It has become a frequent refrain on Ed’s Medway housing pieces that people are building properties in Medway that are either not as planned or are adapted unchallenged from the original build. There is also the ongoing debacle of the Local Plan, or more accurately, the lack of one. This is a situation that creates - as Medway Council Leader Alan Jarrett said exclusively to this newsletter - a situation where only the developer wins.

These situations naturally lead me to ask the question: Could a Bond-level villain build their evil lair in Medway?

When designing a lair, secrecy and immersion in nature are essential. Scaramanga’s secret island compound, Blofeld’s volcano fortress, underwater Atlantis. They resonate with master criminals and film fans alike. Lairs can also be hidden in caves, or under Grand Central Station, as Lex Luthor did in 1978’s ‘Superman’. It is important to be able to harness power and engage with the land around you, whilst reflecting inner corruption with nice amenities.

Medway’s Local Plan, which was needed to come into force in 2006 2011 2019, to replace the existing Local Plan. This plan would have covered Medway up to 2037. Medway’s 2035 regeneration document, to create a waterfront university city listed Kingsnorth on the peninsula as a key regeneration site. What better place to build a discreet criminal lair, while still being well connected to the facilities of Medway?