Paper mill development will retain industrial past

A paper mill destined for development will make way for 300 homes, but will retain part of its industrial character.

Springfield Mill, which was in operation for more than 200 years, will be demolished for riverside homes.

Redrow Homes launched an exhibition on Saturday and took questions from 206 people in relation to the redevelopment. The company has not revealed the homes’ prices.

A spokesman said the historic chimney and rag room will remain as a focal point of the site should the proposals be given the green light.

He said: “The rag room will stay with the chimney. It could be used for anything from a health centre to a community centre. A community use seems to be quite popular.

“One idea was to have a pocket park around it to make it a bit of a feature.”

Flooding fears would be alleviated with plans for raised apartments with parking underneath.

The Redrow spokesman added: “The Environment Agency has produced flooding reports to say this is a one in 100 year flooding area so you have got to be careful.

“Apartments on the riverside will be built with undercroft parking so if it did flood it would be the car park.”

Original plans to build up to 450 new homes were reviewed and reduced to 300 following numerous meetings with Maidstone Borough Council.

There will be 200 flats - with a mix of one and two-bedrooms, and 100 homes - a mix of three and four-bed terraced and semidetached houses.

A planning application is yet to be submitted and Redrow has pledged the brick colours and window designs will be chosen to reflect the industrial nature of the plot. Machinery will be used as public art.

The site is next to a plot off Royal Engineers Road where an 18-storey block of flats will be created in a development of 310 homes, called Springfield Park. That application was given the go-ahead by councillors in February.

The Redrow spokesman added: “If we get consent we will probably go on site next year so who knows what the market and prices will be, but 20% of the new homes will be affordable housing.”