Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
The future: Cinema, homes and restaurant plans revealed,
One of the most transformative city centre developments in decades moved a step closer this week with the official submission of bold plans to regenerate Kingsmead.
After 13 years at the drawing board, a detailed scheme has finally been unveiled with fresh, eye-catching images of how the run-down area could soon look.
If approved, it would pave the way for a long-awaited regeneration, with construction expected to take less than a year.
The scheme includes a multiplex cinema with about 900 seats, eight units for cafes, bars and restaurants, a convenience store, two small shops and a public square.
A new boathouse and pontoon
would be built on the riverside, with a canoe hire firm already secured.
Also included are 189 homes, mostly one- and two-bedroom flats, and student accommodation providing 484 bedrooms.
The development will be supported by 422 parking spaces, the majority of them underground.
International regeneration experts Linkcity are leading the project, which includes the site
of the former Serco depot and the derelict Coldharbour flats on the Northgate roundabout.
Chairman of the council’s regeneration and property committee Cllr Ben Fitter-harding says bringing the area back to life is a priority.
“It has been run down for some time and an eyesore for people living nearby,” he said.
“We want to repay their patience by making it vibrant
once again, so it’s great to have reached this important milestone of the planning application being submitted.
“The project stretches back to the original Kingsmead development brief of 2004, and since then we have worked really hard to get to this point.
“There has been lots of preplanning public consultation in the last couple of years as the plans have been put together and we know there is plenty of support for the project.”
He says, if given planning permission, the scheme will represent a brilliant opportunity to attract visitors and shoppers and persuade them to stay in the city for longer.
“Businesses in Northgate should really benefit too, as footfall between Canterbury Riverside and the city centre is likely to be high,” he said.
It is also hoped the develop- ment will put an end to people travelling out of the city to cinemas at Westwood Cross and Ashford.
“At the moment we only retain 39% of the potential cinema audience,” Cllr Fitter added.
The council is remaining tightlipped over the timeline for the project, stating the application will now work its way through the normal planning process.
Hoardings are due to be put up around the site as demolition crews prepare to pull down some of the existing buildings for public safety reasons.
The council says this work is required regardless of the outcome of the planning process.
‘We know there is plenty of support for the project’