AN IMAGINATIVE scheme to convert railway arches into business accommodation at a prime riverside location has been granted planning permission.

The arches, on the Strood side of the railway bridge over the River Medway, will be converted into offices and workshops and complement the 550 to 600 new homes planned for Strood riverside by providing local job opportunities.

The architectural design, which includes a series of attractive canopies, will also serve as a symbol of regeneration at the Watermill Wharf site, off Canal Road.

The Thames Gateway development is being jointly taken forward by Hubco, a local company which seeks to provide opportunities for work, and Medway Council. Space Craft Architects have been responsible for the design.

The conversion of the railway arches will be the first phase of the development of a Community Enterprise Hub at Watermill Wharf. It is hoped that a new build second phase incorporating further business accommodation and community facilities will follow.