November 2016

Maidstone East Development: A Collaborative Project

Simon Dodd - GEN² / Kent County Council & John Foster - Maidstone Borough Council

M20 (4 mins)M2 (7 mins)

Via A229

MBC’s 5 year Town Centre

Investment Plan

MBC Draft Local Plan:Policy RMX1 (2)Maidstone East and former Royal Mail Sorting Office, Sandling Road,Maidstone

Allocated for development for up to 10,000m2 comparison andconvenience retail and approximately 210 dwellings

Why intervene and collaborate?• Opportunity driven to facilitate wide reaching

quality place making• Emerging Planning Policy for a Strategic

Gateway location• Previous market failures• KCC neighbouring landholdings & operational

requirements• OPE synergies

Collaboration Benefits?

• Sharing risk and reward• Complimentary skills and experience• Synergy with other government agendas• Wider town centre regeneration plans• Major stakeholder engagement to deliver a

shared ambitious vision

Partnership

• Agreement to share pre-acquisitions costs• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) setting

out long and short term objectives• Project team formation• Joint appointment of external advisors• Supporting Economic Business Case• Feasibility & Development Appraisals

Governance

• KCC/MBC Collaboration Agreement• Detailed Business Plan including preferred

short term holding strategy• Formation of KCC/MBC Strategic Board• Financial protocols• Project team delegations

Governance

Strategic Board

Work streamFinance

Work streamHolding Strategy

Work streamMaster planning

Project Team

KCC/MBC Maidstone East Project

Masterplanning• Early Stakeholder engagement/consultation

throughout• Appointment of lead consultant and wider

multi-disciplinary team• Extensive site investigations• Market intelligence (occupier/investor demand)• Value engineering through design • De-risking to enable private sector delivery

Q & A