Town Centre Management update: Maidstone Business Forum ‘Brighter’ High Street is opened
LIFE has been restored to “dead” lower High Street now Maidstone Council has completed a major improvement scheme to match upper High Street. Within days happy businesses were reporting higher footfall and improved trade. This delighted Cllr Malcolm Greer, the cabinet member for eco- nomic development and regeneration, when he conducted the opening cere- mony with Cllr Clive English, the mayor. It marks the completion of a project
to upgrade the entire length of theHigh Street that began in 2008 and has cost the borough council just under £4m. Cllr Greer said there was good evi-
dence to show people were now spending more in the High Street and he expected this to grow with events staged in attractive open spacesmuch better suited to pedestrians. Cllr Greer told Maidstone Business
MAIDSTONE could find itself a centre for university educa- tion.
Forum he was “chuffed” with the end result. He said: “I would have liked to have done it all in one go, and we could have done it with pavers, but they look tired in a few years. The granite gives us the longevity we wanted and lifts and brightens the whole area.” Trees, seating and a new home for
the town’s cannon (right) have created a setting to develop the “café culture” in Maidstone further, Town Centre Management memberswere told. The second phase of the work by Conways is expected to produce a £40,000 underspend on the budget. KCC has resumed control of phase one following the improvement work and a reinstatement programme agreed after work by utility companies. Spec- ification for the reinstatement work has been agreed and stocks of granite will be held for this.
KIMS, near M20 Junction 7, hopes to create a university campus of medical excellence on site, working with Christchurch University of Canterbury, and other leading institutions. On its doorstep, the University for the Creative Arts is concentrating its media courses at the former Maid- stone Studios in New Cut Lane, which could, in time, become a university campus.
Clutter removal MORE clutter is to be removed from the town centre as part of Cllr Malcolm Greer’s personal campaign to tidy up the town. He told the forum: “Getting on for 2,000 disused signs and barriers have so far been re- moved in this drive. This has made cleaning the town much easier and more efficient.” Funding for this work has come from the High Street un- derspend.
Wifi proposal A PRESENTATION on provid- ing wifi for the whole town was expected to be given to the Town Team in December. Andrew Simms, of Town Centre Management, said: “This is just one scheme that we are looking at, using some of the estimated £40,000 re- maining from the High Street underspend. It would benefit the whole town.”
Museum post MAIDSTONE Museum will be looking for a curator with com- mercial experience and market- ing ability, to attract iconic touring exhibitions. The mu- seum, which is about to adver- tise the post, will be hoping to increase its appeal to visitors.
ARTISTS’ impressions are being drawn up for further pub- lic realm work to pedestrianise as much of Earl Street as possi- ble, and for improvement schemes on Gabriels Hill (pic- tured) and from Fremlin Walk to Union Street.
They will be ready in Decem- ber and will be followed up by a public consultation.
Cllr Malcolm Greer said: “It is important that this work should continue following the success of the High Street work, which, in itself, has attracted new busi- nesses, created 100 new jobs and added £4m year on year to the local economy. “However, we have to be in-
ventive to continue this kind of work. Funding for projects in future will have to come from Section 106 agreements, devel- oper contributions and commu- nity infrastructure levy money.”
Quarterly meetings planned THE Town Centre Management Business Forum will meet every quarter from the New Year.
It was felt this would strengthen the content of the former monthly meetings and more people would be able to attend. The next meeting will be in February.
ONEof thebusinesses benefiting from thenewlayout of theHigh Street will be The Brenchley bar and restaurant off Jubilee Square.
Sympathetic restorationwork inside the former bank is being carried out under the direction of owner RobWilson, who also owns Strawberry Moons in the town. The old-style free house was due to open at the end of November. Elsewhere in town, Wagamama’s restaurant opened on November 13.
Campus plans Town face-lift set to continue Support for
festive events THE forum reported there would be a stronger festive feel and marketing drive in Maidstone this Christmas. Members heard that £74,000
has been spent improving the Christmas lights and decora- tions in Maidstone, festive ac- tivities are planned and the town marketing campaign would include newspaper ad- vertisements and posters on Arriva buses. Kent Police was running a
purse and handbag theft awareness campaign in the town. Town Centre Management director Andrew Simms said: “There will be a greater push this year to support our traders and events in the town.” Early talks are being held regarding a St George’s Day celebration in the town on Saturday, April 26.
Royal hopes for opening of KIMS
THE forum heard therewere hopes that a member of the Royal family will open the newKent Institute of Medicine and Surgery (KIMS) off M20 Junction 7. Cllr Malcolm Greer reported
work on phase one was almost complete, with commissioning of equipment about to start and an opening ceremony likely in April. He said: “Since outline approval
was given for the second phase of the project, KIMS has received in- terest from medical institutes in- terested in locating at the campus. “We know that Great Ormond
Street is coming and Stoke Man- deville, to add to the already im- pressivelistof leading clinicians to be based at KIMS. The message is simple: If you are going to get ill,
make sure it’s in Maidstone.” He continued: “Maidstone
shouldbeproud tohavetheproject located here, when it could have gone to Kings Hill or Ashford. The management of KIMS should be congratulated on bringing a proj- ect of this kind forward in such re- cessionary times.” Cllr Greer reported that work on phase two of the project–the final
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
phase – would start next year and take about five years to complete, creating a further 3,000 high qual- ity jobs inthe borough.He rejected the suggestion that phase two would openupthe area tomorede- velopment,“swallowingBearsted”, out to Junction 8. He said: “There is a hugewedge
ofwoodland to stop this happening and the areawould be protected.”
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