Page 32 - KPRM 2019

Kent County Council, Medway Council & Kent’s District Council Commentary
Infrastructure and Regeneration
Continued
West Kent
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks District is attractive to residents, employers and visitors, with excellent connectivity and attractive countryside. The Council’s ambition is to build on strong economic performance whilst leaving a positive legacy through growth.
The Council’s plans and strategies reinforce this approach. The Council Plan and Economic Development Strategy reflect the priorities in regenerating the area’s market towns, building on unique locations and encouraging the diversity of independent retailers. By enhancing rural and visitor economies the aim is to create a sustainable model to encourage visitors, residents and businesses to make the most of the area’s heritage and location. Making better use of existing sites and redeveloping previously used land will provide opportunities for growth and development whilst protecting the countryside.
The Council also wants to continue to support and grow local businesses through the ‘Team Around Your Business’ model. This provides exceptional customer service and a single point of contact to our business customers via the Council’s Economic Development staff who are able to support businesses to locate and grow within Sevenoaks District.
The examination of the new Local Plan for the period to 2035 is taking place this autumn with formal adoption expected in 2020. The new Local Plan will create the framework to enable the delivery of the Council’s priorities.
As part of market town regeneration the council has created the Sevenoaks town centre multi-storey car park. This development has provided an additional 200 spaces in the centre of Sevenoaks creating ample parking for residents,
visitors and supporting many local businesses and their staff. This has included provision of 10 luxury town houses and associated public realm and environmental works.
The council has also developed a new 83 bedroom Premier Inn adjacent to Sevenoaks train station which continues to support businesses as well as visitors to the town.
New retail developments have taken place in Edenbridge and Otford Road, Sevenoaks as well as at the business park on Moor Road. At Fort Halstead, the owners, Merseyside Pension Fund, have submitted a new planning application for employment led redevelopment of the site.
As part of the council’s commitment to sustainable development, plans are due to be submitted in November for a key site in the centre of Swanley. This will include a business hub and provide key development in the town.
In addition, the council will be supporting improvements
to Swanley train station from where it is possible to access London within 35 minutes. This commitment to market town regeneration will also see the replacement of White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley, with an attractive new facility for the local community, employees and businesses.
Also in Swanley town centre, developers U+I have received approval for a scheme which will include over 300 new homes and 400m2 of commercial and retail space.
The preparation of the new Local Plan has brought forward a range of potential developments which will provide additional future capacity for business and employment growth in the District.
For more information:
www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/business
Tonbridge & Malling
The borough of Tonbridge and Malling continues to see strong levels of growth taking place with over 1000 new homes completed and a number of impressive new commercial developments were constructed during 2018/19.
Development is progressing well at a range of strategic sites, such as Peter’s Village and Phase 3 of Kings Hill to provide a stream of new homes over the next 5-10 years. In addition the council is pressing ahead with the allocation of new sites
in order to meet the needs of the borough for the period up to 2031. Having undertaken a Regulation 19 consultation in 2018, the council submitted a new Local Plan to the Secretary of State in January 2019, with adoption planned for 2020.
Strategic Sites
During 2018/19, there has been progress on a number of key investments and sites:
Borough Green Gardens is one of 19 Garden Villages to
be selected onto the Garden Communities Programme following a successful bid in November 2018. With £150,000 awarded to help fund the project, the money will be used to facilitate delivery of high quality housing, which members
of the local community can access. This will be enabled through support from Homes England on design and delivery, developing infrastructure proposals and working towards a masterplan that clearly demonstrates how a new Garden Community will operate. Phase one of the project
is likely to start in 2022/23 with 1,720 properties potentially completed by 2031. Borough Green Gardens will not only provide new homes, but also opportunities for employment, education and healthcare as well as the necessary infrastructure to meet the needs of the wider area.
At Kings Hill, Countryside Properties are currently on site creating a new development of 635 homes, a new primary school and parklands. Like the rest of Kings Hill, this new development will be of a high quality, having been designed through the application of a ‘landscape first’ strategy and extensive local consultation.
Peter’s Village is an all-new 1,000-home rural community between the River Medway and Kent Downs, with excellent links to the M2, M20 and M25, plus High Speed One as well as coach options for London commuting. Connectivity
for jobs, education and leisure have been enhanced by the specially built Peters Bridge over the Medway. Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells/Tonbridge, the Medway Towns and the Bluewater Shopping Centre are all easily accessible. On the site of a former Victorian cement works and quarries, yet home to rare flora and fauna, both heritages were embraced by developer Trenport, which has funded a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) heritage trail and bespoke public art – a huge steel industry and wildlife sculpture welcomes visitors. Trenport has set the tone for quality apartment
30 Kent Property Market Report 2019