East Kent and the coastal towns

The East Kent Local Strategic Partnership covers Canterbury, Dover, Shepway and Thanet, bringing together public authorities, businesses, voluntary and community sectors to improve the quality of life for those living and working in east Kent.

Canterbury

High-speed rail services to London reduce travel times to 59 minutes in December 2009 and Canterbury West Regeneration Zone around the station will offer an exciting opportunity to improve this key gateway. The Regeneration Zone is a 5.2ha mixed-use scheme providing commercial and residential developments and improved station facilities.

Plans for the Kingsmead and Riverside redevelopment area continue with plans for industrial and warehousing property, car showrooms, a depot, a supermarket, a leisure centre, a primary school and an adult education centre. A new and improved coach park with dedicated visitor facilities opened in August.

Work continues on the Augustine House, Rhodaus Town redevelopment as part of Canterbury Christ Church University's redevelopment programme. The University has recently built a new £4.9m state-of-the-art sports centre and a new £35m library and resource complex.

Canterbury Business Innovation Centre opens in November 2009. Owned by East Kent Spatial Development Company and managed by Basepoint Ltd, it offers over 2,500m² (26,900ft²) of affordable office, studio and workshop space to start-up and medium sized businesses.

Canterbury College is working towards phase 3 of its £50m redevelopment, which includes plans for a restaurant, spa, salon and a new sports hall. Girne American University (GAU) will open its first UK campus in October 2009. GAU's Canterbury Campus will be in the renovated former Kent Messenger offices.

Herne Bay

A 'central development area' has been identified to bring a quality shopping offer and improved facilities to the town. Canterbury City Council will identify a development partner by late 2009. The aim is an exciting and innovative mixeduse development for this large commercial site as a major catalyst for regeneration of the town. The re-siting of the bus station has retained jobs in the town releasing another major site for redevelopment. Improved pedestrian and cycle routes give better connections between town and seafront. Plans are also underway to improve the Memorial Park, relocation of the sports centre from the pier and creation of a new sports village.

Romney Marsh

The first turbine at Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm was completed in July 2009. The largest onshore wind farm in the South East was developed by npower Renewables and comprises 26 turbines generating the annual electricity needs of around 33,000 homes.

Dover

In July 2008, Dover was awarded Growth Point and Regional Hub status, leading to new housing at Buckland Mill, Connaught Barracks and Whitfield and employment growth in the town. The regeneration work is supported by Dover Pride.

The main focus is regeneration of the waterfront alongside planned port expansion at Western Docks. This includes links to the town centre, Dover Priory station, Dover Castle, Dover Sea Sports Centre and the mixed use redevelopment of Grenville Docks, which is being led by the District Council, the Port of Dover and SEEDA. The successful bid for £3.85m funding under the government's Sea Change programme includes a possible cable car from the waterfront to the castle and environmental improvements to the Esplanade. This also includes improvements around the castle by updating the secret wartime tunnels.

Thanet

East Kent Opportunities (EKO) LLP is the joint venture by Kent County Council and Thanet District Council to develop key sites Manston Park and EuroKent on Thanet's central island near the successful and expanding Westwood Cross. Negotiations are underway with a number of potential occupiers for Manston Park and a planning application is in preparation. Construction of Thanet Offshore Wind Farm started in March 2009 and completion is expected in 2010. The current phase of offshore works involves installation of the 100 turbine foundations. The wind farm's operations and maintenance centre in the Port of Ramsgate will create new employment and construction of the centre begins in autumn 2009.

Margate

Major work to regenerate Margate's eastern seafront is progressing well. Construction of the Turner Contemporary gallery has begun on the Rendezvous site and is due to be completed in 2010 and opened the following year.

Fort Hill is now single carriageway with public realm improvements removing a barrier between the Old Town and the seafront improving pedestrian connections. A mixed-use scheme, including a hotel, at the eastern end of the Rendezvous site is being developed with potential linkages to redevelopment in Fort Road.

Initial funding has been given by the Heritage Lottery Fund to the Dreamland Trust to progress design work for a Heritage Amusement Park on the Dreamland site and the refurbishment of the listed cinema. Work is scheduled to start in summer 2010.

Folkestone

The Creative Foundation opened the £4m Quarterhouse venue in March 2009 with facilities for performing arts, concerts, comedy nights, festivals and a contemporary restaurant and bar. Designed by Alison Brooks Architects, co-winners of the 2008 RIBA Stirling Prize, Quarterhouse was funded by Kent County Council, SEEDA, Arts Council England and Shepway District Council.

The Foundation portfolio already has 18,580m² (200,000ft²) of property under the control of the Creative Foundation spread across more than 80 individual buildings. Around half of these have been refurbished and some 200 creative individuals have been attracted to the area.

Also in Folkestone, a high quality mixed-use development is proposed at the harbour and seafront.