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PREFACE Barton Willmore are the UK’s leading Planning and Design consultancy. From our 12 offices nationwide, we use our size to drive a strategic approach to delivery, to influence methods of practice, engagement and legislative guidance for the good of the property industry, local communities and the environment. We then team this with a comprehensive understanding of the ambitions and pressures faced locally; equipping everyone with a real understanding of what makes their region, towns and cities tick.

valuable land resource. In 2014, we were one of only five finalists in the Wolfson Economics Prize (www.bartonwillmore.co.uk/wolfson), delivering a proposal which clearly established an approach for achieving a new Garden City which is both visionary, economically viable and popular.

Our research team were a key element of this submission, enabling us to utilise big data to map and understand the opportunities countrywide and begin to identify the most suitable, sustainable site opportunities for over 40 New Garden Cities. Our response to the commission today further builds on this experience to provide a clearer view of the Thames Estuary region and the opportunities it presents for growth.

Since our establishment in the 1930’s, we have worked at a strategic level to consider growth opportunities for the UK, driving major new settlements, urban expansion and regenerative mixed-use development at all scales to make the most of our nation’s

I N S P I R E D BY T H E C O M M I S S I O N ’ S V I S I O N F O R H I G H Q UA L I T Y G R O W T H , A N D I N PA R T I C U L A R T H E W O R K S T R E A M S T H AT A D D R E S S ‘ C R E AT I N G N E W H O M E S A N D C O M M U N I T I E S ’ A N D ‘ P U T T I N G I T TO GETHER: CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE’, THIS RESPONSE SEEKS TO; IDENTIFY AN EXISTING FOCAL POINT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH PRODUCTIVITY CLUSTERS

PROPOSES AN ADDITIONAL FOCAL POINT THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED

OUTLINES A VISION FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAPPEN

T H E F O L L O W I N G PAG E S P R E S E N T F I V E L AY E R S O F S PAT I A L A N A LY S I S T H AT W E T H E N C O M B I N E T O I D E N T I F Y G R O W T H H O T S P O T S I N T H E T H A M E S E S T UA RY. W E D E M O N S T R AT E H O W O N E O F T H E S E H O T S P O T S C O U L D B E R E A L I S E D I N C L U D I N G A N E W G A R D E N C I T Y I N T H A N E T.

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CONTENTS 1. CONSTRAINTS 2. CONNECTIVITY 3. ZONES OF INFLUENCE 4. SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 5. DEPRIVATION 6. HOT SPOTS 7. FOCUS ON THANET 8. NEW GARDEN CITY PROPOSAL

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A N O N L I N E I N T E R AC T I V E M O D E L T H R O U G H W H I C H O U R A N A LY S I S CA N B E E X P L O R E D I S AVA I L A B L E AT

H T T P : / / W W W. B W - G I S .C O.U K / T H A M E S / I N D E X . H T M L

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CONSTRAINTS Green belt across South Essex and western North Kent, together with major constraints (AONB, SSI and Floodzone 3) limit new large scale development opportunities.

This contrasts with large areas of unconstrained land and no greenbelt across eastern North Kent.

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CONNECTIVITY Here we identify the main transport route, together with those that are being improved and extended, for example cross rail.

Further investment, beyond what is currently scheduled and fully funded, could help unlock development opportunities, notwithstanding greenbelt and other constraints.

For example rail improvements to an expanded Southend Airport. The extension of a dedicated high speed rail loop from Ebbsfleet and onto Canterbury, looping through the proposed Thanet Parkway, Ramsgate, Margate and across to Faversham before the return to Ebbsfleet and London via the Medway Towns.

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Motorway upgrades to Canterbury and across Thanet linking into completed improvements to Discovery Park are also highlighted.

Such improvements would bring Thanet to within 1 hr of London as we all as improving access to and from Canterbury.

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ZONES OF INFLUENCE Shows the relationship, in travel to work flows, between employment centres and their surroundings.

Note the significance of Canterbury as the eastern North Kent hub and its relationship with the surrounding towns, from Faversham to Margate and Ramsgate (and to towns to the south), from which much of its labour supply is drawn.

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SKILLED PEOPLE AND KNOWLEDGE INTENSIVE SERVICES One of the Commission’s objectives is to identify existing focal points for high productivity clusters.

In an initial sift to identify where these might be,

here we combine spatial analysis that identifies resident (age 35-49 only) skills (Level 4+ only) alongside the presence of knowledge intensive

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services (high tech knowledge intensive and knowledge intensive market services only).

Note that Canterbury and its environs stand out as a particular hot spot.

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DEPRIVATION Reflecting on the Commission’s vision for development that would not otherwise happen, this panel highlights the most deprived parts of Thames Estuary.

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To support the betterment of deprived locations, it is necessary to open up access to opportunity. Our composite analysis supports this goal by weighting towards areas of deprivation that benefit from proximity to skilled people and high value businesses.

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HOT SPOTS Our spatial analysis of the Thames Estuary is concluded by drawing it together as composite analysis using the following weights: 10% Existing infrastructure 20% Future confirmed infrastructure

30% Potential future infrastructure 20% Proximity to workforce (derived from the Zones of Influence analysis) 20% Combined analysis of deprivation, skilled people and high value business

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The development of Thanet Parkway and the potential availability of brownfield land gives rise to an opportunity for a new Garden City that complements and contributes to Canterbury’s growth as well as support growth, renewal and sustainable development in Thanet

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Area: 2,300 Ac Population: up to 16,000 •

Planned high-speed connection

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Large brownfield site

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Proximity to Discovery Park and other employment areas

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Room for future expansion

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Potential beneficial impact on existing Thanet towns

FOCUS ON THANET Thanet’s potential to support Canterbury and equalise the Thames Gateway Estuary is significant. It is has few environmental constraints and an existing strong foundation to base both the growth of new homes and upgraded transport networks.

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An application for 2,500 homes, employment, retail, education and open spaces is currently pending determination at Manston Airport. Thanet Parkway Station has a planned high speed connection and Discovery Park (lying just beyond Thanet) is growing with small to medium start-ups. This is just the beginnings of what could be significant opportunities with major infrastructure upgrades.

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Potential Garden City Models

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Thanet Parkway

Mixed-use belt

Thanet Parkway Thanet Parkway

Transit Oriented Development

Garden City Scale and Growth Garden City Scale and Growth Thanet Parkway Network of

Garden City Scale and Growth Settlement

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Integrated Model

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Thanet Parkway

Thanet Parkway Thanet Parkway

NEW THANET GARDEN CITY CONCEPT C R E AT I V I T Y

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THAMES ESTUARY 2050 GROWTH COMMISSION SEE MORE AT WWW.BARTONWILLMORE.CO.UK

Barton Willmore Huw Edwards JAMES Donagh Andrew Wilford The Observatory Southfleet Road Ebbsfleet Dartford Kent DA10 0DF Tel: 01322 374 660 Fax: 01322 374 661

GARETH WILSON St Andrews House St Andrews Road Cambridge CB4 1WB Tel: 01223 345555 Fax: 01223 345550

All plans are reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Map with the permission of the Controller of HMSO. Crown copyright Reserved. Licence No. AR152684. | Desk Top Publishing and Graphic Design by Barton Willmore | This artwork was printed on paper using fibre sourced from sustainable plantation wood from suppliers who practice sustainable management of forests in line with strict international standards. Pulp used in its manufacture is also Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF).

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