future
development 178
SEEDA
The South East England Development Agency is already
working in a number of key coastal towns to start bringing
about the renaissance of the South East.
¥ Culture and leisure-based growth
¥ Skills-led growth
¥ Innovation and creativitydriven
growth
¥ Economic upgrading
¥ Connectivity
SEEDAÕs priorities are to create
cities and towns where people
choose to live by investing in an
urban renaissance. This can be
achieved by redeveloping and
regenerating key town centres
to stimulate development of local
economies, raising the quality of the
offer to visitors and release the
enterprise potential of the creative
industries, leisure facilities and the
visitor economy. SEEDA aims to
expand the cultural offer, support
enterprise and stimulate the creation
of a wide variety of businesses.
The challenges are great and
success will be measured by the
evolution towards a network of
vibrant, attractive towns and cities,
maintaining a diversity by playing to
existing or latent strengths; a set of
high quality destinations that secure
the benefit of increased visitor spend
for local communities and contribute
to wider objectives for urban
renaissance; and increased business
start-up, survival and growth rates.
Initiatives are already taking place
with partners in key coastal areas in
Kent including Ramsgate, Folkestone
Margate Renewal and Dover Pride.
The coastal South East is
characterised by some of the
countryÕs cleanest beaches and
major environmental assets such as
the Downs and the Channel Coast.
A number of coastal cities and towns
each have their own distinctive
character and history, yet it is also an
area of untapped economic potential.
If the Coastal South East was
to match the average economic
performance of the UK, an estimated
£13 billion in GVA would be added
to the national economy each year.
If this untapped economic potential
is to be realised, a targeted coastal
strategy is necessary. However,
in order to address the diverse
potentials and challenges facing
the Coastal South East, a variety
of locally-driven approaches will
be needed to achieve critical
mass and local focus. These must
address social and environmental
frameworks as well as economic
opportunities. The coastal strategy,
due to be published by SEEDA
in 2008, will focus on maximising
economic potential and the differing
opportunities presented by:
SEEDAÕs priorities
are to create
cities and towns
where people
choose to live by
investing in an
urban renaissance
future
development
179
The bridge has already started
to transform the lives of people
living in Sheppey and will have
a huge influence on businesses
deciding to locate to the Rushenden
area. Already two major employers -
including international supermarket
chain Aldi Ð have come forward and
are planning to make Neats Court
their home, providing an additional
500 jobs on the island. Further
companies are also in detailed
negotiations with SEEDA.
Two operators are in discussions
with the SEEDA team regarding
plans to build a hotel, restaurant
and petrol station, while a major
property company is looking at a
speculative investment to create a
high-quality, 40,000 sq ft, business
park. Negotiations are also underway
to bring forward a further 80,000 sq
ft of warehouse, office and
manufacturing space.
Meanwhile the masterplan for
the whole regeneration programme
has now been submitted to Swale
Borough Council and approval is
anticipated in early 2008. Once this
has happened it is hoped the first
residential site can be taken to the
market in spring/summer 2008.
Work on the Rushenden Link Road
began at the end of 2007, with major
construction as part of a two year
programme, which commenced
March 2008.
While plans are drawn up and initial
infrastructure work gets underway, ³
Meanwhile, on the Isle of
Sheppey, North Kent, SEEDA
is making huge strides in the
regeneration of Queenborough
and Rushenden
Major plans to regenerate
Queenborough and Rushenden
on the Isle of Sheppey gained
huge momentum in late 2007
with planning permission granted
for the £13.2m Rushenden Link
Road and the 50-acre first phase
of the employment area known as
Neats Court.
Years of careful planning and
extensive public consultation are
now beginning to come to fruition,
with the area set to become a vibrant
environment for people to make their
homes, find jobs and spend their
leisure time. The ambitious project
is a renaissance breathing new life
into the neighbourhood with the
creation of improved transport links,
enhanced employment opportunities,
community and leisure facilities,
environmental improvements and
up to 2,000 new homes.
The project received a huge boost
earlier in 2007 when the £100m
Sheppey Crossing opened. For
the first time residents could move
freely to and from the island, having
previously been hindered by a lifting
bridge connected to the mainland
which was often closed for ships
and other vessels, leading to traffic
congestion and huge disruption.
The Creek at Queenborough
An artistÕs impression of future waterspace
at Queenborough and Rushenden
community. Further formal
consultation has also taken place.
Features of the development include
mixed-use schemes with a range
of employment uses, provision of
2,000 new homes of mixed scale
density and tenure and a clean-up
of areas contaminated over the years
by industrial use. There will be major
road improvements, education and
training to fill skills gaps in the area,
marine employment and tourism
opportunities. A new primary
school, marina, shops, bars,
restaurants and a hotel are all
included in the proposals.
Initial strategic acquisitions in the
area by SEEDA included the former
Twyfords Bathroom Factory and
three derelict industrial units at
First Avenue, Rushenden. The sites
have been cleared to enable future
development to proceed. Further
land acquisitions in the area have
also been negotiated in order to
push the scheme forward as quickly
and efficiently as possible.
SEEDAÕs Kent and Medway Area
Team undertook a central role
in the project by co-ordinating a
Community and Skills Group of
local stakeholders which was
designed to ensure the needs
of the local community were fed
into the masterplan. Close working
relationships have already been
established with a number
of local groups and residents have
been given regular updates on
progress through a community
newsletter about the regeneration
plans, called ÒYour FutureÓ.
Contact:
www.seeda.co.uk
a former warehouse building has
been transformed into a community
hub for residents. The Gateway
building, (formerly owned by
Jewsons) is now used by a variety
of local clubs and groups to
hold sessions and is also a base for
Community Development Project
Officer Austin Clays, who helps
ensure residents and businesses
are kept fully up-to-date with the
latest news on the scheme.
Despite the economic decline faced
by Queenborough and Rushenden
since the 1960s, the area has
managed to retain its colourful
past as an important seafaring
district. The attraction of its inspiring
waterfront location has also made
it a prime location for regeneration.
Initial funding of £7million from the
Office of the Deputy Prime MinisterÕs
(ODPMÕs) Sustainable Communities
Plan, plus £3 million from SEEDA
was injected into the area to
assist in the initial stages of the
redevelopment. A further £10.2m
for the link road was allocated by
SEEDA and Communities and Local
Government (CLG).
The masterplan has been developed
to take into account the agreed
needs of the existing and new
communities and maximise the land
use opportunities already available.
To arrive at these agreed needs
involved input from all those who
live, work and provide services within
the area. This started with ÒPlanning
for RealÓTM consultation sessions Ð
where residents used a physical
model of their environment, made
by children from Queenborough First
School, to demonstrate where they
would like to see changes to their
future
development 180
³ SEEDA continued...