The consultation into plans to redevelop the former Marley Works site has finished and the site’s owners, Panattoni, have thanked the residents of Lenham and Harrietsham for their feedback.
The views of the more than 150 people who visited the public exhibition held in the Dog and Bear Hotel in February, and the completed feedback forms have been shared with the project team.
David McGougan, Senior Development Director - South East, at Panattoni, said: “It’s clear there remains a genuine connection between the Marley site and the community, as we met many former employees and had many constructive conversations with stakeholders, near neighbours and other interested members of the public.”
“Redeveloping brownfield sites rather that greenfield was overwhelmingly supported, with 98.5% agreeing. When asked about the site’s future use, 81.2% believed it should not become housing, and therefore be retained for employment to help boost the local economy.”
Panattoni, which is Europe’s largest privately owned industrial logistics and distribution property developer, owns the 70-acre site. It contains more than 1,000,000ft2 of buildings and commercial space and is identified as a key employment location within the Borough of Maidstone.
The feedback, which is still being reviewed, found that nearly 85% of respondents are ‘definitely’ or ‘mostly’ supportive of redeveloping it for employment. A further 12.3% were unsure, and only 3.1% were not supportive. Creating local job opportunities, and not developing the site for housing, were cited as positive outcomes of the proposals.
David McGougan, added: “At the same time as receiving a positive reaction from the local community, we’ve also had enquiries from a number of high-quality businesses interested in setting up an operation here in Kent, all looking for buildings designed to their specific requirements.”
The proposals include demolishing the current buildings, remediating the site, removing any waste and contaminants and recycling as much as possible. The site would then be developed for modern commercial floorspace for general industrial, storage and distribution businesses, and/or light industrial uses, alongside ancillary office space and supported by a main estate road, with landscaping and drainage. The public right of way which currently runs centrally through the site, providing access to the Pilgrims Way, is proposed to be diverted to the west to provide an improved experience for users, within a landscaped setting.
A number of residents raised the ongoing concern about the levels of traffic on the A20. When asked, more than 86% of respondents agreed that highways improvements would benefit the local community. Panattoni anticipated this issue and has been engaging with the Local Highways Authority to discuss any mitigations and improvements that might be required.
David McGougan added: “The regeneration of the former Marley Works offers a once in a generation opportunity to bring it back to life. We will continue to engage with the communities of Lenham and Harrietsham throughout the planning process and beyond.”
Panattoni has sought the views of residents on local community projects which could be supported by the development proposals. The top four choices for support are environmental projects, access to public space, skills and training, or well-being and leisure options. Project support will be the subject of ongoing discussions with community groups, including Lenham Meadows Trust.
The feedback will inform and shape the emerging planning application before it is submitted to Maidstone Borough Council. Visit www.panattoni-marleyworks.co.uk for more information about the proposals.
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