Plans for a multi-million-pound redevelopment of a shopping centre have been revealed after it was taken over.

Following the £2.4 million purchase of The Forum, which sits in the heart of Sittingbourne, its new owners have exclusively told KentOnline what they intend to do with it.

Vanguard Properties UK Ltd bought the centre from former owner Praxis in December and bosses have been working on major plans to transform it.

Vanguard director Kamal Farid says the project’s main focus is about boosting footfall by bringing more food and beverage (F&B) outlets to join Costa Coffee.

“We want to make it a destination for the community to come and spend their time,” he said.

A new independent store, Julian’s Pie and Mash, is due to open in the coming months.

There have also been talks with a large national chain, the identity of which cannot be revealed at this stage, said Mr Farid.

The unnamed retailer is set to take on the largest unit, number 19, once home to Somerfield, Tesco and most recently Poundstretcher.

It has been empty since 2022.

As well as transforming the retail side of the centre, Vanguard also plans to build 74 flats on the roof, which Mr Farid says will also help to boost footfall.

Altogether, the 35-year-old expects to spend between £6 million and £7 million on the redevelopment, which will take several years to complete.

The building work would be done by his company, Imperium Engineering.

He said: “We want to attract a higher footfall into the shopping centre. The only way to do this is by attracting shops that you cannot find online.

“So we are focusing on [getting] major retailers to come to our shopping centre and adding F&B.

“So we are trying to focus on the shops or the industries or the types of retailers that you cannot find around, and just trying not to compete with online.

“We also want to redevelop the shopping centre as much as we can, make it lively, make it a good place for families and all the people in the community to come here and enjoy their time.

“This project was a very big challenge because there were nine vacant units [but] since our takeover in December, there are only four vacant units left.”

Mr Farid, who lives in the Canterbury area after moving to the UK for university from Egypt, points to The Forum’s “iconic location” as one of the reasons behind the firm's decision to take it on.

It is across the road from the town’s railway station and has an entrance on the High Street.

It also shares a car park with the Bourne Place leisure quarter, which has Nando’s, Sentado Lounge, The Light cinema complex and a Travelodge hotel.

Mr Farid said: “We are taking The Light not as a competitor, but rather both of us making this area so much better.

“The place is so busy, so what we really want to focus on is having the cinemas, Nando's and arcade while we have other shops.

Read more: Spirit of Sittingbourne: From scepticism to transforming the town centre

“So then when the consumer, customer or the resident comes to this area, they don't need to go anywhere else."

Vanguard says it is planning to submit its proposals to Swale council this week.

The firm has other Kent properties and land on its books, including part of the former St John Fisher school in Chatham, where it plans to build homes and the former Lazzat restaurant in Wrotham, between Meopham and Sevenoaks.

The Forum opened in 1989. It was owned by Tesco from 2008 until 2019, when Praxis bought it for more than £7m.

The supermarket shut its Metro branch in 2017. Before Tesco, Unit 19 was occupied by Somerfield supermarket, which closed in 2010.

Tanning salon Lux Tanz is among the new arrivals since Vanguard took over.