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Major plans to regenerate Queenborough and Rushenden on the Isle of Sheppey will see the area become a vibrant environment in which to live and work. The ambitious project is a renaissance that aims to breathe new life into the neighbourhood with the creation of improved transport links, enhanced employment opportunities, community and leisure faculties, environmental improvements and 2,000 new homes. Two major employers – including international supermarket chain Aldi – have already come forward and are planning to make the area home, providing 500 jobs on the Island. Meanwhile, a masterplan for the whole regeneration programme has been submitted to Swale Borough Council. Queenborough and Rushenden has been in economic decline since the 1960s, however the area’s colourful past as an important seafaring district, in addition to its inspiring waterfront location, makes it a prime location for regeneration. The masterplan was developed to take into account the identified needs of the existing and new communities, and maximising the land use opportunities already available. The process to identify these needs involved input from all those who live, work and provide services within the area. This started with “Planning for Real” TM consultation sessions – 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 community. Further formal consultation has also taken place. Funding of £7 million from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (ODPM’s) Sustainable Communities Plan, plus £3 million from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), has already been injected into the area to assist in the initial stages of the redevelopment. Improvements to the A249 and the Iwade bypass to Queenborough were completed in 2006, boosting access between the Isle of Sheppey and the mainland. In addition a further £12 million funding package has been approved by Communities and Local Government (CLG) for the construction of the new Rushenden Relief Road, which will open up the entire area for redevelopment. The entire island has also benefited hugely from the opening of the four lane Sheppey Crossing in July 2006, which provides an alternative to the Kingsferry Bridge and connected Sheppey to the mainland. Features of the masterplan include the possibility for around 180,000sqm of new employment space with a range of 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 marina, shops, bars, restaurants, a hotel and the potential for a new primary school are all included in the proposals. Strategic acquisitions in the area by SEEDA include the former Twyfords Bathroom Factory and a series of other surrounding sites. The sites have been cleared to enable future development to proceed. Further land acquisitions in the area have also been negotiated. SEEDA’s Kent and Medway Area Team has undertaken a central role in this project by co-ordinating a Community and Skills Group of local stakeholders which will ensure the needs of the local community were fed into the masterplan. Close working relationships have 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 “Your Future”. Partners in the Queenborough and Rushenden project include Swale Forward, Kent County Council and Swale Borough Council. For further information please contact: The regeneration of Queenborough & Rushenden is a partnership between public organisations - and the community. |
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