Thames Gateway Kent

Thames Gateway Kent offers an exciting blend of state-of-the art commercial developments, outstanding connectivity to London and European capitals, world class heritage sites and ongoing transformation of its historic town centres and environmental assets. With a population of over 600,000 people, 42,000 businesses and a workforce of nearly a quarter of a million, North Kent is a great location and has huge potential for economic growth.

  • Stretching south east of the Thames and including Dartford, Gravesend, Medway, Sheerness and Sittingbourne, the area continues to benefit from significant regeneration. Opportunities include:
  • Located on strategic routes-M2 and M25 and with high-speed rail links to London (17 minutes) and major UK and European markets
  • Interest free business loans through ‘TIGER’ and other schemes
  • Many large development-ready ‘brownfield’ sites
  • Cost effective business accommodation-up to 60% cheaper than central London, including innovation centres, Kent Science Park and town centre and business park sites
  • Cost-effective, skilled workforce and housing
  • New high-quality higher education and further education facilities accommodating 10,000 students at The Universities at Medway
  • Three ports-at Thamesport, Chatham and Sheerness
  • A growing area with 52,000 new homes and 58,000 new jobs already provided or to be available over a 20 year period.
  • Magnificent riverside locations, countryside and heritage assets
  • A supportive public sector and business support network
  • North Kent’s growing renaissance is focussed in three locations:

Dartford and Gravesham:


Bluewater is already Britain’s most successful regional shopping centre. Nearby, Ebbsfleet Valley is set to be a major economic driver for North Kent, with over 10,000 new homes and a major commercial centre planned around the international and domestic (High Speed 1) station at Ebbsfleet. The Swanscombe Peninsula also offers exciting potential for transformational development.

Along a 15km stretch of the Thames riverside, a string of major developments – including The Bridge, with its science park and innovation hub and Northfleet Embankment – complement the continued town centre regeneration in Dartford and Gravesend.

Medway:


The creation of a cohesive, modern waterfront city spanning 11km from Strood to Gillingham is fundamental to Medway’s future role as an international city of culture, tourism, learning and enterprise.

Chatham Centre and Waterfront with its maritime heritage, university campus and strategic location is set to be the heart of this resurgent city, and the flagship mixed-use development of Rochester Riverside is set to create iconic new vistas. Development opportunities on the Isle of Grain, at Chattenden and at Kingsnorth will also play a key role in the transformation of Medway.

Swale:


Clustered around the A249 from Sheerness southwards via Queenborough and Rushenden to Sittingbourne, this corridor has huge economic growth potential. South of Sittingbourne town centre, and expanding within its highly secure campus-style setting, Kent Science Park provides a focus for high-tech, fast-growth, life science and ICT businesses.