Canterbury Public Engagement

The home will have around 30 car parking spaces, including two disabled spaces. There will also be an ambulance bay and a delivery bay. This is based on the number of colleagues and visitors expected on site at any one time. Electric vehicle charging points will be provided in the car park.

• Wildlife – the proposals aim for at least a 10 per cent gain in biodiversity, in line with national guidelines. This will include bird and bat boxes, log piles and new planting.
• Gardens and green space – the home will have landscaped gardens and green space for residents to enjoy.
• Trees and hedges – no trees on the site are legally protected. Care UK will keep as many existing trees and hedges as possible, and plant new ones to help screen the building.
• Protecting Stodmarsh nature reserve – new development in this area can affect water quality at Stodmarsh, a protected nature reserve. Care UK will pay into Stour Environmental Credits, a scheme run by Canterbury and Ashford councils, which offsets this.
• Lower carbon – the new home will use renewable energy and is designed to produce lower carbon emissions. Care UK is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
• Greener travel – a Travel Plan will encourage colleagues and visitors to take the bus, walk, cycle or share lifts. There is a bus stop directly outside the site.
• Flooding and drainage – the site is in the lowest risk category for flooding. Rainwater will soak into the ground on site, with underground storage to control the flow. A Surface Water Drainage Strategy will be submitted with the planning application.

• Permanent local jobs – the home will create around 83 full-time jobs with varying shift patterns, including carers, nurses, gardeners, receptionists and activity coordinators.
• Temporary local employment – should approval be granted, during the construction phase of the proposals, local construction jobs will be created. 
• Improved economic prosperity of Canterbury – residents and colleagues will contribute to the economic prosperity of Canterbury as this will bring additional expenditure in local shops, and the wider area. 

Care UK are offering  a set of road and pavement improvements that match those agreed within the earlier scheme submitted by others. They include:

• Improving the entrance from Littlebourne Road, so drivers have clear views of the road in both directions
• Upgrading the bus stops on both sides of Littlebourne Road outside the site
• A new 2m-wide crossing point on Littlebourne Road
• New pavements on both sides of the entrance, linking to the existing pavement.

Care UK will also submit a Transport Assessment with its planning application. This will show how many car journeys the home is expected to create.

A Construction Management Plan will likely be conditioned as part of any planning application submitted to Canterbury City Council, and will detail how traffic, waste, dust, and noise are managed during the construction phase of the project, to ensure minimal disruption to the surrounding area and community. Should planning permission be granted, updates of any road disruption and construction milestones will be fully communicated to those most likely to be affected.