A partnership between Landmarque Property Group and Ebbsfleet United FC has filed plans for a major waterfront neighbourhood on the River Thames in Kent, including a new 8,000-capacity football stadium.
Proposals for the 50-acre Northfleet Harbourside site, lodged with Gravesham Borough Council, include 3,500 new homes and 225,000 sq ft of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. There will also be a new hotel, offices including space for incubator start-ups, training and R&D facilities, a community retail centre and further community and medical services.
If plans proceed, the stadium will also serve as a multipurpose venue for additional sports fixtures throughout the year as well as cultural, music and community events for up to 20,000 people.
The masterplan includes more than 9.5 acres of green space, including two new parkland areas, publicly accessible river and harbour frontages, pocket parks, public squares, private gardens, children’s play areas and more than 3km of new pedestrian and cycle links.
Access to Gravesend town centre will be improved with local transport infrastructure linking to both Northfleet and Ebbsfleet International stations and fast trains into central London.
A spokesperson for Northfleet Harbourside said the outline planning application “has Ebbsfleet United Football Club at its heart” and that “it is safeguarding the future of the club in a new stadium, opening up the riverside to the public, and creating a new destination neighbourhood for everyone in Gravesham to be proud of”.
Jon Bradburn, partner at Montagu Evans, which is advising the partnership on planning, viability, townscape, socio-economic and retail impact, said: “From the very start of this process Ebbsfleet United has been central to these plans, with continuing in-depth engagement with local residents, business owners and supporters to truly understand their priorities.
“The resulting masterplan and outline plans we are now submitting are designed to create an important new, sustainable, riverside neighbourhood that respects Northfleet’s heritage, prioritises health and wellbeing, retains the much-loved football club and puts the local community firmly at its heart.”
UNStudio is providing masterplanning advice. Other advisers include HLM Architects, C+W O’Brien Architects, Cascade on community engagement, Trium on environment and Vectos on transport matters.
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