Page 31 - KPRM 2019

Swale
Incorporating Sittingbourne, the Isle of Sheppey and Faversham, the past year has been one largely of consolidation for Swale, with established employment sites and major projects progressing and coming to fruition.
Swale has continued to see a steady stream of investment, leading the way in the delivery of new commercial, and in particular industrial, space. ALDI has opened its new 61,316m2 (660,000ft2) Regional Distribution Centre in Queenborough, creating 400 new jobs. Eurolink, driven by Trenport Investments, continues to be a major focus for businesses, both small and large. Whilst availability remains on the latest, fifth phase of Eurolink, the past year has seen a number of significant owner-occupiers secure planning approvals for bespoke facilities, with construction now well advanced. Elsewhere,
on what has become one of Kent’s largest concentrations of business, established occupiers are expanding and there remains a steady interest in available premises.
There is also a growing interest from developers in new speculative development at Eurolink but also across the Borough, reflecting the limited supply relative to demand and the success of recently completed small unit schemes. Planning permission has already been secured for an extension to the successful 17,651m2 (190,000ft2) Eurocentre Business Park at Faversham by GW Holdings, providing nine additional small units, with current applications for other schemes on the Isle of Sheppey and at Sittingbourne.
The Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust has also successfully secured £4.2m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to create a new enterprise centre, which
will be run in partnership with the Kent Youth Support Trust. The project to restore the Grade II* listed Dockyard Church also includes the conservation and installation of a historic model of the dockyard, a community café and event space for hire.
As part of its 20-year masterplan for the Port of Sheerness, Peel Ports has completed the first round of a multi-million- pound investment, with £27m spent at the Wellmarsh site on the Isle of Sheppey. The site includes 9.3ha (23 acres) of car storage and 10.11ha (25 acres) of timber storage facilities. The investment has helped to position Sheerness as an industry leader for bulk timber products and the largest terminal of its type in the UK, handling 1.3m tonnes of timber and forest products each year. The Royal Bridge Pontoon has been replaced with a new larger ramp at a cost of £5.5m to enable larger stern Ro-Ro vessels to berth at the port.
Kent Science Park has seen ongoing investment at the site, with the opening of the The HUB, a communal building providing new cafeteria and conference facilities for its tenants. The £2m project officially opened in March 2019 and provides a new management suite, catering and flexible meeting space which can be configured to provide one, two or three meeting rooms with full AV connectivity, accommodating up to 170 people in theatre-style seating.
Alongside the success of the Neatscourt employment development, the wider Queenborough and Rushenden Regeneration Project has seen the continued build out of the first phase of housing. Future phases will now be supported by the injection of £5.1m from the Housing Infrastructure Fund, which will help with site remediation, assist with viability and accelerate delivery.
Major mixed-use developments in Faversham are also underway, at Perry Court and at Love Lane. Initial phases of housing are now being built and marketed, with associated employment development to follow. Both sites are well located in relation to the strategic road network, close to Junctions 6 and 7 of the M2 respectively. With interest in both opportunities it is anticipated that the coming year will see the commercial elements of these schemes come forward.
The regeneration of Sittingbourne Town Centre continues apace, bringing improved retail and leisure offers to the area. The multi-storey car park is nearing completion and will open in 2019 and the surrounding road layout has been remodelled. Construction is now well advanced on the leisure quarter, Bourne Place, which will include restaurants, a hotel and a seven-screen cinema. Lounges and Creams have recently been announced as the latest tenants to join Nando’s, Pizza Express, the Light Cinema and Travelodge. The leisure quarter is expected to fully open in 2020.
With Swale Borough Council and Kent County Council working closely, there has been some focus on delivering major infrastructure upgrades for the Borough. Bids to improve the main gateway infrastructure to Sittingbourne at Grovehurst and the Key Street Roundabouts on the A249 have been submitted, with the outcome to be known late in 2019. Highways England has also published orders which mark the final stage of consultation on their proposals to improve Junction 5 of the M2. The scheme will include a new flyover and will create an uninterrupted link for drivers travelling on the A249. Construction is expected to begin in March 2020.
For more information:
www.swalemeansbusiness.co.uk
New premises for Cook Food at the Eurolink East V Business Park, Sittingbourne.
Kent Property Market Report 2019 29
PHOTO: SWALE BOROUGH COUNCIL