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Long-awaited regeneration of Gravesend town centre is a step closer following the submission of developers plans.
Earlier this year consultation was held on revised plans for what was formerly known as the Gravesend Heritage Quarter project, with developers Reef working closely with Gravesham council on development sites.
The idea was first proposed more than 15 years ago, but progress stalled repeatedly until the £160 million project was bought from Edinburgh House in 2018 by Reef, which then began work on the St George's Centre the following year.
Now an application for the first stage of the project has been submitted to Gravesham council.
The Charter would see 242 residential apartments built, with 20% of those being Discounted Market Rent units, and a multi-storey car park built on land currently occupied by the Horn Yard and Market Square car parks beside Gravesend Borough Market and to the east of the High Street.
The regeneration of the historic area of the town, would also bring a major commercial and leisure development to the rear of St George’s shopping centre.
The proposals are for the homes to be built in three blocks ranging from three to 10 storeys and include details around access and landscaping.
Phil Duckworth, design director at Reef Group, said: “Reef Group is delighted to have submitted the planning application for The Charter, as it marks a great milestone for the Gravesend town centre regeneration project that we are delivering in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council.
“The submission follows a great deal of engagement that has helped to shape our plans over the last year, and we are excited for this phase to help deliver much-needed new homes for Gravesend as well as improved public realm around the town centre.
“It very much builds on the improvement works we have been doing at St George’s shopping centre, and provides a key foundation for our planned future phase of work there.
“We remain committed to regenerating the town centre to the highest quality and are pleased with the submitted plans that build upon Gravesend’s great heritage and local assets.”
Cllr John Burden, leader of Gravesham council, said the submission of the application was an important day in the town’s modern history.
He said: “The redevelopment of the area of the town centre either side of the High Street has been on the agenda for more years than I care to remember and has been an ambition for administrations of all political persuasions.
“There have been many false starts and potential developers have come and gone. It has been a story of frustration and missed opportunities, which is why this is such an important moment for the town.
“We have worked closely with Reef Group throughout the evolution of these proposals to ensure they are in the best interests of the town and borough.
“They will now be scrutinised in detail by our planning officers and council members – just as any other planning application would be – to ensure they conform to local planning policies and regulations.”
Cllr Burden added: “Town centres across the country were facing huge challenges even before the coronavirus crisis, and will have a very different look and feel when we start to get back to some sort of normality.
“One thing is for certain; for our town to recover and thrive it needs people to live, work and socialise here.
“The Charter is just a starting point, but it will be an important foundation stone for a new future for Gravesend.”
Details of The Charter planning application can be found by visiting https://plan.gravesham.gov.uk/online-applications and searching for reference number 20200343.
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