Growing the Kent economy 2016/17

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48 kent.gov.uk/business
resort, through supporting businesses,
the resorts supply chain and during
construction. The resort would be an
international destination comprising
theme parks, a water park, entertainment
venues, an events space, hotels and
associated retail and dining.
The London Paramount Entertainment
Resort would feature a core area of 45ha
(111 acres) on Swanscombe Peninsula
that will contain the main theme parks
and an associated 26,500m² (285,000ft²)
retail, dining, entertainment & events
zone. On site hotels will provide around
4,000 bedrooms and the resort is
expected to attract around 12.3 million
visitors a year. The resort will be principally
themed around the films and television
programmes of Paramount Studios
with additional attractions around BBC
programmes and Aardman Animation.
A new access road would be provided
between the resort and the A2 at
Ebbsfleet along with an improved
A2 Ebbsfleet interchange. LRCH also
propose a new transport interchange
at Ebbsfleet Station, and maximising the
use of the Thames.
LRCH conducted a public consultation
that concluded in June 2015 and is
continuing work on its master planning
with the aim of bringing forward a
planning application. The London
Paramount Entertainment Resort was
designated by the Government as a
Nationally Significant Infrastructure
Project in May 2014. The resort will be
the first business and commercial
application to be considered under the
NSIP process and whilst the resort sits
within the area of the Ebbsfleet
Development Corporation, its application
will be determined, after examination,
by the Secretary of State.
LRCH currently anticipate the London
Paramount Entertainment Resort being
opened in 2021.
Thames Gateway Kent
Dartford
The Local Plan identifies three areas
with major opportunities to deliver
homes, jobs and the supporting
community infrastructure:
A collection of very large sites from
Ebbsfleet International Station in the
east to Stone in the west, including
former quarries
A swathe of land along the Thames
Waterfront including Ingress Park and
The Bridge
Dartford town centre and former
industrial sites to the north - the
Northern Gateway
These are the drivers of transformation
from a declining manufacturing and
quarrying economy to a modern and
thriving high-tech economy, alongside
new sustainable residential communities.
Capacity for over 17,000 homes and
26,500 jobs has been identified up to
2026. Developments are to be supported
by infrastructure including transport
improvements, schools, health facilities
and green space.
A Community Infrastructure Levy was
implemented in 2014 and significant S106
contributions are already committed.
The complexity of the larger sites
and uncertainties over infrastructure
funding has resulted in an extended
delivery. But 2014/15 saw completion
of the first homes on some of the more
complex sites including Eastern Quarry
(6,250 homes to be built) and the
former Glaxo Smith Kline site (1,000
homes to be built). In all, ten sites of
more than 100 homes each were
underway, as well as a range of smaller
sites. After initial low levels of completions,
it is evident that the larger sites are now
speeding up. Given the number of these
sites, significantly higher completion
levels are expected in the future.
The healthy supply line is evidenced by
the high level of activity by developers
in bringing forward reserved matter
applications on future phases of the
major sites. Construction and consents
on employment sites have also been
progressed, including a major new
manufacturing plant underway at
The Bridge.
In Dartford town centre a new Aldi store
opened in 2015 and planning consent
was granted for a Lidl store. Work began
on the refurbishment/extension of the
swimming pool providing an attractive
modern facility with gym. The Council
and the HCA have received strong
interest in the Station Mound site adjacent
to Dartford Station and the former
Co-op site on Hythe Street with an
application expected in 2016. At Lowfield
Street, following Tesco’s decision not to
proceed with a store, a masterplanning
exercise has been initiated to bring
forward the site. Design work has
commenced to improve walking and
cycling access. Further infrastructure
including a new primary school and
local centre within Ebbsfleet Valley, A2
junction improvements and transport
improvements in the town centre are
committed and at the design stage with
implementation to follow on.
Find out about major developments in
Dartford:
environment-and-planning2/planning/
major-applications
London Paramount
Entertainment Resort
Plans for the development of the largest
entertainment resort in the UK on
Swanscombe Peninsula were announced
in October 2012 by London Resort
Company Holdings (LRCH). This would
see a multi-billion pound investment
with the potential for up to 27,000 jobs
being created both directly at the
Key Developments