News Maidstone Proposed Town Centre Strategy
MBC is proposing to embark upon an ambitious transformation strategy for Maidstone Town Centre. The strategy will aim to bring forward a variety of new education, health, and other infrastructure whilst creating a range of new retail, leisure and employment opportunities for the people, communities and businesses in the town centre and across the borough. Importantly, the strategy will also be designed to reinforce Maidstone’s role as the County Town of Kent.
The scope of the proposed strategy – being presented to the Council’s Policy & Resources Committee today - Wednesday 23 March, outlines plans to start work quickly on both the strategy and key projects designed to ensure that the recovery from Covid-19 continues at pace, and that the town is well placed to capitalise upon and benefit from post pandemic and post Brexit economic restructuring.
The strategy will seek to highlight the importance of the re-invention and renaissance of Maidstone Town Centre and deliver on our climate change commitments leading with a strong focus around arts, retail, shopping, culture, leisure and visitor economy, creating a place where people want to live, feel safe and which places an equal emphasis upon a town centre which is relevant to, and to which all of the borough’s residents can relate.
Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, Cllr David Burton said:
Maidstone is the County Town and the business capital of Kent. The proposed Town Centre Strategy will look at how the Council and key partners can support the people who live and work there, and is based on creating much needed new investment and jobs, together with new social and economic infrastructure. This strategy will look at the changing demands on retail and how we can support our shops in changing times.
Cllr Burton concluded:
As we recover from the Covid pandemic it is important that we are bold and innovative, making the most of the many opportunities we have at our fingertips. MBC will lead on this strategy which will put the town centre back on the County’s economic and cultural map and make it clear that Maidstone is very much open for business.