Land Management for Chatham Maritime Trust

Chatham Maritime Trust employs a security contractor for 24/7 camera monitoring but does not oversee private property on the Island.

Since St. Mary’s Island’s initial residents arrived in the 1990s, significant developments have occurred. By 2019, the Island will host 1,700 residences alongside Medway University, Medway Police Station, Dockside Outlet Centre, and other businesses.

To adapt to changing needs and technology, the Trust has reviewed security measures. Chatham Maritime maintains a low crime rate—27% below the national average in 2012—but plans to enhance security further by investing in more CCTV, particularly along the River Walk. New upgrades will allow 16 cameras to be viewed online, pending resolution of Data Protection delays. The cameras will be monitored by Ward Security, who can respond quickly to incidents; report problems to 01634 890292.

Carl Davies, the Estates Officer since September 2017, will ensure a visible presence and compliance with estate regulations, while also supporting the estates team. He is reachable at 07787 292088 during working hours (7am-4pm).

This plan significantly increases estate surveillance, ensuring long-term service affordability. Effective November 2017, PCSO Angela Saunders will cover River Ward and can be contacted at . She will hold a Police Surgery on January 17, 2020, at St. Mary’s Island Community Centre from 5pm-6pm for resident concerns.

Effective November 2017, the new fully-funded PCSO for River Ward is PCSO 56208 Angela Saunders. Angela can be reached via email: . Angela will be holding a Police Surgery on Friday 17th January 2020 at St. Mary’s Island Community Centre from 5pm-6pm.

This is an opportunity for residents to discuss any issues or concerns that they may have in a 1-2-1 session.

Medway Council Frontline Services: 

• Animal Wardens
• Enforcement Wardens
• Environmental Engagement Wards
• Waste Wardens

Medway Council’s winter service arrangements for footpath salting are detailed here. Medway Council carries out winter service operations in accordance with their winter service plan and policy. The Council will only treat footpaths after a snow event and when their Greenspace or Cleansing Teams are unable to carry out their normal duties due to snow. Once this happens their crews become available to clear and treat footpaths on a priority basis starting with town centres and then moving onto local shopping centres, hospitals, medical centres and footbridges etc.

The Council does not carry out precautionary treatments to footpaths prior to snow or icy conditions which is in line with other Local authorities Adopted Winter Gritting Policies. In most snow events they are unlikely to reach areas such as those on St. Mary’s Island before a thaw has taken place.

Medway Council do operate a Snow Warden scheme where people can sign up to become volunteers. Wardens are provided with equipment and salt for use on agreed areas of public maintained footpaths. There is currently one Snow Warden that covers the section of island Way East on the north side between the Stones roundabout and Woodrush Place. If further volunteers can be found then the whole length could be treated.

Pedestrians should take care when frosty and icy conditions prevail.

Chatham Maritime Trust continues to receive complaints about parking on St. Mary’s Island. We would like to remind residents that the roads on St. Mary’s Island are not and never have been  in the ownership of Chatham Maritime Trust. The roads, until adopted by Medway Council, remain in the ownership of the developer, i.e. Countryside, Barratts and Redrow. The main ring road, Island Way East and Island Way West, has already been adopted by the Council.  Chatham Maritime Trust has no jurisdiction over the roads and is therefore unable to assist with parking issues or complaints.

Only when the roads are transferred to Medway Council and adopted as public highway will Medway Council via bye-laws and traffic regulation orders have the authority to enforce parking restrictions. The same applies to speeding on the Island.

In September 2016 Medway Council conducted a parking survey to all residents of St. Mary’s Island. The results of the parking survey were relayed by Ruth Du Lieu, Medway Council’s Assistant Director of Frontline Services, at SMIRA’s AGM which was held on the 2nd December 2016.

Following on from the above-mentioned survey Medway Council will be initiating a formal consultation process to determine the best form of parking controls on St. Mary’s Island.

We would ask all residents to consider their neighbours when parking.  Do not block driveways and junctions and do not park up on the pavement thus blocking access for those with prams and wheelchairs.

Update for 2018:

On Friday 16th February 2018 from 6.30 pm there is to be a parking consultation  open forum meeting at the Community Centre from 6.30 pm onwards with presentation and Q&A session from 7.30 pm onwards.  This will take place in the main hall.

This meeting is being co-hosted by SMIRA and Medway Council officials from the Parking Design Team, together with a Parking Design Consultant.  It will launch the formal consultation process for the potential introduction of parking controls across St. Mary’s Island.   Parking is already an issue in some places on the Island and with the final build-out, the opening of the assisted living homes and the expansion of the school problems are only going to get worse.  We would therefore encourage all residents to get involved and engage in the process.

The objective of the meeting is to introduce the Consultation Methodology and to explain some of the options that the questionnaire will propose.  Following the meeting every household will receive a questionnaire in the post with a 21-day completion and return deadline.  Statutory agencies, i.e. emergency services, will be consulted.  Following analysis of the feedback Medway Council will then decide which options, if any, to implement.

Whatever the outcome, once implemented, it will be very difficult to in-do and probably at least 5 years before Medway Council can afford to re-run this expensive exercise.

In April 2018 Medway Council confirmed that plans had been suspended to consult on a controlled parking zone on St. Mary’s Island.

Update for November 2019.  Medway Council have launched another consultation into proposed controlled parking Zones on St. Mary’s Island.  It is proposed that a new controlled parking zone is created to prioritise parking for residents.  All residents are encouraged to have their say; the deadline for the consultation closes on 23rd December 2019.  You can participate in the consultation via SMIRA’s website.

Medway Council responded in a letter to residents dated February 2020 as follows:

“Dear Resident,

Controlled Parking Zone Proposals – St. Mary’s Island

As you are aware, residents of the St. Mary’s Island area  have recently been consulted on proposals for a controlled parking zone.  Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond.  We are now writing to inform you of the rsult of this consultation.

Of the 1,633 properties which were consulted, 46% responded.  Overall, 68% of respondents were against the introduction of a controlled parking zone and 32% were in favour.

Following discussion with your Ward Councillors, we’ve decided not to introduce a CPZ on the majority of roads, where most residents were not in favour of one.  However, there were a small number of roads which were in favour of a zone.  In these areas we will proceed with plans to install a zone.  These roads were:  The Crescent, Marine View, Haven Way, Pochard Close and The Pintails.  Residents of these will soon receive a letter with detailed proposals and formal consultation documents.

Residents from across the Island have asked us to install double yellow lines on junctions where parked vehicles cause a safety hazard.  We will be moving ahead to install these where needed.

If you would like to discuss anything you are unsure of, please contact Medway Council Parking Design team on 01634 334314 or email parkingdesign@medway.gov.uk.  Alternatively, speak to your Ward Councillors who are working to resolve the parking issues within your area.

Kind regards

Councillor Phil Firmer
Portfolio Holder for Front Line Services, Ruth Du-Lieu, Assistant Director Frontline Services”

Living on an island or near a river can heighten flood concerns, but rest assured, the flood risk in Chatham Maritime and St. Mary’s Island is very low. Flood risks mainly come from extreme tides, overwhelmed rivers, and heavy rainfall.

The flood protection levels in the Chatham Maritime estate far exceed historical needs and are regularly reviewed. Mortgage and insurance companies should have no issues regarding the risk management measures in place.

For detailed information, please refer to our Flood Risk Report (June 2022).

Note: Chatham Maritime Trust does not handle flood warnings; this responsibility lies with the Environment Agency.

Environment Agency Hotline: 0800 807 060.