MAIDSTONE Town Centre Study Final Report | February 2010 MAID TONE Borough Council Contents 1. Introduction 1 PART 1 - BASELINE ANALYSIS PART 2 - STRATEGY AND PLANNING BRIEFS 2. Planning & regeneration context 7 7. Vision & future role of Maidstone 87 3. Urban design analysis 11 8. Green infrastructure strategy 95 4. Transport 39 9. Movement strategy 97 5. Property market review 59 10. Quarters & development strategy 105 6. Identifi cation of key issues 81 11. Planning briefs 111 12. Viability assessment and delivery 175 13. Conclusions 205 Urban Practitioners 70 Cowcross Street London EC1M 6EJ Telephone 020 7253 2223 Fax 020 7253 2227 Email: [email protected] 1. Introduction Background Purpose 1.1 In June 2009, Maidstone Borough Council 1.3 The purpose of the Town Centre Study is to commissioned Urban Practitioners to undertake a provide a robust evidence base to support the Town Centre Study for Maidstone town centre. The preparation of the Core Strategy and an Area Action Urban Practitioners team included Colin Buchanan, Plan for Maidstone town centre. The Town Centre will who provided transport input into the study, and defi ne an area containing the primary land uses set out Knight Frank, who provided property market research in PPS4. Consideration of the town centre is being and input. undertaken in conjunction with the Core Strategy, which extends to 2026. However, shorter term 1.2 The brief for the study was to make priorities and milestones have been considered as part recommendations on the following for the town of the Town Centre Study. centre: 1.4 The Town Centre Study provides an opportunity – Future role (and future capacity requirements); to consider a wider vision for Maidstone town centre and to give a spatial articulation to the vision. The – Town Centre boundary; study sets out the key opportunities for Maidstone – Vision; to develop as a location for employment, retail – Site development opportunities; and leisure, and provides guidance on how these opportunities could be realised by the Council and its – Movement hierarchy; partners. – Important townscape features and opportunities for improvement; 1.5 Part One of this report summarises the fi ndings – Separate ‘quarters’ and their different roles; of the baseline analysis, undertaken by the project team in June and July 2009. – Market assessment of the ‘quarters’ as potential locations for different land uses; 1.6 The baseline analysis has included: – Viability appraisals of a sample of opportunity sites; and – Site visits and the identifi cation of initial opportunity sites; – Total development capacity for each land use within the Town Centre. – A review of the statutory planning and regeneration context relevant to Maidstone town centre; – An assessment of Maidstone’s sub-regional role; – Urban design and townscape analysis; – Transport and traffi c review; – Property market research; and – Identifi cation of the key issues and opportunities for the town centre. Maidstone Town Centre Study | Final Report | February 2010 1 N Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital maps with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Offi ce (C) Crown Copyright. Licence No. Maidstone Borough Council LA 100019636 2008. Figure 1.1 - Study area 2 Maidstone Town Centre Study | Final Report | February 2010 1.7 Part Two of the report sets out the proposed 1.11 As the County Town of Kent with a long history strategy for the town centre. Based on the analysis as a retail and business centre, Maidstone can draw and identifi cation of opportunities, this section sets on a rich heritage in helping to achieve these strategic out the key changes in terms of development, green goals. Following considerable competition from out- infrastructure and movement. A series of detailed of-town retail centres such as Bluewater and Lakeside, planning briefs then provide guidance on how key sites the recent establishment of the Fremlin Walk shopping should be developed to support the overarching town area has helped to revive Maidstone town centre’s centre strategy. retail offer and raise the town signifi cantly in the regional retail hierarchy. 1.8 Figure 1.1 illustrates the study area considered in both the analysis and strategy. 1.12 In addition to this, recent studies have indicated that Maidstone provides the largest employment centre within the County (with the exception of the Maidstone strategic context combined Medway towns), supporting 74,900 jobs. 1.9 Maidstone is a strategically important town in the 1.13 These both provide positive indicators for South East region as the County Town of Kent. The safe-guarding Maidstone’s role as a Primary Regional Regional Plan sets a challenge for the town to fulfi l this Centre, and the evidence base documents that role as the Primary Regional Centre for the County. have been produced for the Core Strategy support Maidstone also has ‘Growth Point’ status, meaning that this view. The Town Centre Study will build on 11,080 additional homes will be built in the Borough the evidence base documents and will set out a by 2026. feasible and deliverable sites