Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Planning Committee last night approved plans for the redevelopment of the Former Royal Mail Sorting Office site, at Maidstone East, for mixed-use development which is predominantly residential.

The development will include 180 apartments, 1,863 square metres of commercial and/or community space and around one acre of open green space town centre park which will be owned and managed by the Council.

Cllr Stuart Jeffery, Leader of MBC said:

“This redevelopment will form part of the Council’s ambitious housebuilding programme. These are very exciting times for the Council, and the town itself. We believe the project will be transformational to that area of Maidstone, bringing genuinely excellent new homes to the town centre. I am also pleased to see a large new open green space included in the design, it will play an important role in the wellbeing of the new residents and businesses.”

MBC has been working on the makeup of the site for the past few years, the demolition of the various buildings is almost complete making way for the new development.

Cllr Simon Wales, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness at MBC added:

“MBC will be acting as lead developer on the site and has already secured £2.1m of Brownfield Land Release Fund monies from the Department for Local Government Homes & Communities, which has helped fund some of the remedial works to prepare it for redevelopment.

“Now that the planning permission is in place, the Council can approach Homes England as to the availability of Social Housing Grant monies to help fund much needed affordable housing on the site. We are also discussing the inclusion of a health facility with the local NHS”

Simon continued:

“The next steps are to procure a contractor for the works, and to refine and finalise the tenure mix for the project, with a view to the build getting under way in around twelve months.”

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