A PUBLIC consultation on the £300m development of Dartford town centre is to be held this week following an amendment to a supermarket’s planning application.
Tesco announced its revised plans for a new store, shops and homes in Dartford town centre on Monday (December 6).
The amendment followed Dartford Council’s request in October to revise the plans to reflect the town’s market traditions.
Key changes to the proposals
The removal of high buildings along Cranford Road
A major reduction in the density and scale of housing from 937 to just 176
Preservation of the Market Street Car Park
Plans for an access road close to the War Memorial have been dropped
A significant reduction in housing developments overlooking Central Park
A new clubhouse for the ex-servicemen’s Glentworth Club in Lowfield Street to the design already approved by the Club
Residents are invited to have their say on the proposals on December 9 from 10.30am to 5.30pm and December 11 from 10.30am to 3.30pm in 26 Lowfield Street.
Leader of the council, Councillor Jeremy Kite said: "It has taken a while to get to this point but my colleagues and I simply would not lower our ambitions that the development of Lowfield Street should benefit the whole town and not just one retail operator.
"These proposals would bring a superb Tesco store with a significant non-food product range but also give us a number of big format stores that other household-name retailers tell us they need.
"We have also held firm on our belief that the design reflect Dartford's market-town traditions and I believe that the new proposals are better than those that went before.
"I am delighted to be able to lift the worries of residents in Cranford Road, and residents should have no doubt that we have taken every step to protect Central Park where we have spent so much time and effort on our Edwardian restoration."
Tesco Corporate Affairs Manager Jonathan Simpson says he took the council's requests into account when revising the proposals.
He said: “The Council has been very clear about what it wants to achieve for Lowfield Street and the wider town.
"We’ve listened carefully and have developed new proposals which take these comments on board and which are also suitable for the current economic climate.
“Our new proposals will still create hundreds of new jobs for local people as well as new space suitable for other big name retailers and new community facilities.”
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