allocation, land-use and townscape strategy for the town. 1.10 The Study is informed by the following aspirations: Stakeholder engagement – Providing new employment of sub-regional signifi cance with an emphasis on higher quality jobs 1.14 A range of stakeholders have contributed to the (South East Plan, 2009); development and production of the Study. Stakeholder engagement has included: – Regenerating town centre employment sites into higher density offi ce and mixed use developments – The offi cer steering group, including town centre (Core Strategy Preferred Options, 2007); management; – Enhancing the retail function of the town centre – Council members through a workshop conducted by strengthening the link between key anchors in by offi cers; the town, including Maidstone East railway station, Fremlin Walk shopping area and the Chequers Mall – Discussion with relevant key landowners and (Core Strategy Preferred Options, 2007); and property agents; and – Creating major new leisure, culture, tourism – Final input from Council members following a and recreation facilities and improving existing presentation of the draft report. provision (Core Strategy Preferred Options, 2007). Maidstone Town Centre Study | Final Report | February 2010 3 Figure 1.2 - Maidstone context The future This report sets out a strong vision for Maidstone town centre. It looks to realise the county town’s potential as a sub-regional hub. Revitalising the centre will involve enhancing existing assets through the provision of a complete and high quality public realm network alongside the best quality new buildings which positively support the existing streetscape. 4 Maidstone Town Centre Study | Final Report | February 2010 PART 1: BASELINE ANALYSIS Maidstone Town Centre Study | Final Report | February 2010 5 2. Planning and Regeneration Context Introduction Planning for the town centre 2.1 The following section summarises the relevant 2.5 In December 2009, the Government launched planning policy and regeneration context for a new Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Maidstone town centre. prosperous economies, for consultation. The new document, which aims to consolidate national planning Background policy on economic development into a single, streamlined policy statement, replaces the existing 2.2 Maidstone Borough Council is currently in PPS6, Planning for Town Centres, amongst other policy the process of producing its Local Development statements. Framework (LDF) which will eventually replace the Local Plan (2000). Maidstone Borough Council 2.6 Policy EC1 of PPS 4 states that a robust evidence undertook consultation on the Core Strategy base should be prepared and maintained in order to Preferred Options in 2007. understand both existing business need and likely changes in the market. Relevant evidence based 2.3 The Core Strategy will set out in general terms, studies for Maidstone town centre include: how, where and when development will take place in – Maidstone Borough over the next 20 years (2006- Employment Land Study Review (September 2009) 2026). The Core Strategy will include: – forecast a future offi ce fl oorspace requirement of between 14,968m² and 40,096m² from 2006 to – A spatial vision; 2026. Further details are included within section fi ve below; – Strategic objectives which follow the vision; – Retail Need Assessment Study (December 2007) – Spatial policies which will deliver the vision and and recently updated forecasts (August 2009) objectives; and consider three scenarios found a requirement for – A key diagram, showing broad locations for between 32,450m² and 118,500m² of comparison strategic development, major constraints and main fl oorspace, and up to 4,650m² of convenience patterns of movement. fl oorspace up to 2026. Further details are included within section fi ve below; and 2.4 The South East Plan provides an important policy – Maidstone Town Centre Footfall Survey (July 2008) driver for Maidstone. Notably, it highlights the town’s – found that the footfall of Maidstone Town Centre future sub-regional role. had risen 5.6% between 2006 and 2008. The report comments on the increased development that has altered a wide range of sites. 2.7 Policy EC5 requires local planning authorities to set out a spatial vision and strategy for the management and growth of centres. The extent of the town centre and primary shopping area should be defi ned on the Proposals Map. Where growth cannot be accommodated in existing centres, town centres Maidstone Town Centre Study | Final Report | February 2010 7 should be expanded and development opportunities Sub-regional role identifi ed ensuring that extensions are carefully integrated with the existing centre both in terms of 2.12 Maidstone is the county town of Kent, and design and to allow easy pedestrian access. a major transportation hub. There is a need for Maidstone to continue to maintain and develop its role 2.8 Policy EC6 states that local planning authorities in the future, particularly in response to the challenges should pro-actively plan for consumer choice and posed by other competitors within the region.