Who should use the riverside strategy, and how?
The riverside strategy should guide landowner/developers, flood management bodies, other organisations and riverside communities. It provides best practice and achievable design options to advise on river defence requirements and opportunities, and to inform use of riverside land and activities that are sustainable into the future. .
The strategy is agreed by Dartford Borough Council and the Environment Agency as an essential planning tool for informing and deciding upon riverside proposals and developments at Dartford town centre, especially assisting in addressing flooding within regeneration plans. The strategy indicates that future sites can be brought forward in a cohesive manner while also creating more space for the river.
The strategy integrates and should be applied with the Dartford Plan to 2037 (the Local Plan for the Borough adopted in 2024).
The adopted Dartford Plan confirms the area in and around Dartford town centre, through which the Darent Flows, is earmarked as
"an overriding priority for development”
Policy S1: The borough spatial strategy, part 3a).
The Plan's strategy for the town centre seeks a focus on:
"opening up and creating safe links/spaces to and along the river Darent with a more natural river channel and setting"
Policy D1: part 1b (iii).
The riverside strategy sets out how this can happen.
Landowners/developers are also advised that Policy D7 of the Dartford Plan promotes specific sites and regeneration objectives for the area between the River Darent and the High Street.
In response to flood risk and climate change, the strategy incorporates Environment Agency and government guidelines (see Thames Estuary 2100 Guidance ), for sustainable flood risk management and the long-term resilience of the River Darent corridor. This includes promoting green corridors and open spaces, riverfront accessibility, flood risk mitigation, and environmental sustainability.