Campaign Leader
Mr Michael Pearce
Campaign Leader
Michael Pearce is the Leader of the Save The Hoo Peninsula Campaign.
Michael has lived in Hoo since childhood and attended school in the village. He has a longstanding interest in the communities, countryside, wildlife and history of the Hoo Peninsula.
He has been involved in local community life for many years. He helped establish the Hoo Clean Up community litter-picking group in 2012 and co-founded the Thomas Aveling Society, which promotes the area's local and industrial history, in 2014.
Michael studied horticulture at Hadlow College and has a particular interest in wildlife, gardening, historic landscapes and the natural environment. He was also involved with local publishing through Village Voices Publishing between 2012 and 2023.
Michael has served as an Independent Parish Councillor on Hoo & Chattenden Parish Council since 2013, and has served as an Independent Unitary Authority Councillor for Hoo and High Halstow Ward on Medway Council since 2023. He is also currently Leader of The Independent Group (TIG)on Medway Council.
His elected positions are separate from his role as Leader of Save The Hoo Peninsula.
As Campaign Leader, Michael has led STHP's work challenging development proposals affecting the Hoo Peninsula, preparing representations on the Local Plan and bringing together residents, campaigners and specialist professional advisers.
He has also led the campaign's efforts to obtain specialist environmental and planning advice, including instructing Richard Buxton Solicitors and ecological expertise in relation to threats to the Hoo Peninsula's nationally and internationally important wildlife and habitats.
For Michael, Save The Hoo Peninsula is about ensuring that the place he has known since childhood is properly protected for the generations that follow.