing Olympic-level provision on the site.
- Physical integration of Bluewater with the existing and proposed residential communities surrounding it, with footpaths, cycle paths and buses, including Fastrack. Options for the evolution of Bluewater which provide for a wider range of uses will be explored with the owners and relevant stakeholders, where this can provide synergies with Ebbsfleet and does not adversely impact on neighbouring town centres (see also Policy CS 12).
- Linking of communities, facilities and key activity hubs through the Fastrack bus network, with a new link from Ebbsfleet through Eastern Quarry to Bluewater.
- Built development reflecting the varied heritage of the area in order to create a sense of place. Provision of interpretation facilities, focusing on recent quarry-related industrial heritage as well as activity from earlier archaeological periods. The archaeological potential of parts of the Ebbsfleet Valley 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. The approach to any finds of significance will be determined through an Archaeological Strategy or Framework, agreed in partnership with KCC. Where there is an approved archaeological strategy as part of an extant planning consent, this will take precedence over this part of the policy.
Proposals at Stone will be required to demonstrate, through a Travel Plan, adequate traffic management measures to address capacity issues on London Road, taking into account all proposed developments in Stone. Measures may include provision for local highway and public transport improvements.
For more information please see the Core Strategy