Next reveal superstore plans
Plans have been formally submitted for a £9m Next
store off junction 7 of the M20.
The joint proposal between
Next and Gallagher Properties, exclusively revealed by this paper
in November, is for a home and fashion outlet near the Hilton Hotel
at Eclipse Park.
It follows a public
consultation before Christmas which the applicants claim provoked a
positive response.
Iain Allsop, regional estates
manager at Next, said: "We were very encouraged by the reaction to
our plans as just over 90% of the feedback forms we received from
the public exhibition we organised showed support, or support with
reservations, for our plans."
Next claims the proposed
store, which will house a cafe and sale clothes, furniture, DIY and
decorating products, will generate about 180 jobs. A meeting
scheduled to take place on Monday between the applicants and
Maidstone Town Centre Management was cancelled due to the
weather.
It was to discuss what impact
the planned store might have on town centre trade.
Nick Yandle, Gallagher’s
chief executive, claimed the proposed outlet would "increase the
attractiveness of Maidstone".
He said: "Furthermore, we
expect that Next’s profile and the new format store will draw trade
in from Ashford and the Medway towns, as well as from a large part
of central Kent."
n The application can be
viewed online at www.maidstone.gov.uk
24/01/13
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