Viability fear for shopping centre Concerns over parking and road safety
Continued from page one
consequential effect on tenant demands. “The commercial objectives of one retailer should not override the interests of the en- tire town centre, especially if the conse- quences are potentially significantly greater than the quantifiable impact of that one store alone.” The council has successfully negotiated to
raise Next’s Section 106 mitigation contri- butions to £140,000. This was the second increase after an initial £50,000 agreement was boosted to £100,000. The Town Team will receive £40,000 of this money over two years for projects to improve the viability of the town centre. The remainder will go to public realm improvements. “The extent of the Section 106 agreed
with the applicant will not in any way counteract the lack of confidence in the fu- ture of Maidstone,” added Mr Holland. “Although public realm improvements
are always welcome, the true vibrancy and attraction to retailers of the town centre
avoid backlash LAND Securities hopes by going public with its proposals and inviting feedback before submitting its plans, to head off any backlash to the redevelop- ment of Newnham Court. It arranged events this month
for Newnham Court tenants, councillors, and the public and has written to 7,500 residents inviting their views. Company spokesman Simon
Hoare said: “The company has been in talks with the borough and county councils for a num- ber of years, so this will not hit councillors’ desks cold. “There is always a danger that
if you go too early, people will complain you haven’t done your homework, or, if you ap- proach them too late, some will say it’s a fait accompli. Land Se- curities is hoping for support for what it sees as a very strong case for encouraging economic growth in the area.” Plansshouldbesubmitted in
the autumn. If approved, work could start next September,with the second phase complete by the end of 2016.
Traders positive INITIAL reaction to the propos- als by businesses at Newnham Court Village appears to be largely positive. Christiane Shaw, manager of Hammonds fitted furniture concession at Nottcutts for the last two years, believes it will attract customers. She said: “I think it’s a fantastic idea. We need something like this here.” She said that while traffic
was “horrendous”, she was sure they would get it right. Lisa Turner, from Bearsted,
who runs The Ice Cream Bar by the garden centre, said she was hoping to move to the new site. “I think it’s a good idea. There’s plenty of room here for what’s being proposed.”
10 East
BOROUGH Cllr Ian Chittenden, who also repre- sents Maidstone North East on KCC, believes some of the Section 106 money from Next should be spent on the local area. “All theS106money is going to the town cen-
tre and none will deal with the impact on local residents. This is unacceptable,” said Cllr Chit- tenden, a planning committeemember.
comes from sustainable thriving activity.” The £140,000 agreement falls some way
short of the £1.34m secured by Wycombe District Council from Next for an almost identical out-of-town superstore. This higher payment, which will go to-
wards extending a park and ride system and a new bus service to the town centre, was se- cured becauseWycombe District Council has a community infrastructure levy policy in its local
plan.Maidstone Council does not. Next said it was willing to enter into an obligation with planners to keep open its
“My proposals to improve the safety of our
local roads and the problems resulting from the lack of staff parking have been ignored. Next claims there will be over 129 newjobs but have only allowed four parking spaces for staff. “The main stretch of Hampton Road through
Vinters Park has no paving, requiring people to walk on the grass or the road.”
Fremlin Walk store, or an alternative store within the town centre, for a minimum five- year period. While this was welcomed, it was considered unenforceable. Speaking as a substitute planning com- mittee member, council leader Cllr Chris Garland said: “The Town Team is very ef- fective and to give them financial assis- tance to carry out work will boost the town centre.” The committee accepted the Section 106 agreement with seven votes in favour, com- pared to four against and two abstentions.
Talks aiming to New scheme ‘will benefit town’
LAND Securities’ regeneration plans for Newnham Court would extend the shopping area from 71,472 to 302,575 square foot. Despite this, Land Securities’ development director Chris Ward told the Downs Mail he was convinced it would “com- plement, rather than compete with”Maidstone town centre. He added: “We see this pro-
posal as bringing a much- needed ‘kerching’ to the tills in Maidstone, by enticing big name retailers in and keeping customers from travelling out to places like Bluewater. “It also offers Maidstone a fresh chance to secure stores
was in talks with local bus companies to extend both the park and ride scheme and im- prove bus services into town so that shoppers could easily travel into town after having decided to stay in Maidstone to spend their money at the vil- lage and the nearby Next store. Tony Collins, from Harve-
Tony Collins and ChrisWard
like Waitrose and Debenhams who have agreed to come if the plans are approved, after hav- ing looked exhaustively else- where in the town for a suitable site.” Mr Ward said the company
store, which opened Newnham Court Village in 1983, says he, too, is excited about the plans put forward by Land Securities to transform the site. He said: “We are extremely confident that this is the right direction for the site, and that is why there is no Plan B at this stage.”
Oast houses at heart of proposed retail village NOTCUTTS SHOP UNITS
NOTTCUTTS and its café would move to the north of the site, to a new two-storey building with 82,000 sq ft of retail space, as the first phase of the development, to guarantee seamless trading for the gar- den centre. It would be joined – once the site has
DEPARTMENT STORE
been demolished–by fellow“anchor ten- ants”: a two-storey Debenhams depart- ment store and Waitrose supermarket, with 29,000 sq ft for food aisles, on the Bearsted Road edge of the new village. Additional shop units would be provided for existing tenants and newnames. The pub, oast house offices and nurs-
A249
erywould be retained, and the veterinary practicewould not be affected.
£5 million to improve traffic flow on local roads
LAND Securities says it has ear- marked £5m to improve traffic management in the area. It proposes:
Moving the site access from Bearsted Lane to a slip road off the KIMs roundabout; Traffic lights at junction 7 and the Bearsted Road and KIMs roundabouts; Dualling the road between the Bearsted Road and KIMs
roundabouts; Pedestrian crossings at the Bearsted Road and KIMs roundabouts
Improving cycle routes and bus links Jason Lewis (pictured), from Maidstone planning firm DHA, who has been acting as transport consultant, said: “We expect to not only keep traffic flows as they are, but to improve them.” A transport assessment plan
for the area was not available, but will be submitted to the council in the autumn.
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