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family orientated floorspace (Class D1), adding to Bluewater’s existing leisure offer and helping to maintain its status as one of the UK’s premier shopping centres. A planning application for an outdoor adventure centre at Bluewater, including a zip wire, skydiving machine, aerial trekking course, giant swing and climbing wall, is currently under consideration.
Outside of the town centre development has continued in 2019 at The Bridge mixed-use development, St Clements Lakes housing adjacent to Bluewater, as well as the residential-led mixed-use developments at Eastern Quarry and Ebbsfleet Green in Ebbsfleet.
There remains strong economic development interest in Dartford, with activity continuing on a number of commercial sites, including at Crossways and The Bridge development (both adjacent to Dartford Bridge), Capacity Business Park
on Bob Dunn Way and Questor Industrial Estate.
For more information:
www.discoverdartford.co.uk www.dartford.gov.uk
Gravesham
Gravesham is unique with its town centre enjoying an enviable location right on the River Thames. It encompasses exceptional countryside along the North Downs yet located in the heart of the Thames Gateway priority area for regeneration.
In conjunction with this setting is the area’s connectivity with direct High Speed One services bringing the town centre just 22 minutes from central London and 17 minutes from Stratford. Gravesend is the closest Kent town to London in terms of journey time, comparable with Underground Zones Three and Four. Investors and developers are continuing to capitalise on the opportunities presented.
Connectivity has been further boosted with new Thameslink services, easy access to Ebbsfleet International Station and traditional commuter rail routes into London Bridge, Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria. These connections will be further enhanced with Crossrail’s extension to Abbey Wood from late 2020.
Kent Space opened their new showcase ‘easy in/easy out’ serviced office centre at Springhead Enterprise Park in the
summer, centred around the benefits of High Speed One travel out of Ebbsfleet. The business centre also provides high quality self -storage options. This represents a £5.4m investment in the Borough.
In June 2018 Gravesham Borough Council and the REEF Group signed a new deal on the multi-million pound mixed- use regeneration scheme for two areas in the eastern and western sides of Gravesend town centre. This exciting town centre regeneration project will bring new life and activity to the centre of Gravesend. New shops and office space will be created across two sites close to the High Street, as well as
a new cinema and hotel. The development will also include new and much needed homes for Gravesend, as well as affordable homes, ideal for people looking to live in central Gravesend and who will be able to benefit from this major new investment.
Planning permission has been granted and works are underway, for the refurbishment and improvement of the St George’s Shopping Centre in the Western Quarter. The centre is being transformed with new-look entrances, flooring, seating, lighting, décor, branding and signage throughout. This will ensure that the centre is more welcoming and attractive to shoppers and retailers, increasing footfall and enhancing the vitality and viability of both St George’s and the wider town centre. An application for the Eastern Quarter is expected to be submitted during 2019.
Quinn Estates have purchased Clifton Slipways on the banks of the River Thames and plan to deliver significant new town centre riverside housing and regenerate the pier for employment uses.
For more information:
keith.grimley@gravesham.gov.uk
Proposed improvements to the entrance to St Georges Shopping Centre, Gravesend.
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PHOTO: GRAVESHAM BOROUGH COUNCI