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Hoo Peninsula

The Hoo Peninsula is located on the North Kent coast within the Thames Gateway, an area designated by Government for major housing, economic and infrastructure developments over the next 20 years.

In order for the historic environment to take a central role in the strategic decisions which will shape future development on the Hoo Peninsula, it is necessary to increase our knowledge and understanding of the development and historic aspects of its landscapes. This will be achieved through the Hoo Peninsula Growth Area Historic Landscapes project. The long-term aim of the project is to supply information on what is important about the historic aspects of the Hoo Peninsula’s landscapes to partners and stakeholders which will provide an improved basis for management and decision-making.

Aerial view of the Hoo Peninsula project area

The Hoo Peninsula, looking west from Grain. ©English Heritage. NMR26477/050

The first phase of the project will run from October 2009 until October 2010 and involves the development of a project Geographic Information System in which to collate existing data on the peninsula’s historic environment. This will be followed by a number of different pieces of data-gathering and analysis undertaken by a variety of experts within English Heritage’s Research and Strategy departments. These included an area assessment of Hoo’s buildings by experts in the Architectural Investigation team; an analytical survey of the peninsula using aerial photographs by the Aerial Survey and Investigation team; ground-based survey and analysis of key sites by the Archaeological Survey and Investigation team; Historic Seascape Characterisation; Historic Farmstead Characterisation and enhancement of the existing Historic Landscape Characterisation, led by members of the Characterisation team. This work is being undertaken in consultation with a number of stakeholder organisations, including Kent County Council and Medway Council.

Subsequent phases of the project may involve further targeted research by other teams with English Heritage’s Research Department and will be followed by the production of a report which brings together all the work of the expert teams. Eventually the results of the project will be published so that the importance of Hoo’s historic landscape can be appreciated by the widest possible audience.

For more details on the project please email sarah.newsome@english-heritage.org.uk