Fresh vision unveiled for town

Early concept designs reveal how Tenterden’s town centre could be revamped.

Major plans to widen pavements and remove traffic lights are due to be discussed by bosses on Tuesday.

The overhaul has been designed by the town council’s high street revitalisation working group.

But it is yet to be approved or formally adopted by the town council which says consultation with Kent County Council and the public would need to be sought before any further action is taken.

Two one-way road systems would be created - one on Bridewell Lane and Highbury Lane; another by Beacon Oak Road and East Hill with the junction between Oaks Road and the A28 Ashford Road being blocked off.

Traffic lights along the high street could be removed to make way for a mini-roundabout on East Cross and another at the entrance to Bridewell Lane.

Away from traffic, footpaths will be wider and resurfaced, and improved access will be created linking the town centre to the Kent and East Sussex Railway station.

The high street pavement widening would allow cafes and restaurants to have a larger al fresco capacity, particularly important at a time when social distancing is so widely observed.

A number of car park spaces will be removed, however these losses are hoped to be offset in other locations.

Cllr Mike Carter - who is on the tourism and business committee which will discuss the plans on Tuesday - said: “We want to develop Tenterden into a town that’s reducing CO2 emissions, going green and taking it forward into the 21st century.

“It’ll be an even more functioning place to live, work and play.

“We’re definitely going to get housing, but we’re trying to get the developments to pay for these upgrades. They are just ideas at the present time, we wanted other people’s ideas and if the committee approves of them, we can progress onto public consultations.”

Early designs of how a reworked Tenterden high street could look, right, a roundabout would replace traffic lights at the East Cross A28 junction