Policy information sourced from the Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021-2038
LPRSP1: Maidstone Town Centre.
1. The continued renewal of Maidstone Town Centre, as defined on the Policies Map, is a priority. This will be achieved through the completion of a Town Centre Strategy to secure:
- The consolidation of Maidstone’s position as the county town of Kent;
- Retaining and enhancing a varied and well-integrated shopping offer, including;
- The protection and consolidation of retail uses within the primary shopping area;
- Outside the primary shopping area, allowing for a wider range of supporting uses including those that contribute to the evening and night-time economy;
- Increasing local employment levels, capitalising on the COVID-19 catalysed decentralisation trend from London, including:
- The retention of the best quality office stock whilst allowing for the redevelopment of lower quality offices;
- Introduction of new workspace into the centre to enable the growth of a range of businesses and enterprises;
- Producing a step-change in the centre’s infrastructure, leisure and cultural facilities;
- Select opportunities for residential redevelopment;
- The retention of the best environmental features, including the riverside, and delivery of schemes to improve the public realm and pedestrian environment as identified in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan; and
- Achieving improved accessibility to and through the town centre through the measures in the Integrated Transport Strategy and Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
2. Development in the town centre should:
- Demonstrate a quality of design that responds positively to the townscape, including ensuring the conservation and enhancement of the town centre’s historic fabric. Additionally for sites adjacent to the Rivers Len and Medway, development should:
- Respond positively to the rivers’ setting as seen in both short range views and in longer range views from the river valley sides; and
- Ensure public access throughout the centre is maintained and enhanced;
- In the case of tall buildings, be appropriately located to avoid or minimise impact on assets of heritage significance; and
- Contribute to a high-quality public realm and improvement schemes for the town centre to ensure adaptation to a warming climate as identified in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
3. Through a combination of site allocations, identified broad locations and the granting of planning permissions, development in the town centre will deliver in the region of 2,500 new homes, 6,169sqm of commercial floorspace, and 7,162sqm of retail/food and drink floorspace to 2038. This includes the following:
| Category | Reference | Site Address | New Homes | Commercial Floorspace (sqm) | Retail Floorspace (sqm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LP17 Allocation | H1(18) | Dunning Hall (off Fremlin Walk), Week Street | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| LP17 Allocation | RMX1(3) | King Street Car Park | 0 | 0 | 1,400 |
| Sub-total | 14 | 0 | 1,400 | ||
| Opportunity Site | LPRSA151 | Mote Road (Permission: 20/505707/Full) | 172 | 1,169 | 0 |
| Opportunity Site | LPRSA147 | Gala Bingo and Granada House | 40 | TBD | TBD |
| Opportunity Site | LPRSA145 | Len House (Permission: 20/501029/FULL) | 159 | 0 | 3,612 |
| Opportunity Site | LPRSA148 | Maidstone Riverside | 650 | TBD | TBD |
| Opportunity Site | LPRSA149 | Maidstone West | 130 | 0 | TBD |
| Sub-total | 1,715 | 6,169 | 7,162 | ||
| LPR Allocation | LPRSA146 | Maidstone East/Royal Mail Sorting Office | 500 | 5,000 | 2,000 |
| LPR Allocation | LPRSA144 | High Street/Medway Street | 50 | 0 | 150 |
| Sub-total | 550 | 5,000 | 2,150 | ||
| Broad Location | The Mall | 400 | 0 | 0 | |
| Broad Location | Office Conversion | 174 | 0 | 0 | |
| Broad Location | Sites TBC reflecting Town Centre Strategy, but could include: Sessions House; Broadway; Sites on Week Street, Mill Street Car Park and others | 215 | TBD | TBD | |
| Sub-total | 789 | 0 | 0 | ||
| TOTAL | 2,504 | 6,169 | 7,162 |
For more information, please visit Maidstone’s Local Plan Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021-2038