Developers behind the town’s £100 million regeneration plans have laid down a marker.

Three days after Swale council passed its application for phase one of the scheme, the Spirit of Sittingbourne placed billboards with the words “It’s Here” at each of the sites it’s set to build on.

One in front of the The Forum shopping centre car park says “Cinema and restaurants coming soon”.

Another on the corner of Fountain Street and St Michael’s Road states “65 apartments coming soon”.

They can also be found at Cockleshell Walk and the Spring Street car parks on the one-way system where more flats are to be built and the Biffa site where four retail units will be created.

It’s understood the refuse depot, which is currently on land owned by Swale council opposite Morrisons, will relocate to the Eurolink Estate once work starts there.

It has also been revealed that a potential cinema partner would be subsidised because they traditionally don’t make money, but act as anchor tenants bringing in customers who go on to use shops, pubs and restaurants nearby.

Spirit is made up of Quinn Estates working in conjunction with architect Guy Holloway; Cathedral Group and Essential Land LLP.

Richard Upton, chief executive of Cathedral Group, said: “The signs show residents and visitors alike that Sittingbourne is changing for the better and will soon offer a whole host of new leisure and entertainment facilities.”

Concerns were raised at the meeting on March 16 about the number of parking spaces that will be lost due to the new housing.

Area planning officer Jim Wilson explained there would be an extra 22 spaces once the 308 space multi-storey car park is built between the shopping centre and St Michael’s Road.

That figure was later queried by Bapchild resident Andy Hudson who claimed the town would actually have 15 fewer spaces but the local authority still stands by the original number.

A spokesman said: “At the presentation Mr Wilson had a red line on the map he was showing and within that red line the extra 22 spaces is correct.

“The issue is if you take in the car parks outside that line which include the Network Rail car parks, which could then mean there is a reduction in numbers.”

By summer 2017 the town will boast a seven-screen cinema, seven restaurants, four retail units, 215 residential apartments, a new public square.