Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
‘Let’s get on with Kingsmead revamp now’ says councillor
‘This isn’t the best looking part of Canterbury and this is a much-needed overhaul of the area’
The redevelopment of the Kingsmead area of Canterbury should happen as soon as possible, says a prominent city councillor.
Labour group leader Alan Baldock was at Wednesday night’s meeting of the city council’s policy and resources committee, which approved amended plans for the transformation of the 23-acre site.
The ambitious project includes a cinema, homes and a shopping and restaurant complex on the former coach park, Serco depot and a section of Sturry Road.
“It would be good to get this going as soon as possible – the sooner the better,” Cllr Baldock said.
“This isn’t the best looking part of Canterbury and this is a muchneeded overhaul of the area.”
Cllr Baldock and his fellow Northgate ward member, Jean Butcher, are among city councillors of all parties backing the redevelopment.
“It is now set to go ahead so let’s get on with it,” he added.
Developer Link City had presented a modified set of proposals to the committee after carrying out investigative drilling on the ground it intends to build on and discovering boggy earth.
It has also redrawn its cinema plans, moving from a 10 or 12-screen multiplex cinema to one featuring smaller auditoriums to adapt to a changing movie theatre market.
Ninety private homes and a 550room student accommodation are also envisaged for the site.
Kingsmead represents the last large urban redevelopment area in Canterbury.
The council hopes the first element of it will be ready by 2020.
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