Manston
On 20 June the announcement was made that Kent County Council had purchased the business park close to Manston Airport. In a £5.3 million deal, the 35 acre business park has been bought from the administrators of Planestation, the company that previously owned Kent International Airport.
Already based on the site are Cohline, a German automotive parts manufacturer, Cummins Power Generation who specialise in diesel generation, Aviaservices who deal with aviation maintenance and repair and Invicta Produce, a food processing company.
Kent County Council said it bought the park because it has potential to support
regeneration in East Kent. KCC already owns Kings Hill, a key business park in
West Malling, and it is committed to providing a quality development for East
Kent.
Canterbury
Lakesview International Business Park is Canterbury district’s largest strategic employment site. It is located close to the villages of Westbere and Hersden on the A28, 7 miles from Canterbury City Centre and A2/M2. Companies already located on Lakesview include Blighline, Claremont & May and Cryoquip.
Start-up and small businesses in the Canterbury district may soon be able to
access new serviced office facilities at the Lakesview Office Village. Planning
permission has been granted for a 12,000 sqft office facility, which will incorporate
a 4,000 sqft incubator space for knowledge based start-ups. The project is aimed
at addressing the area's shortage of office space for start-up businesses, micro-firms
and Canterbury businesses seeking to expand. The development has been funded
by £250,000 from SEEDA and East Kent Partnership, together with funding from
Canterbury City Council with the project being led by the council and local private
sector developer, George Wilson Developments Ltd. The offices are expected to
be available from February 2007.
Herne Bay
Kitewood Estates has obtained detailed planning consent for the first phase of a new business park at Blacksole Farm, Herne Bay.
Work on the 37-acre (15-hectare) site at Blacksole Farm, adjacent to the A299 Thanet Way, is scheduled to commence later this year with the first industrial units available Summer 2007. The site has important investment and regeneration potential in the coastal planning area and is anticipated to generate over 500 jobs.
Broadstairs
Thanet Reach Business Park is a 35 acre site located off Northwood Road adjacent to the out of town retail area at Westwood Cross and is close to Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate.
From Spring/Summer 2007, the next phase of commercial space will be available when ½ and 1 acre serviced plots are offered to local businesses operating within Thanet. The proposed new development is adjacent to Tesco Extra and Wickes and will be fully serviced with consent for B1 and B8 businesses.
Ramsgate
Eurokent Business Park is a 145 acre mixed use development with 105 acres of business and commercial space and 40 acres of associated sport and leisure development land adjoining the edge of town retail and service core of Thanet.
Land Securities has recently confirmed that they have received consent for a new 96,000 sqft scheme adjacent to the Westwood Cross shopping centre. The £20 million leisure and entertainment scheme will include a hotel, multi-screen cinema complex, casino, bingo hall, restaurants and 530 car spaces. The scheme will support Thanet District Council’s long term vision for the area which started with the Westwood Cross shopping centre.
Dover
A major investment at the White Cliffs Business Park has been given the go ahead
by the government and approved by Dover District Council planners. Proposals
for the £100 million investment in phase 2 of the business park could bring around
1,800 full and part time jobs to the site. Development of phase 2 of the business
park could create the potential to increase the employment land with phase 3,
which could generate another 1,200 jobs.
Plans were also approved for the development of the former Channel Tunnel workers site at Farthingloe Technology Village, with 40,000 sqft of high quality offices and research and development opportunities proposed, which are set to bring further jobs to the area.
Betteshanger Business Park is due to open soon, which will create up to 22,300
sqm of high quality employment space within a landscaped environment. The site
is expected to provide up to 500 jobs and will play an important role in the
economic regeneration of Dover.
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