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district
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Urban living 24/7
Maidstone enjoys a night time
economy worth £75m. It is the
largest late-night retail and leisure
hub in Kent, providing 4,000 jobs for
local people. The town centre was
recently rated for ‘its sheer volume
of shopping’ and is ranked in the
top 50 retail centres in the UK. The
£100 million Fremlin Walk retail
development (voted one of the top
ten South East shopping centres
in 2006) and the town centre’s
one million sq ft of retail space,
together with ample and easy
parking, have helped to attract 40%
more visitors to the area during the
past five years.
Best of Kent
Voted the most attractive business
location in Kent, Maidstone has
the largest office market in the
county and space costs up to
60% less than in London. And
with over 500,000 sq ft of office
space planned, Maidstone is one
of the few places in Kent that
attracts speculative development. ≥
Already home to 140,000 people,
Maidstone is recognised as a natural
growth point in Kent with a planned
£320 million investment programme
supporting 10,000 new homes and
6,500 new jobs by 2026. Maidstone
is the most important town in the
largest county in the South East.
Modern day reality
Nestling amongst the Kent Downs
and with the River Medway running
through the town centre, business
in Maidstone is buoyant. It plays host
to Kent’s largest Millennium project,
a six-mile river park of high quality
landscaped open space and public
art, showcasing luxury riverside
apartments and contemporary
sustainable developments.
Greener living is a reality, right
in the heart of this dynamic town
centre. Moreover, housing remains
accessible to its growing population -
40% of all new buildings will be
affordable. Maidstone is setting the
standard for being the best place
to live, work and relax in a modern,
urban environment.
Maidstone is Kent’s commercial centre and a thriving business
capital with abundant investment opportunities.
Maidstone Borough Council
Contemporary riverside apartments
Fremlin Walk, award-winning
shopping centre
St Peters Bridge at night
Centre for
business excellence
asb law is one of the
largest regional law firms
in the UK. Employing more
than 250 people across its
offices in the south east, it
has a 100-year connection
with Kent. Their new
operation at Eclipse Park
represents a significant
step forward in driving
forward their ambitious
development plans.
Madeleine Thomson,
asb law’s senior partner
in Maidstone explained:
“We wanted a better
quality office space and
environment. At asb law
we are very much part of
Maidstone’s knowledgebased
economy and
enjoy working with other
strong professional
services in this area at
a time when Maidstone
is growing its reputation
for business excellence.”
Case Study
district
focus
commented: “The new HQ will give
us room to expand. Plus, Maidstone
is a commercial catchment area
for readily available, quality skilled
employees. This will be vital
when we recruit 250 new members
of staff.”
Driving growth forward
Maidstone is driving commercial
growth in Kent. It has proved
a magnet for media companies -
a growing sector attracted to the
stylish blend of hi-tech culture
and heritage. Maidstone also offers
investors a choice of development.
The £75 million Springfield
Business Park will provide offices
of exceptional quality and be one
of a limited number of locations
in Kent that can deliver a business
park environment in a town centre
setting. Due to open in 2010, the
business park is positioned in a
natural environment benefiting from
open green space and countryside
views. This type of offering is set to
transform the commercial landscape
of Maidstone.
Maidstone key facts
• £320 million
investment programme
• 500,000 sq ft planned office space
• 60% lower than London
(office rents)
• £100 million retail development
• 1,000,000 sq ft retail space
• 10,000 new homes by 2026
• 6,500 new jobs by 2026
Contact:
John Foster,
Economic Development Manager
Maidstone Borough Council
Tel: 01622 602394
Email: johnfoster@maidstone.gov.uk
www.locateinmaidstone.com
Nick Threlfall, managing director
of chartered surveyors Watson
Day, has seen particular growth in
commercial development: “The trend
is for a healthy demand in readily
available office space in purposebuilt
office parks. From corporate
headquarters to smaller premises,
Maidstone has a commercial offering
to suit all businesses”. Maidstone
offers the best in Kent.
Capital for investment
At Eclipse Park in Maidstone,
Gallagher Properties is developing
the site in three stages to deliver
more than 400,000 sq ft of office
space. Towergate, Europe’s largest
insurance intermediary, will occupy
the first building during its second
phase of development. Max
Carruthers, operations director of
Towergate, which chose Eclipse Park
for its new headquarters because
of its strategic location, said: “The
excellent road and transport links
from the site provide fast access
to the rest of Kent and London.”
By road, the nearby M20 provides
direct access to the M25 – Maidstone
is 37 miles from the City of London
(under one hour by train), 35 miles
from the Channel Tunnel and
30 minutes drive from Ashford
International and Ebbsfleet
International stations. And with
an award-winning park and ride
scheme, it offers quick and easy
access to the town centre.
Making the connection
Accessible to a 790,000 strong
workforce, Maidstone’s businesses
have a highly-skilled workforce
to draw from. Towergate wanted
to be part of a knowledge-driven
environment where there is
opportunity for business-to-business
interaction. Max Carruthers
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≥ Maidstone Borough Council continued...