The study area for this project is the Valley of the river Medway through Maidstone, and continuing for approximately 10km to the south-west. The project was commissioned by Kent County Council and uses landscape as a common thread to tie together cross-disciplinary aspirations and aims. It knits together wide-ranging disparate documents (for example Green Infrastructure Strategies, Biodiversity Action Plans, Local Planning Policies, Landscape Character Assessments, etc.) and presents clear and practical measures for putting their aspirations into practice. The report contains a short history of the Medway Valley, a summary of the available evidence base, and a series of practical opportunities for enhancement divided into five key themes: Biodiversity; the historic environment; farming and land management; recreation and access, and recent and future development. The report was informed by consultation with local people and professionals working in the area. It is a well-illustrated and easy to read document, aimed at developers, land managers, parish councils responding to planning applications, and other organisations working in the Medway Valley such as the Environment Agency.
