Quality first for Rochester Riverside
4 December 2003
 Medway Council and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
have pledged that the Rochester Riverside regeneration programme will
create a first class European City that would make maximum use of the
river.
The commitment was given at a collaboration signing yesterday (Wednesday
3 December) between the council and SEEDA.
Cllr Jane Chitty, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development
said officers were working on a new master plan. "This is a new beginning," said
Cllr Chitty. "We now have substantial funding to make this a truly
quality development. We will be looking to create something very special.
"This is our opportunity to take this project to the highest degree.
It will set a new benchmark for all future developments.
"While we know it will create hundreds of jobs it is too soon to
be prescriptive on exact numbers."
The mixed-use development will include homes (including affordable housing),
a hotel with conference facilities, school, doctor's surgery, business
units and shops.
Chairman of SEEDA, Jim Brathwaite CBE said it would become a vibrant
community. He also said that this time the project would happen because
of the investment and commitment from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM), the council and SEEDA.
"I am committed to this area," said Jim Brathwaite "Signing
this agreement is one of the most important functions I have performed
since I took over the chairmanship. This is going to be the first major
development in the Thames
Gateway and I shall be taking a personal interest in watching it grow,
as indeed will the Prime Minister and the Deputy PM.
"It's an excellent example of partnership working. It is of
such importance that I would hope we would attract someone of John Prescott's
position down to dig the first hole."
Talking of holes and when people would be able to see things starting
to happen Richard Simmons, Medway Council's Director of Development and
Environment said the whole scheme would probably take in the region of
10 years to complete.
"We own most of the land except the Gas Works which SEEDA will be
buying," commented Richard.
"This will mean that for the first time the council and SEEDA will
own the whole site that is earmarked for regeneration. The first thing
people are likely to see is the start of the demolition work. Then we
will start clearing and decontaminating the land. In the meantime work
will start on securing the river defences.
"It's essential that this development does not becomes a ghetto
for commuters and that's why we shall pay great attention to ensure
we listen to public opinion and create a community that wants to live
and work in the area.
"The whole scheme will represent an investment in the region of £300m
by both the public and private sectors.
Jim Brathwaite confirmed that decontaminating Brownfield sites was top
of SEEDA's priority list and something that they were involved in all
the time but stressed that this project is very real now that it included
the backing of the ODPM
No one on the panel would be drawn into committing the exact number of
homes or jobs that would be created because they agreed that this was
very much a new master plan and there were no fixed figures.
SEEDA's Project Director for Rochester Riverside, Jonathan Sadler
said it would be important to ensure the new community would be sustainable.
Said Jonathan:
"
The master plan is being worked up with fresh proposals and then
we will be going back to the public for their comments. However it's
important to remember it is their comments that have helped shaped our
plans thus far.
"Only the highest quality will be acceptable. This is a large development
site but it's only part of a bigger picture and one day we'll
have a new city along this stretch of the riverfront."
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