St James Securities is resurrecting its controversial regeneration plans for Dartford, Kent, 15 months after they wre rejected by the secretary of state.
Plans for an 80,000 sq ft Tesco Extra supermarket, 500 homes, a gallery and a community centre at the Lowfield Street site were thrown out last July.
The community now plans to develop a 200,000 sq ft shopping centre on the site, which would be anchored by Tesco.
The original plans were rejected because of concerns over the building of a new road through Central Park, the town’s principal green space, and fears that the Tesco would “create a sense of separation from the town centre, rather than promoting the integration of the store with the existing retail offer.”
St James hopes it revised plans for the larger retail scheme will create a link with the town centre. It has also drawn up 16 alternatives to building a road through Central Park.
The developer expects to submit proposals in mid-2008, following further consultation.
Dartford council granted consent for the initial scheme in 2004.
