A crucial blueprint shaping one part of Kent’s future for the next 16 years is set to be unveiled.

Medway Council is set to publish a draft version of its latest attempt at a Local Plan — the major document which sets out land for housing and employment, and assesses infrastructure needs, including roads and services like GPs.

The authority has been asking residents and businesses for their views on what the master document should include, and a version has now been created.

Medway Council’s cabinet is to vote next week on whether to progress to the next stage and publish a draft version on June 26 for the public and key organisations to review and comment on.

At a meeting on June 3, members will approve the required six-week consultation period for the published plan - a requirement before it can be submitted to the secretary of state for adoption.

Local Plans are supposed to last only 15 years, but the last time the Towns’ authority successfully passed a new one was back in 2003.

Previous attempts have been unsuccessful and the current administration says it;s a priority to get a new one in place by the end of 2026.

If the Local Plan is approved by central government on schedule it will be in place until 2041.

Without one the authority has less of a foothold to resist unwanted planning applications, as it is working on an outdated determination of how land should be used.

Assessments by the council will be included in the documents published next month, including those which found 27% of housing need is for affordable housing and 10% of the growth in housing need is due to a need for specialist accommodation for older people.

The plan will also consider methods for ensuring the long-term suitability of the road network, by reducing the need for car travel in some areas through public transport options and making signalling and junctions more efficient in others.

To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.

Transport assessments have taken into consideration the impact of the Lower Thames Crossing which was greenlit earlier this year and there has been working with Kent County Council and National Highways.

There has also been determinations of the levels of green belt and grey belt land across the Towns.

Legal officers consider the draft version of the Local Plan to be legally sound and ready to be published for responses.

Cabinet members will decide whether to progress to the next stage at the meeting on June 3.

If they approve the recommendation, the draft Local Plan will be published on June 26 and open for responses for six weeks.